AzBusiness magazine July/August 2015

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AB | July-August 2015

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Table Of Contents 6 14 16 20 24 26 30 33

p Front U CEO Series Banking Law Marketing Tourism Dining Most Influential Women in Arizona Business 62 Arizona Hospital & Healthcare Association

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Leaving a legacy of hope

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It’s not often that meeting someone once leaves a lifelong impression.

Dr. Robert Arceci was one of those people. When I heard the news that the pediatric oncologist from Phoenix Children’s Hospital was killed in a motorcycle accident while on his way to work, I wept. I’d met him once.

Dr. Arceci earned the Physician of the Year award at Az Business magazine’s Healthcare Leadership Awards in April. While I knew his work, I didn’t know the man until I met him at the awards. I wasn’t the only one touched by his positive energy.

“This man was full of life and goodness,” said fellow editor Amanda Ventura. “He left an impression. He rushed the stage when he won the award and threw up a high-five instead of a handshake upon a second meeting.”

That’s who he was. He lived life so completely and with such energy that I wasn’t surprised a bit to learn that he rode a motorcycle to PCH, where he was a brilliant cancer researcher and a skilled and compassionate pediatric oncologist. According to his biography on the hospital’s website, a large part of Dr. Arceci’s focus was to bring together teams of multidisciplinary groups of investigators to develop scientifically robust and interactive environments for molecularly based, individualized treatment. Just like he did with every adult he met, Dr. Arceci made every child feel special.

Amanda summarized Dr. Arceci’s legacy best.

“His work will leave an impression and hope for children who learn too quickly that life is indiscriminately unfair,” she said.

Yes. Sometimes life is very unfair.

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Chamber of Commerce & Industry 78 Mediation guide 84 Glendale Conventon & Visitors Bureau 89 WESTMARC

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REMEMBERING GREATNESS: Dr. Robert Arceci, of Phoenix Children’s Hospital, accepts the award for Physician of the Year at the 2015 Healthcare Leadership Awards.

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Michael Gossie Editor in chief michael.gossie@azbigmedia.com 2

AB | July-August 2015

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A unit of the Arizona State University Knowledge Enterprise AB | July-August 2015

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President and CEO: Michael Atkinson Publisher: Cheryl Green Vice president of operations: Audrey Webb

SHOUTOUT

Fennemore Craig attorney rises to the challenge of kidney disease

By TRENESHA STRIGGLES

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ART Art director: Mike Mertes Graphic designer: Ana Richey

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DIGITAL MEDIA Directors of sales: Mark Blum | Kerri Blumsack Web developer: Eric Shepperd Digital coordinator: Robin Sendele

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n December 2013, Fennemore Craig attorney James Goodnow noticed that he had gained 25 pounds in one week.

After his family and colleagues urged him to go to the hospital, he discovered that he had kidney disease. It was a diagnosis that came as a huge surprise to him. His family had no prior history with the disease and he had no information on the disease himself.

“I knew next to nothing about it,” said Goodnow, a Harvard Law grad who practices in the area of catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation. “It was a foreign disease to me.”

When Goodnow turned to the Internet for information, he found that most of the sites about kidney disease were informative, but “depressing.” He decided to create a new place where people could learn about kidney disease while seeing uplifting stories. On January 1, the same day he finally went off treatment for his disease, he launched the Kidney Challenge page on Facebook.

The Kidney Challenge is a call to speak up and give voice to the silent killer of kidney disease. Similar to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, the Kidney Challenge encourages its participants to take on a challenge and post the results online. However, instead of one activity for the whole movement, each person chooses his or her own personal challenge to pursue. Those who choose to take the Kidney Challenge are encouraged to share their stories on Kidney Challenge social media pages and elsewhere. Goodnow hoped that he would reach 10,000 likes by the end of the year. He already has more than 25,000.

There have been posts to social media of participants who are skydiving, entering Ironman triathlons, racing ATVs and entering beauty pageants all to raise awareness for kidney disease.

“It’s really been a broad spectrum of personal challenges,” said Goodnow. “For me, the most exciting part is that everyone can tailor the challenge to themselves.”

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EDITORIAL Editor in chief: Michael Gossie Editor: Amanda Ventura Staff Writer: Meryl Fishler Interns: James Bunting | Laura Burnett | Kellie Holt | TreNesha Striggles Contributing writers: Cheryl Hurd | Molly Cerreta Smith

MARKETING/EVENTS Marketing & events coordinator: Melanie Ploussard Marketing coordinator: Lorin Parkhurst OFFICE Special projects manager: Sara Fregapane Executive assistant: Mayra Rivera Database solutions manager: Cindy Johnson Az BUSINESS MAGAZINE Senior account manager: David Harken Account managers: Megan Gould | Shannon Spigelman AZRE | Arizona Commercial Real Estate Directors of sales: Jeff Craig AZ BUSINESS LEADERS Director of sales: Mark Blum RANKING ARIZONA Director of sales: Sheri King EXPERIENCE ARIZONA | Play Ball Director of sales: Ryan Moore CREATIVE DESIGNER Director of sales: David Silver

Az Business magazine is published bi-monthly by AZ BIG Media, 3101 N. Central Ave. Suite 1070, Phoenix, Arizona 85012, (602) 277-6045. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Submissions will not be returned unless accompanied by a SASE. Single copy price $4.95. Bulk rates available. Copyright 2015 by AZ BIG Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from AZ BIG Media.

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AB | July-August 1802 West Parkside Lane - Phoenix, AZ - 85027 - 602-943-5472

2015

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UP FRONT Overcoming

obstacles Arizona’s top female businesswomen address their biggest challenges

Pam Conboy

Carla Consoli

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ll the women in the “Most Influential Women in Arizona Business” feature inside this issue of Az Business had to overcome obstacles on their road to success. We asked some of Arizona’s most prominent women about their biggest professional challenges.

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when I first became a branch manager in the mid1980s at a time when women had not yet paved the same paths to travel as our male peers. We’ve come a long way. And more to come.”

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Carla Consoli, partner, Lewis Roca Rothgerber: “The toughest challenge for me is

balance — weighing being there for my children without hovering; spending time with my family, while meeting the demands of work; and finding ways to relax, but still pay attention.”

Michelle De Blasi, attorney at Gammage & Burnham and co-chair of the Arizona Energy Consortium: “The legal profession still

tends to be predominantly a masculine profession in many ways. I have worked hard to prove myself as a woman while still maintaining my feminine characteristics by just being myself and not being swayed by outside pressures.”

Debbie Johnson, president and CEO, Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association: “My

toughest challenges come when balancing CEO with motherhood. I, unfortunately, have to say ‘no’ a lot and sometimes miss out on both professional 6

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Pamela Conboy, regional president, Wells Fargo: “One of my toughest challenges had to be

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Michelle De Blasi

Debbie Johnson

Teresa Mandelin

Kimberly McWaters

and personal milestones.”

Kimberly McWaters, chairman and CEO, Universal Technical Institute: “Early on, I

had to recognize that I couldn’t make everyone happy. That was very difficult for me to accept.

Yet, had I not, it would have limited my ability to be an effective leader.”

Teresa Mandelin, president and CEO, Southwestern Business Financing Corporation: “I began my career in banking

when it was dominated by men and women were secretaries. By understanding that ‘equal’ required me to desensitize — not take offense to things — and refusing to self-segregate, I have not faced any glass ceilings.”

Nancy White, partner, Steptoe & Johnson:

“Suddenly becoming a single parent of a severely disabled daughter and working with and gaining the confidence of clients who understood and appreciated that there would be times when Molly had to come first, and trusting that they were right behind her crisis of the moment on my priority list.”

Nancy White

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UP FRONT Girl from the ’hood makes good

Center has provided hope for 30 years

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ope Women’s Center was founded as a small rural crisis pregnancy center in Apache Junction. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the center has impacted thousands of women, teens and families, who have received free services and care through education, mentoring, pregnancy support and material resource programs. “We get the privilege of coming alongside hurting women and teen girls, loving them right where they are, and helping them find healing and hope for their future,” said Executive Director Tammy Abernethy.

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Dr. Melanie Logue

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r. Melanie D. Logue knows how to make an impact in her community.

The 44-year-old who grew up in Grand Canyon University’s west Phoenix neighborhood and got her start in nursing as a student at GCU, is now GCU’s dean of the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions. “Melanie came from Grand Canyon … and now she’s returned home and has shown a great passion for the heart of GCU and its nursing program,” said Provost Dr. Hank Radda.

Times teaches business leaders how to make connections count

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Tish Times

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ish Times is in the business of helping people grow their businesses.

Times, a networking strategist, teaches clients how to more efficiently and effectively network their brands, companies and identities. After working in the staffing industry, she realized there was a component missing: career coaching. She started teaching, focusing on what she calls employee etiquette, and her business grew quickly.

Times’ days are spent coaching on both the corporate level and to entrepreneurs, speaking, writing and creating content for her products and programs.

The biggest networking issue she sees is the lack of following up. At conventions, retreats or during a normal business day, making

initial connections is easy. It’s the calling back, following up and really pushing to secure the great results that plagues people, Times says.

While she exudes confidence from her bubbly and warm personality, Times says confidence hasn’t always been her strongest characteristic.

She brings this into her coaching and often starts with what she calls a “mind-set shift,” reminding people of what they’re capable.

“Lasting confidence needs to come from inside,” Times says. During her five years in business, she’s been most surprised at the need for what she does.

She says it was easy to think she was the only one who might need her services. The response, however, has showed her otherwise.

“I know there’s definitely people who do what I do, some people may do it even better than I do, but nobody does it like I do it,” Times says.

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UP FRONT Shouldering the cost New technology helps companies cut cost of insurance

By JAMES BUNTING

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very year, insurance companies dole out millions for workers’ injuries and workers’ compensation, raising costs for employers.

One Valley insurance company is helping employers save money with technology that can help prevent injuries before they happen and also identifying Melissa Lykins workers who may be faking an injury. Lovitt & Touché has the only CRT (cost reduction technology) machine in Arizona. Lovitt & Touché uses the CRT Machine for pre-hire screenings, identifying which muscles to focus on during rehab and treatment and identifying false injuries.

“It looks kind of like a Bowflex,” said Melissa Lykins, an insurance adjuster at Lovitt & Touché. “It uses isokinetics to measure an individual’s strength and agility. (The machine helps us) determine how an individual will perform.”

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The machine works in part by measuring how hard an individual extends upward and downward. “A lot of times, what we see is someone is trying to fake it on the upwards motion, but they don’t realize we are testing the downwards motion as well,” Lykins said.

Lykins said muscles don’t have shortterm memory, and it is very difficult to move muscles with the exact same amount of effort for every movement unless an individual is giving it full effort. The machine can detect these fluctuations to determine if an individual is actually injured or just faking.

But the most important aspect of this technology is its ability to prevent workplace injuries before they happen.

“We had a candidate who came in for a screening and admitted that she had a torn rotator cuff and prior shoulder surgery,” said Lykins. “Had the company not done and testing and hired her, there probably would’ve been a workman’s comp claim in a short amount of time.”

In Arizona, a shoulder injury can end up costing upwards of $300,000 and drive up premiums, according to Lykins.

“We are just trying to help employers save money,” said Lykins

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5 trends to watch with land in Arizona

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

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s the director of marketing for Vermaland, one of the largest land owners in Arizona, Anita Verma quickly identifies trends in land that impact the entire business community. Here are the five she says to watch:

Anita Verma

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1. Homebuilders are scrambling to tie up suitable pieces for homes since there is an anticipated shortage of homes in Phoenix.

2. There is a resurgence of solar development. “That market had kind of died off, but we’re seeing it come back,” Verma said.

3. Developers are seeing a shortage of finished lots.

“To help with this, we are developing raw land into

finished lots,” she said.

4. More than 50 percent of the future growth will be in the West Valley. “The completion of the Loop 303 makes it much easier to get to that area,” Verma said.

5. This time around, Verma said new home development will be based on real demand from home builders, not speculative investors.

UP FRONT

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BIG TIME: Randy Johnson will be the first to wear an Arizona Diamondbacks hat when he is inducted into the Babeball Hall of Fame on July 25. Johnson earned four of his five Cy Young awards in Arizona and also won a World Series title with the Diamondbacks.

PHOTO BY MIKE MERTES, AZ BIG MEDIA

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Randy Johnson and the Diamondbacks help downtown hit an economic home run

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nder the leadership of the 2015 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Randy Johnson, the Arizona Diamondbacks won their first and only World Series title in 2001 against the New York Yankees.

Since then, the Diamondbacks have changed managers several times, changed ownership, logos and even their ballpark has been renamed. But one thing that has been consistent: the team’s positive impact on nearby businesses and the development of downtown Phoenix.

“There was the normal business and government activity during the day, but at night, downtown was inactive,” said Tom Harris, executive vice president and CFO of the Arizona Diamondbacks and member of the board of directors for the Downtown Phoenix Partnership.

The main reason downtown has seen an increase in activity is due to the addition of Bank One Ballpark, renamed Chase Field in 2005, Harris said. That year, more than 3.7 million people attended a Diamondbacks game, according to the team.

For businesses around the stadium, game day means an increase in business. When fans come downtown for a game, local businesses — bars, restaurants and hotels — benefit from

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crowds that attend 81 home games in downtown Phoenix.

And when the Diamondbacks go deeper into the playoffs, like in their 2001 championship season, the businesses reap even more benefits. The high-profile nature of the playoffs brings larger and more exciting crowds. Long playoff runs go into October and can include up to 11 additional home games with near capacity crowds, Harris said.

The franchise’s most successful seasons can be attributed to players like Johnson. The organization’s only World Series title and Johnson’s only title came while he was a Diamondback in 2001. That’s a huge reason why Johnson will be the first player to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Diamondback.

“My best body of work was done here,” Johnson said, “and when you represent a hat in the Hall of Fame, it’s based on your best body of work.”

Johnson believes the team’s success during his time as a Diamondback was the catalyst for development downtown.

“Anytime you have a product that is successful, you will get a lot of people that will come and watch you, which means revenue for the merchants, local business and restaurants,” Johnson said, “It is extremely good to have sports franchises that bring that

type of attendance into the city.”

Winning a World Series doesn’t happen all the time and you can’t predict when it is going to happen. But when it does, it is great for business, Johnson said. With players like Johnson, the Diamondbacks were able to field successful teams that drove interest in the whole downtown area, even when it wasn’t game day.

“Many of the 3 million visitors that watched the early years of the D-backs had little or no exposure to the downtown area,” Harris said. “The Diamondbacks brought these people to this area and exposed them to what downtown has to offer.”

The economic impact of professional sports isn’t measured only by ticket sales and how many hot dogs are sold, but also by how the team impacts development and the economy of the city in which the team resides.

The success of the Diamondbacks did not directly result in the major additions — like the light rail, Arizona State University’s downtown campus, the biomedical campus, CityScape and the expansion of the convention center — but the increase in downtown visitors and overall activity created by the team contributed to the explosive growth and redevelopment.

The team does more than just attract people downtown for games. The team works to bring events into the downtown area to help the local economy hit a home run.

Derrick Hall, president and CEO of the Diamondbacks, has a vision to establish the organization as a sports industry leader on the field as well as spur economic development throughout the Valley. The most visible being the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star game and its related activities, which brought

more than $70 million in economic impact over the summer, Harris said.

Twice, the franchise hosted the World Baseball Classic tournament games, which brought some of the best baseball players and their fans from around the world to downtown Phoenix.

Since 2010, the team has also partnered with the Suns to create the Legends Entertainment District in order to brighten up downtown with large signage to give the area a similar look to L.A. Live near the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Harris said.

A franchise’s philanthropic undertakings are also a factor to consider when talking about the economic impact of a sports team. The Diamondbacks have given more than $30 million to the Phoenix community in the last decade. Additionally, the team works with the City of Phoenix and Maricopa County to help develop downtown and help the city with several downtown initiatives.

Harris expects an increase in both business and residential growth to fuel greater development in all aspects of downtown, including retail, restaurants and the arts. Downtown will continue to be an entertainment hub for all of metropolitan Phoenix. And the Diamondbacks and Johnson can be credited with leading that rally.

“We are not able to control the success of the team on the field, but we can control who we are as corporate citizens,” Harris said, “Providing quality entertainment at affordable prices in a safe environment will always be important to our organization.”

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CEOs

King is the ticket queen CEO of TicketForce helps make company a major player

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

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LYNNE KING SMITH: “I have Amish roots back in Illinois and still have a lot of those values,” said the CEO of TicketForce. “People meet me and see (a) business woman, but they are surprised that I garden, cook from scratch and can make a good pie.”

PHOTO BY MIKE MERTES, AZ BIG MEDIA

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n 2010, Brad Smith did what a lot of entrepreneurs cannot do: he made his wife CEO of TicketForce, the Mesa-based company the couple co-founded in 2003.

“He felt that my planning and forecasting skills were what we needed to take the company to the next level,” said Lynne King Smith.

The move worked. Over the next four years, the company is projected to triple its revenue. Az Business talked with Smith about how she helped grow TicketForce.

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Az Business: How did you get into the ticket business?

Lynne King Smith: It was a beautiful

accident. We had a nonprofit corporation in the 1990s and built a mailing database for organizations that worked with youth and teens. When concert promoters would come in, they would utilize us to help get their word out. Little by little, we began doing more with events. At some point, somebody asked us to put tickets online so they could avoid TicketMaster fees. My husband came home and said, “I started a ticketing company today, and I’m putting

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7,000 tickets on sale Saturday.” It just kind of grew from there.

AB: What separates TicketForce from your competition?

LKS : There are a lot of companies

who consider themselves technology companies who happen to be in the event space. The way we promote ourselves is that we are event people who can also deliver technology. We put ticketing software in box offices and venues across the country. We have a lot of one-time events that don’t need a ticketing system year-round, and we can run everything for them.

AB: How important is innovation to your success?

LKS : Innovation for me is finding

solutions for people. It’s one thing to build technology; it’s another thing to be able to give people the tools they need to utilize the technology to their advantage.

AB: What has been your biggest challenge?

LKS : The space is very crowded, which is

great because it brings competition and innovation, but there are companies that dilute the pricing. There is a lot of venture capital in this market. They have to get their business built up, and it doesn’t matter if it’s profitable. That’s a huge challenge for our sales team, but we keep doing what we do best and seek clients who are interested in a long-term, quality business relationship.

AB: What makes you an effective leader for TicketForce?

LKS : My life motto is to never, never,

never give up, and I think that’s the only difference for entrepreneurs and business owners who are still in business versus those who are not.

AB: What are your goals for TicketForce over the next decade?

LKS: I think some of the other ticket

companies are going to sell or fade away. They cannot keep going at nonprofitability forever. Within the next decade, we feel there (are) going to be five or 10 solid ticket companies left and we want to be in the top five.

TASTEFUL, in every sense.

A MAnor of TAsTe.

Teaching kids about dollars and sense Experts explain how to raise financially savvy and entrepreneurial children

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ith school out for the summer, there’s no better time to teach children about money and finances, experts say.

“By teaching children the importance of opportunity costs at a young age, we can better prepare them to become confident and successful members of our community once they enter the real world,” says Jim Lundy, CEO of Alliance Bank of Arizona.

No matter a child’s age, it’s never too early to prepare him or her for a successful future by building financial literacy skills today. Teachable money moments can happen with kids as young as 3 years old and the sooner parents begin to influence positive financial behaviors, the better the chance kids have to succeed in managing money.

“Kids learn a lot by watching what you do,” says Kelly Kaminskas, senior vice president at FirstBank. “I think a lot of parents make the mistake of sheltering kids from money conversations. It’s important to take them to the bank with you, show them how you save for long-term goals, or explain the difference between funding needs versus wants. These learning opportunities can be extremely valuable as they get older.”

“With almost everything else, we teach our children by talking as we go about our day,” says Christina Burroughs, managing partner at Miller Russell Associates, “but or some reason, that’s not the case with money or financial issues.”

Burroughs says many people grew up in families where it was

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taboo to talk about money, others worry that children who know that come from well-off families will lose their motivation, while some parents are reticent talk about finances because they don’t want to burden their children with adult concerns.

“But there is a nice middle ground where parents can talk about concepts without burdening children,” Burroughs says. “It’s really helpful for families to talk about the idea behind economy — that people make things or provide services that other people want or need. Then, expand on the idea that when people buy things, it becomes economy and everyone has opportunity to grow and get better because of that. Parents will be thrilled to see how quickly kids become excited by these ideas.”

Burroughs says it’s safe for parents to start talking to children as early as 3 or 4, as long as the conversation is age appropriate.

“The best thing parents can do is simply talk to their kids about the importance of budgeting, saving, and managing credit,” says Joe Bleyle, senior vice president and director of commercial real estate for Enterprise Bank & Trust.

“Specifically, kids can participate in developing the family’s budget and open a savings account with encouragement to save for larger purchases.”

With high-school age kids, experts say the conversations can expand into how to get a job, how to dress to impress in the professional world, how to build a business network and the basic principles of business and entrepreneurial thinking.

“The lessons children learn while they are young will shape how financially successful they will be as adults,” says Michael

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Expert advice Mike Brown of Washington Federal: “Work with children on building credit at a young age – what it is used for and what it is not. This is an especially important lesson before college because credit card companies generally offer low limits to young adults entering college.

Many simply place applications on college desks and in dorms – and 16

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freshmen apply by the thousands, sometimes not truly realizing that every penny spent on that credit card is owed back, with interest. Lots of it.”

Erik Pedersen of AXA Advisors Southwest: “Aside from the birds and the bees talk, the money talk is probably the most uncomfortable for parents, especially

if we grew up in a household where it was considered crude to discuss finances. Why not shift ‘the talk’ to one about ‘money in, money out’ instead?

Often, children focus only on money going out. But where does it go?

When? Why? A budget, reviewed each month, can be an easy way to show the value of money on a regular basis.”

Lefever, senior vice president and business banking area manager for Wells Fargo. “Just as regular exercise and a good diet are essential for physical fitness, knowing the basics of saving, budgeting and planning are essential for financial fitness.”

In order to prepare children for financial success, Deborah Bateman, vice chairman of National Bank of Arizona, says it’s imperative to show them that money is just paper without a purpose or a goal.

“As parents, the most important lesson we can teach our kids is the value of money, and we can teach that lesson and help our kids create a healthy relationship with money by teaching them to give money ‘purpose,’” Bateman says. “We teach our kids to give money purpose by teaching them to set goals. As soon as a child can articulate their goals, we should help them to monetize those goals. It is the purpose we give our money that makes it valuable and guides our kids to make confident money decisions.”

Deborah Bateman

Joe Bleyle

Mike Brown

Christina Burroughs

Kelly Kaminskas

Michael LeFever

Jim Lundy

Erik Pedersen

Summer school for finances Here are five money lessons that parents can teach their children at home this summer, according to financial experts at Alliance Bank of Arizona: How to build a balanced budget: Vacation planning is the perfect time to teach kids about budgeting. Questions like, “Where will we go?”, “What will we do?” and “How much will we spend?” can guide children through the decisionmaking and conscious-spending process. First, start allocating funds to basics like hotel, food and gasoline. Then, discuss that fun activities and souvenirs can only be purchased if you budget the right amount of money.

How to make important buying decisions (wants vs. needs): Review your household budget or a sample budget with your kids. Help

them understand what a balanced budget is and that the goal is to save more money than you spend. Explain that there are items we need like shelter and food. But, there are also things that we want, like new shoes, a cell phone and toys, which can wait until we have saved enough to purchase them.

The importance of interest: Say you’re in a store and your child points to a toy and says, “Can you buy that for me?” Instead of handing over the toy, offer to loan your child a small amount of money, provided that they pay you back the same amount within 30 days. Remind them often that if they can’t pay on time, you’ll add more money to what they owe until they pay the money back. One day past the deadline, add to the amount and explain why they owe more.

The correlation between learning and

earning: Set up a sample budget based on what your kids want. Then, determine the average monthly income of a high school graduate, someone with post-secondary training, someone with a Bachelor’s degree, and someone with a Master’s degree. This shows how much money they need to earn to have the things they want and how that correlates with their level of education.

The importance of being a contributing member of their community: Chores that are tied to earning money are a great way to help kids learn about their role in a family unit and gives them a glimpse at what is required of community members. An effective tool is myjobchart. com which helps parents set up and track chores for their children, along with prompting discussions about saving, giving and spending.

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Nominations deadline is August 14, 2015

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Valley attorneys create program to help women lawyers rise to the top of their profession

By MERYL FISHLER

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up into monthly sessions focusing on three areas: leadership empowerment, business development and mentoring.

“Focusing on all three of these pillars is critical to creating a strong foundation with which women lawyers can achieve and succeed in the legal profession,” said Marianne Trost, Ladder Down coach and career management coach at Women’s Lawyers Coach.

The program begins with large group sessions focusing on leadership and taught by experienced business coach Lynn Moran of Arizona Coaching & Consulting Center LLP. It begins with learning one’s strengths.

“Self awareness is the foundation of empowerment,” Moran said.

Along with increasing self-awareness, Alison Christian Beth Fitch these sessions teach participants to improve communication skills and understand different styles of conflict resolution.

The course then transitions to a four-month business development boot camp lead by Trost.

The participants meet with panels of corporate decision-makers, female judges and industry leaders to learn how they can be more effective as female attorneys.

The monthly group sessions are accompanied by Lynn Moran Marianne Trost accountability sessions with smaller groups that meet and set individual goals to accomplish before the next session. These sessions are designed for ore women are becoming lawyers, discussing obstacles and challenges the women are but they are struggling to earn positions as equity partners and facing, as well as giving them encouragement. shareholders at their firms.

“You are always a leader and a follower, we “The real issue is that institutional obstacles challenge them to pay it forward,” Fitch said. have been in place that have made it very difficult This challenge addresses the problem young for women to excel,” said Alison Christian, women lawyers are facing when they try to find shareholder at Christian Dichter & Sluga. a mentor.

Christian and Beth Fitch, founding member of “Several participants of the Ladder Down classes the Righi Fitch Law Group, say women attorneys of 2013 and 2014 have paid it forward financially have a tough time rising to leadership positions at and in-kind in order to enable other women their firms because they lack sufficient business lawyers to participate in the program,” Trost said. training. They say part of the problem is the “That’s one of the biggest testimonials a program disparity of women lawyers at the top. can receive.”

Looking more in depth at the issue, Christian The Ladder Down process and three pillars and Fitch believe the root of the problem is a lack together teach the participants the six of mentoring. With so few women lawyers at the philosophical foundations of the program: top, it is hard for young lawyers to find role models. individual empowerment, women helping Their solution: Ladder Down. other women succeed, paying it forward, Ladder Down, founded by Fitch and Christian, promoting diversity, commitment to change provide women with the tools they need to get and quality instruction. ahead as lawyers. This year-long program is broken “We are giving them tools that will hopefully

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Want to join?

What: Ladder Down is dedicated to the principles of leadership empowerment, business development and mentoring for female attorneys.

When to apply: Ladder Down will accept applications for the 2016

Cost: $675 for non-Arizona

Association Of Defense Council

members and $450 for members.

Information: ladderdown.org

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program starting in mid-November.

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help initiate change on an institutional level,” Christian said.

Ladder Down participants are diverse in practice areas and experience levels. Some have been practicing for less than one year, while others have been in practice for more than 20 years. There is an application process to participate and Ladder Down will start accepting applications for the 2016 program in midNovember.

“Our sweet spot is five- to 15-year lawyers because that is when women in private practice are looking to make their move and fulfill their potential at a law firm,” Fitch said.

The registration fee for the 2015 Ladder Down program is $675 for non-Arizona Association Of Defense Council members and $450 for members.

The program has reached more than just women in Arizona. In less than three years, the program has gone bi-coastal. Ladder Down launched in New York in September 2014 and is set to launch in Seattle this fall. The founders are hoping to continue to expand nationally, reaching more regions, cities and women.

No matter whom goes through the Ladder Down program or where they go throigh it, Christian wants them to walk away from the program feeling better equipped and empowered to reach whatever their definition of success might be.

From a business development standpoint, women who have completed Ladder Down have brought in new clients, successfully expanded existing relationships to other practice areas, have earned appointments to leadership roles, referred business to one another and have become effective contributors to rainmaking success, according to Ladder Down.

“I would like to see more women in leadership roles at firms,” Christian said, “and more women’s voices at the top.”

The founders believe these tools give women the training needed to successfully build a book of business and this will help them get ahead. Having a book of business leads to increased compensation, promotions and women’s ability to effectively compete for leadership positions in their firms, according to Ladder Down.

“Ladder Down can be the real vehicle for not only incremental change,” Fitch said, “ but exponential change.”

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Marketing

Marketing with a cause Teaming up with a nonprofit can boost PR profile and the bottom line

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s kids, we were taught to always do the right thing; be nice to others and volunteer to help those who are in need or less fortunate. As adults, we have an opportunity to continue to give back and support the community through our company or business and the purchasing decisions we make. I am talking about “cause marketing,” the cooperative effort of a forprofit business and a nonprofit organization for a mutual benefit.

Cause marketing is one of the most popular marketing methods today because of how it makes everyone involved feel good and allows them do something to help the community at the same time.

Jennifer Kaplan The business or company is making Marketing a difference because they are helping a nonprofit organization, while they also generate revenue for their bottom line. Consumers feel good about their purchase, ultimately, because they are contributing to a deserving cause.

Lastly, the nonprofit is getting the reward of a donation. In the meantime, both the for-profit and nonprofit parties receive branding, awareness and publicity through this process.

Each party involved in a cause marketing campaign has an objective. This is a very specific and creative opportunity to get public relations and media awareness. This type of marketing has become almost mainstream and accepted as the best way to build a campaign and raise the profile of a for-profit and

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nonprofit entity. Even celebrities can be added to the list of cause marketers to elevate their name and stature in the PR world.

One of my favorite examples of cause marketing is the Tom’s Shoes “One for One” campaign. With every purchase of a pair of shoes, the company donates a pair of shoes to someone in need. This campaign has become what the company is known for and, by attaching themselves to something that generates kindness, people are more motivated to buy or make a purchase.

Cause marketing is a multi-billion dollar business with continued projections to grow. According to a 2013 Cone Communications Social Impact study, 89 percent of U.S. consumers are likely to switch brands to one associated with a cause, given comparable price and quality. This method has also proven to drive premium pricing. In a 2014 study conducted by Nielsen, 42 percent of North American respondents reported they would pay extra for products and services from companies committed to positive social and environmental impact.

If you don’t already have a cause marketing campaign, I recommend finding a way to tie in with a nonprofit to help your business and give back to a deserving cause. Not only will you, your company and the individuals that need your support benefit from this partnership, but you will also increase your branding and awareness in the community.

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Jennifer Kaplan is the owner and founder of Evolve Public Relations and Marketing.

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tourism

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ompared to the Valley’s 100-plus degree days and stifling summer nights, Northern Arizona is an oasis of mild weather and cool temperatures. It’s no surprise that Flagstaff, the hub of the high country, is a popular tourist destination for Phoenicians in the hot summer months. Indeed, 40 percent of Flagstaff’s annual visitors are traveling from within the state of Arizona, with 18 percent coming from Phoenix, 8 percent from Scottsdale and 7 percent from Mesa.

“During the summer, we see that many visitors are simply visiting Flagstaff for climate relief,” says Heather Ainardi of the Flagstaff Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). “During summer months, hotel occupancy ranges between 75 to 85 percent and our attractions see a dramatic increase in attendees.”

A yearlong study conducted by the Flagstaff CVB has shown just how much of an economic impact tourism has on the city. Flagstaff saw 4.6 million visitors from February 2014 to January 2015, garnering a total economic impact of $575

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million and creating 7,311 local jobs. Tourism produced more than $38 million in state and local taxes, including an all-time high of $6.2 million from Flagstaff’s Bed, Board, and Booze (BBB) tax, a 2-percent tax on restaurants, bars and lodging. The BBB tax, which targets tourist-driven services, provides funding for parks and recreation, city beautification, tourism, economic development and arts and sciences in Flagstaff.

According to the study, 75 percent of the visitors that Flagstaff sees are overnight visitors and 60 percent travel with family. This means that family-friendly destinations are among the most popular tourist spots.

“Lowell Observatory, the Museum of Northern Arizona and the Scenic Chairlift Ride at Arizona Snowbowl still rank very high,” according to Ainardi.

While Flagstaff is the primary destination of 53 percent of its visitors, many also use it as a base to explore the rest of Northern Arizona. The Grand Canyon is an 80-minute drive from the city, while Williams, the departure point of the Grand Canyon Railway,

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Flagstaff banks on Valley residents trying to beat the heat in summer

By KELLI E HOLT

is only 30 miles west of Flagstaff. Just east of the city are popular destinations like Meteor Crater, the site of a 50,000-year-old meteorite impact, and Twin Arrows Casino Resort.

“We see an increase in visitors each summer,” says Navajo Gaming CEO Derrick Watchman. “Our busiest months are from June through August.”

Twin Arrows is working on its second phase expansions, which include a spa that is sure to entice more valley visitors in the future.

The Flagstaff Convention and Visitors Bureau kicks up its tourism campaigns in the summer, inviting Valley residents to escape the heat. Last summer the #VisitCool promotional campaign included a “Cool Zone” outside of Chase Field, where fans could escape the July heat before an Arizona Diamondbacks game. Visitors to the Cool Zone took in imagery of Flagstaff, including some of its most popular tourist destinations. The #VisitCool campaign will return this summer, reminding overheated Phoenix residents that they can retreat to cooler weather without leaving the state.

5 fun things to do in Flagstaff Planning a summer getaway to beat the heat? Here are five things you can’t miss in Flagstaff.

Historic Route 66 & downtown district: A drive down the historic Route 66 will make your modern car feel like a classic cruiser.

Lowell Observatory at Mars Hill: This historic observatory will bring out your inner scientist.

Day hikes in the Coconino National Forest: From easy beginner paths to advanced heart-pumping hills, every hike is packed with beautiful nature and scenic adventures.

Museum of Northern Arizona: This museum will be a hit with any history, art or culture fans.

The Flagstaff-Grand Canyon Ale Trail: This self-guided pub crawl offers up to $25 in food and drink discounts at some of Flagstaff’s finest craft breweries.

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dining Heart and SOL

Scottsdale restaurant offers traditional Baja cuisine with a modern interpretation By MICHAEL GOSSIE

W

hen the food on a plate is so seductive that it’s devoured before it can be photographed and shared with the social media stratosphere, you know it’s something special.

SOL Mexican Cocina in the Scottsdale Quarter is something special.

Executive Chef Deborah Schneider has created bold, modern interpretations of traditional coastal Mexican cuisine with a focus on fresh, sustainable ingredients.

SOL does an impeccable job of matching the mood with the menu, creating an environment that is the perfect juxtaposition of Old World charm and hip, urban comfort.

SOL is the ideal place to sit back, relax and sip on a margarita with friends. The perfectly shaded patio features plush seating, an outdoor bar and a view overlooking the heart of Scottsdale.

SOL does something else most restaurants don’t do: It features an open kitchen with seating so guests can see their dinners being created.

“I insist on cooking in an open kitchen (for) two reasons,” Schneider says. “One: The kitchen is the heart of the restaurant. Two: Because they can see us and we can see them. I am cooking for a real person, and I think it creates a deeper connection in each direction.”

Schneider, author of “Baja! Cooking on the Edge,” has created a menu that offers an alternative to the Mexican

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food we are used to eating. SOL’s chefs focus on flavorful cuisine in smaller, healthier portions. Don’t think that healthy translates to boring and tasteless. SOL’s dishes are as vibrant and dynamic as you will find anywhere. Some of the dishes that stood out during a recent visit: “Naked Guacamole,” made with ripe avocados, cilantro, lime, onions, serrano chiles, tomatoes and served with tostadas. It’s in the running for the best guacamole in the Valley.

“Coconut Calamari,” deep-fried calamari steak dusted with dried orange peel and sesame seeds, with spicy lime dipping sauce.

“Grilled Fish Taco Zarandeado Taco Plate,” adobomarinated and grilled, with pineapple-cucumber salsa, salsa quemada, cabbage and avocado sauce. My mouth is watering at the memory.

“Pork Carnitas,” premium pork slow-roasted and shredded, served en cazuela with diced avocado, onion and cilantro, tomatillo salsa and chicharron. So perfectly cooked, it melts in your mouth like cotton candy.

“Carne Estofado,” angus skirt steak grilled and sliced, tossed with pan-seared peppers and onions, garlic and cilantro and served with chimichurri sauce, avocado and a grilled jalapeno. This may be the most flavorful mouthful of red meat we’ve ever experienced.

To complement the amazing dishes, SOL’s dynamic bar offers inventive hand-made cocktails, featuring more than 60 artisan tequilas and the best margaritas in Scottsdale.

Make sure to take your friends when you visit SOL, because words won’t be able to capture the deliciousness of the dishes.

And your Facebook friends won’t get to see pictures because the plates will be empty before you can say “click.”

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Fresh Seafood...

Featuring the Valley’s largest selection of fresh fish and seafood • Live Maine lobster, Alaskan King Crab and Yakimono Hawaiian Ahi are just some of the delicacies that make the Salt Cellar Restaurant so popular • Maryland crab cakes, shrimp San Remo on artichoke pasta as well as charcoal broiled fish and Cajun-style blackened seafood are additional menu items you’ll want to try • Quiet, cozy and intimate, the Salt Cellar is a favorite for those who appreciate fine seafood • Don’t miss our popular twin happy hours daily from 4:00pm to 7:00pm and again from 10:00pm to 1:00am.

550 N. Hayden Rd • Scottsdale, AZ (480) 947-1963 • www.saltcellarrestaruant.com Dinner served nightly

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Candidates in each category will be recognized for extraordinary legal skill and achievements across a full range of in-house responsibility, exemplary leadership and for contributions to the Arizona community at large.

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WOMEN

IN ARIZONA hey are innovators, trailblazers and leaders of men. They are Az Business magazine’s Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2015, as selected from a pool of more than 2,000 candidates by the editorial team at Az Business magazine and a panel of industry experts.

“While their resumes and industries may differ, the women we selected have all procured influence in their respective fields through hard-earned track records of profitability, leadership and innovation,” said Az Business magazine Editor in Chief Michael Gossie. “Az Business magazine is proud to congratulate the women who earned the right to call themselves one of the Most Influential Women in Arizona Business. They are changing the face of Arizona business.”

Az Business does not allow a woman to make the Most Influential Women in Arizona Business list more than once. If you know someone who should be considered for 2016, nominate them at azbigmedia.com.

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MOST INFLUENTIAL

WOMEN

IN ARIZONA

Karen Anderson, MD, PhD

Jennifer Anderson SVP and regional manager

Associate professor ASU’s Biodesign Institute

Wells Fargo Greatest accomplishment:

Amy Abdo Director Fennemore Craig Abdo is a litigator focusing on business disputes, professional liability and employment litigation. She is a member of Fennemore Craig’s five-person Management Committee and serves as Litigation Section Chair.

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Greatest accomplishment:

“My first mentor – a brilliant and talented attorney – enthusiastically referred one of his top clients to me.”

Childhood aspiration: “FBI agent. My parents instilled the importance of education, so I pursued law school and never took the next step.”

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“Working my way up to lead Wells Fargo’s 200-person business banking group in Arizona. I began my career with Wells Fargo in 1997 as a credit analyst, so it was a proud accomplishment for me.”

Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to be an equine/large animal veterinarian. I encouraged my dad to start an Arabian horse farm and he encouraged me to consider a business degree at ASU.”

Glynnis Bryan CFO

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Insight Enterprises

Bryan is responsible for setting the company’s financial strategies; ensuring the company has the appropriate financial and operating controls and systems in place to support future growth; developing financial and business planning models and operating metrics to increase return on invested capital; and serving as a financial and business advisor to the leadership team.

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Anderson is focused on understanding how the immune response can be used to detect and alter cancer development. Anderson’s team identifies target tumor and viral proteins and pushes scientific understanding of the mechanisms of the immune regulation of cancer.

Greatest accomplishment:

“Inventing diagnostic assays for cancer and infectious diseases.”

Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to be a large-animal veterinarian, so I focused on science and medicine.”

Childhood aspiration:

“Psychologist. My undergraduate degree is in psychology and it has helped me with interpersonal relationship throughout my career.”

Lauren Bailey Co-founder Upward Projects Bailey focuses on the conceptualization, design and operations four Postino industrial wine cafes; Windsor, a pub-style neighborhood hangout; Churn, the adjoining nostalgic ice cream shop; Federal Pizza, an artisan pizza restaurant; and two Joyride Taco Houses.

Greatest accomplishment: “Creating a company culture that puts people first, every time.”

Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to be an artist. Doing creative

work has always been a guiding force for me in business.”

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Z A engineering Arizona’s next economy © The Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University are designing the future of Arizona now, with: • Nearly 17,000 students, one of the five largest engineering schools in the country • More than 300 faculty members dedicated to teaching and discovery

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MOST INFLUENTIAL

WOMEN

IN ARIZONA

Alisa Gray Shareholder Tiffany & Bosco Gray, a a certified yoga instructor at Desert Song Healing Arts Center, practices probate litigation and mediation.

Greatest accomplishment: “Creating and maintaining balance among a thriving elder law practice, a young family, and yoga – a balance I draw on every day in my law practice, my teaching, and my life.”

Childhood aspiration: “I vacillated between lawyer and teacher … Now, as an attorney and a yoga teacher, I get to live out both of those dreams.”

Judith S. Gordon

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Rita Cheng President

Northern Arizona University

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Cheng serves as the 16th president of NAU. As a first-generation and nontraditional college graduate, Cheng firmly believes in making higher education accessible and affordable for all students.

Current challenge: “We

have to continue to be as entrepreneurial as possible, offering programs that are connected to not only life success, but job success.

And we will look for private partners to help us carry out our mission.”

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Gordon, who has been involved in research projects totaling more than $42 million, developed the first mobile app to help women quit smoking, eat well and get moving.

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Greatest accomplishment:

“Helping to reduce the morbidity and mortality related to tobacco use in the U.S.” Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to be an archaeologist and have always wanted to gain a better understanding of how individuals, groups and cultures can interact to improve our world.”

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Sue Hasenstein Senior Vice President BMO Harris Bank

Hasenstein oversees all sales functions within the Premier Services Banking for Arizona.

She is accountable for revenue and balance sheet growth for a team that provides personalized financial services to individuals with investable assets from $250,000-$1 million.

Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to be a doctor to make a difference in people’s lives.

Though not in the medical field today, I have continued to make helping and mentoring others a focus in all that I do.”

Melissa Ho Shareholder Polsinelli

Ho, who was included in Lawyers of Color’s inaugural Hot List in 2013, practices law in the areas of government investigations and whitecollar criminal defense.

Greatest accomplishment:

“Being selected in 2014 for the Judge Learned Hand Award Emerging Leadership Award in recognition for my commitment to public and community service.”

Childhood aspiration: “When I was young, I wanted to be Indiana Jones. Curiosity about the world has led me to where I am now.”

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MOST INFLUENTIAL

WOMEN

IN ARIZONA

Veronique James

Carolyn J. Johnsen

CEO

Partner

The James Agency

Dickinson Wright

Greatest accomplishment:

Bo Hughes CFO and COO Pinnacle Bank Hughes has a dual role as chief financial and chief operating officer.

“I have built a sustainable concept from scratch that provides valuable services to businesses and a healthy source of income to 25 employees and their families.”

Childhood aspiration: “I always thought I would be an architect and initially pursued an architectural degree at the U of A. I ultimately switched to visual communications because I missed the creative freedom, but I still have high hopes to design our next home.”

Greatest accomplishment:

“I love the team we have built here at Pinnacle Bank.

Every day, I get to work with talented, resultsoriented people.”

Childhood aspiration: “When I was 8, I wanted to be an airplane pilot. At 11, I found numbers. The rest is history.

I started working in a bank during college and have been in love with the industry ever since.”

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SVP of brand strategy LaneTerralever

Johnsen focuses on business restructurings and creating complex plans, strategies and structures for multi-million dollar companies in multiple industries. She serves on the Smithsonian Libraries Board and co-chairs the national alumnae of the Direct Women Board Institute, dedicated to advancing women to serve on corporate boards.

Jazo leads the agency’s Strategy and Analytics Department, bringing more than 22 years of marketing, account planning, consumer research and analytics experience to ensure LaneTerralever’s strategies are both effective ands creative. Jazo is skilled at aligning clients’ business goals, business challenges and consumer insights into actionable solutions.

Community impact: Jazo pursues her passion for supporting the local movement in Arizona serving on the board of directors for Local First Arizona.

Greatest accomplishment:

“Attaining the competence and credibility to advise businesses on high-level decisions.”

Childhood aspiration: “A career beyond the norm where intelligence and creativity were of the utmost priority.”

Eileen Klein President Arizona Board of Regents Klein oversees the $4 billion Arizona public university system and works with university presidents to achieve ambitious goals to increase degree production, double research activity and reform instructional delivery and financing of the university system.

Childhood aspiration: “I love animals and originally planned to become a zoologist or veterinarian — and thanks to the late House Speaker Jake Flake, I know how to give a cow a pregnancy test.”

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Grand Canyon University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. (800-621-7440; http://hlcommission.org/). For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program,and other important information, please visit our website at www.gcu.edu/disclosures. Please note, not all GCU programs are available in all states and in all learning modalities. Program availability is contingent on student enrollment. 14COBE0052

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MOST INFLUENTIAL

WOMEN

IN ARIZONA

Nona Lee

SVP and general counsel Arizona Diamondbacks Lee oversees all legal issues for the Diamondbacks. She has previously served as counsel for the Suns, Mercury and Rattlers, among others.

Greatest accomplishment: “Building a career in the industry that connects my passion to my profession and loving what I do.”

Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to be an elite athlete, which helped me develop to the drive, determination and discipline to accomplish my goals.”

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CEO

Long Companies

Koberlein is the CEO of Long Companies and has served in branch and senior management positions within Long Realty since 1991. This year, she was named to the Swanepoel Power 200 Most Powerful People in Real Estate.

Greatest accomplishment:

“Thriving through the recession. Our organization is better today than 2006. More focused, driven.”

Childhood aspiration: “Basketball coach. I realized early on that life is a team sport.”

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Kuhn is responsible for oversight of community hospitals, medical centers and operating units including Banner Medical Group, Banner Home Care and Banner Hospice.

Greatest accomplishment: “My career journey – starting as an ICU nurse and progressing through clinical, education and leadership roles to an executive position in a healthcare system.”

Childhood aspiration: “A nurse who influenced care — like Clara Barton or Florence Nightingale.

My clinical background provided the foundation for influencing healthcare though increasingly larger roles.”

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Betsy Kuzas

Rebecca Kuhn Executive vice president

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Chief operating officer Phoenix Children’s Hospital

Phoenix Children’s highestranking woman heads up construction and facilities, including the hospital’s $538 million expansion, commanding respect in a role traditionally dominated by men.

Greatest accomplishment: “Leading the complex expansion of Phoenix Children’s. My first priority was to assemble an expert team.”

Childhood aspiration: “Healthcare was the family business. I started in microbiology but now I take a macro view.”

Michelle Lawrie Economic development director City of Goodyear Prior to joining Goodyear, Lawrie was president and CEO of WESTMARC from 2011 through 2014.

Greatest accomplishment:

“Being able to strengthen WESTMARC by bringing new energy to its activities and events impacting the West Valley.”

Childhood aspiration: “My grandfather was a big influence growing up, and while I was unsure about what I wanted to be, he made an impact upon me that working hard for your community made a rewarding life.”

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MOST INFLUENTIAL

WOMEN

IN ARIZONA

Stacey L. Lihn

Carol May President

Paralegal

Wisdom Natural Brands DBA SweetLeaf

Gallagher & Kennedy

Hope Liebsohn Member Sherman & Howard Liebsohn has more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of estate planning involving wills, trusts, charitable techniques, estate freezes and other sophisticated wealth transfer strategies.

She was appointed by former Gov. Janet Napolitano and reappointed by former Gov. Jan Brewer as vice chairman of the Arizona Family College Savings Program Oversight Committee.

Greatest accomplishment: “As an estate planning attorney, encouraging my clients to leave inspirational messages as their intangible legacies.”

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Lihn was the first parent elected as a public member of the American Board of Pediatrics Foundation. Lihn has been an effective advocate for cardiac and pediatric health care since 2009, when her daughter was diagnosed in utero with a severe congenital heart defect.

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President and CEO/founder

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Rarity Investments and CodeRed-I

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Greatest accomplishment:

“Mastering the art of advocacy, allowing me to serve clients well and, on a wider scale, advocate for children and families.”

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Tina Machado

May’s dedication to consumer well-being and SweetLeaf Stevia Sweeteners have been integral in moving Wisdom Natural Brands from a small Arizona company to an international brand.

Childhood aspiration: “Growing up, my career goal was to become a judge. Having this aspiration helped me to develop critical thinking skills, evaluate situations and make decisions effectively while still embodying a sense of empathy.”

Machado has an extensive background in strategic acquisitions and brand creation as leader of Rarity Investments and CodeRed-I, a leader in app and gaming development.

Greatest accomplishment:

“Bridge the Gap is one of my companies that provides superior business strategy and overall direction for expanding businesses. I am able to enhance a business’ bottom line without the client having to contribute a monetary investment up front. My clients don’t invest in me; I invest in my clients.”

Sara McCoy Plant manager Agua Fria Generating Station SRP McCoy oversees production at one of SRP’s longest-running power plants. She has mentored personnel, contributed to improving collaboration between departments and led efforts to build the utility’s power grid back-up control center.

Greatest accomplishment: “Achieving success at SRP, including becoming the first female plant manager, while being a wife and mother.”

Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to become an engineer to solve problems and set a good example by exceeding people’s expectations.”

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MOST INFLUENTIAL

WOMEN

IN ARIZONA

Erica McGinnis President and CEO AIG Advisor Group McGinnis leads Advisor Group, which has 5,400 investment advisers among its four broker-dealers — Royal Alliance Associates, Woodbury Financial Services, FSC Securities Corp. and SagePoint Financial.

Overcoming barriers: “It’s an aspiration to have a 50-50 maleto-female ratio of advisers. I started in the business 20 years ago, and it was a Type A personality, salesperson culture. It’s a relationship business (now), not just a sales position, but barriers to entry are still steep (for women).”

Rose Megian

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Health Net of Arizona

Greatest accomplishment:

Tammy McLeod Vice president, energy resource management

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APS

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In her current role, McLeod directs a $2 billion fuel and purchased power budget, drives APS’ energy marketing and trading operations, energy resource planning and procurement and the construction and operations of utility-owned solar projects.

Significant accomplishment:

McLeod earned a 2014 Athena Award, which honors Valley businesswomen for their excellence in business and leadership, exemplary community service and their support and mentorship of other women.

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“Becoming a CEO of a company. Health Net of Arizona is committed to making health care work, and I am proud to lead a company that helps make that happen for consumers every day.”

Childhood aspiration: “A business woman. I would walk around in my mom’s high heels and carry an oversized briefcase that my dad bought for me. I knew what I wanted to do from a very early age.”

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President and CEO

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Dion Messer General counsel — intellectual property Limelight Networks Messer is an experienced IP professional, winning litigation and taking Limelight from just two issued patents to more than 120. She owned her own successful software training company and is renowned as a digital signal processing engineer with nine patents.

Greatest accomplishment:

“Winning Limelight’s U.S. Supreme Court case, 9-0.”

Childhood aspiration: “To prove that despite being female, I could be successful at any profession I chose.”

MaryAnn Miller

Senior vice president Avnet

Miller is responsible for leading Avnet’s global human resources and organizational development, as well as corporate communications and its strategic alignment to Avnet’s initiatives.

Significant accomplishment:

Miller was named among the National Diversity Council’s 2015 Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology. It is the second consecutive year Miller has received the recognition.

Childhood aspiration: “A professional singer, which has helped me inspire and connect with people in my career.”

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MOST INFLUENTIAL

WOMEN

IN ARIZONA

Ioanna Morfessis Founder IO.INC As an economic development executive, including time as the founder of GPEC, Morfessis helped attract nearly $30 billion in private capital investment and created more than 200,000 new direct jobs.

Greatest accomplishment: “Helping to improve the quality of life and economies in the communities I served.”

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Childhood aspiration: “I dreamed about being a ballerina. This aspiration helped

me realize that the entire world is a stage, and each of us has a distinct and important role to play in the theater of life.”

Christine Nowaczyk

Harriet MountcastleWalsh Vice president and general counsel

Bank of Arizona

Honeywell Aerospace Mountcastle-Walsh leads 280 legal, contracts and compliance professionals who provide transactional support for $130 billion in program wins.

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Annette G. Musa Arizona

“Building a high performing, market diverse global team with employees in 11 countries.” president Childhood aspiration: “I always wanted to be a lawyer but loved Comerica Bank running a family-owned fruit Musa is market president stand. Honeywell values both and regional manager interests.” for Comerica’s wealth management business. She also leads Comerica’s Arizona Management Council. Musa has more than 30 years of wealth management experience, 25 of those in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area. In 2014, she was named “Woman of the Year” by the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Best business advice: “‘No’ is just the beginning of the negotiation process.”

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Senior vice president

Nowaczyk earned the 2015 Meritorious Service Award from the Association for Corporate Growth, which is the highest honor ACG bestows on its members.

Greatest accomplishment: “Having contributed to the success of Bank of Arizona by building a strong team with a solid reputation and the privilege of serving amazing clients.”

Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to be an athlete, so that translates into being self-motivated and a team player. Both are important attributes in the competitive financial services industry.”

Deborah Pearson SVP of strategy and brand Arizona State Credit Union Pearson is a strategic executive with broad expertise in creating value for target markets, organizations and stakeholders.

Greatest accomplishment: “Learning the value of collaboration, communicating the ‘why,’ and the importance of demonstrating the highest degree of character by being respectful and genuine.”

Childhood aspiration: “A woman in my church was a VP of banking at the local community bank, and I admired her commitment to family, community and her career.”

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MOST INFLUENTIAL

WOMEN

IN ARIZONA

Susan Pepin, MD

Patricia Rourke

President and CEO

Market president

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Pepin is a nationally recognized medical educator, clinician and researcher. She joined Piper Trust as president and CEO in July. Prior to joining the Trust, Dr. Pepin served as associate dean for diversity and inclusion and associate professor of surgery and pediatrics at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

Her motivation: “This idea of improving the quality of life of the people who live in Maricopa County, this is what I do.”

Suzanne Pfister

St. Luke’s Health Initiative

Pfister led programs in state and regional government, was a partner in two small businesses, served as an executive at Dignity Health and now heads SLHI’s $120 million public foundation.

Greatest accomplishment: “Continuing the legacy of service that my family started four generations ago in Arizona.”

Childhood aspiration: “I saw early on how family members served the community and influenced public policy, and knew I too wanted to make Arizona a better place.”

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Christina Roderick REDW

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Rourke began her banking career in Iowa. She joined Bankers Trust in 1983, and moved to Arizona in 2007 to serve as Phoenix market president.

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Roderick, a CPA, has more than 17 years of experience in public accounting and leads REDW’s privately held business practice as a tax principal.

Greatest accomplishment: “My promotion to principal at REDW. Being part of a firm with tremendous leadership, integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and client care is very exciting.”

Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to be an attorney.

This aspiration led me to take my studies very seriously and look for opportunities to work and learn in professional organizations.”

Greatest accomplishment:

“Growing the Bankers Trust brand and learning a completely new market has been my greatest accomplishment.”

Childhood aspiration:

“Growing up I planned to be a teacher. I am able to use my experience to mentor emerging financial professionals.”

Lisa Sanchez COO The CORE Institute Sanchez is COO of national clinic operations for The CORE Institute, which showed 40 percent growth for the first quarter of 2015.

Greatest accomplishment: “I spent a year in Michigan integrating and rapidly growing our new Orthopedic practice including on-boarding several new providers and opening two new centers.”

Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to serve the community and help people in need. My career has allowed me to do that, impacting thousands of lives each year.”

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MOST INFLUENTIAL

WOMEN

IN ARIZONA

Adelaida V. Severson President and CEO Bushtex Severson founded Bushtex with her husband in 1994 as a satellite communications firm specializing in remote broadcast transmissions worldwide.

Greatest accomplishment: “Cracking through the federal government nutshell in a male-dominated industry.”

Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to be a foreign correspondent – which I started in broadcast journalism as a reporter. But ended up behind the scenes in the satellite broadcast industry, which became more lucrative for me in the end.”

Sherri Slayton

Alliance Bank of Arizona

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Rep. Kyrsten Sinema

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D-AZ 9th District

Greatest accomplishment:

“We took immediate action when we learned about the tragedies at the Phoenix VA. Since last summer, we’ve held three veterans resource clinics, established a mental health working group, and passed laws to increase accountability and improve the quality of VA healthcare.”

Childhood aspiration: “In

first grade, I told the class I’d be an author and U.S. senator. My second book is in publication now, and I’m serving in the U.S. House.

Not too far from the mark.”

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Slayton has more than 30 years of commercial lending and retail banking experience.

She is a member of Flagstaff 40 and a Regional Council member for First Things First in the Coconino Region.

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Greatest accomplishment:

“Helping other women succeed in their careers while balancing their family life.”

Childhood aspiration: “All I knew was that I wanted to work in an office and own a briefcase.”

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Executive vice president

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Molly Stockley

Wendi A. Sorensen Shareholder Burch & Cracchiolo Sorensen is a certified specialist in personal injury and wrongful death and has been selected as one of the 2015 “Top 25 Women Attorneys in Arizona” by Southwest Super Lawyers.

Greatest accomplishment:

“Approaching this very competitive and often cutthroat practice with a sense of humor.”

Childhood aspiration: “When I was a child I wanted to be a stand-up comedian.”

VP of hospital growth CTCA

Stockley, a former sportscaster with more than 23 years in the media industry, oversees all marketing and branding efforts at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, focusing on Arizona as well as 12 other states.

Greatest accomplishment: “My position at CTCA, where I combine my expertise and passion. After cancer took my friend’s life, I have an overwhelming drive to help people conquer cancer.”

Childhood aspiration: “A sportscaster on television. At 18, I accomplished my goal. I never thought I couldn’t.”

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MOST INFLUENTIAL

WOMEN

IN ARIZONA

Lori L. Winkelman

Cheryl Vogt Managing director

Partner Quarles & Brady LLP

Marsh Vogt leads Marsh’s office and has been in various leadership roles for the past 20 years.

She has a master’s from the University of Texas and bachelor’s from the University of Iowa. She is past board Kimberly chair of Boys Hope Girls Hope Van Amburg of Arizona and a member of Cynthia Greater Phoenix Leadership.

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Greatest accomplishment: “I’ve a leader who cares and is been a member of Vistage, an available and approachable by executive leadership program, team members.”

Childhood aspiration: “I knew since 2010. This involves a full that I wanted to go to college. day each month of strategic Neither my mom nor my planning with other VP’s, grandmother went to college CEO’s, executives and business and I saw them struggle. At owners to process issues and some point when I was pretty receive advice from your peers. young, I decided I wanted to It has taken my business skills be a lawyer.” to the next level.”

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Winkelman is serving a three-year term as a Ninth Circuit lawyer representative; is vice president of Arizona Bankruptcy American Inn of Court; and is among Southwest Super Lawyers’ Top 25 female lawyers.

Childhood aspiration: “I was a late bloomer and didn’t go to law school until I was in my 30s. I think there are many younger folks who may not know what they want to do and I think it is OK to wait a little bit until you know yourself better.”

Cathy Valenzuela President Arizona Business Bank Greatest accomplishment: “The many ways I have been able to help my customers, co-workers and family achieve their goals and aspirations. And I sincerely believe my greatest achievements are yet to come.”

Childhood aspiration: “I loved to draw, paint and create other artwork and was sure I was destined to be a famous artist. My creativity has served me very well in banking. I do think creatively and it has helped me to design unique solutions for my clients.”

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Dr. Ivana Dzeletovic Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center Dzeletovic specializes in advanced endoscopic procedures for diagnosis and management gastrointestinal cancers as well as screening and surveillance of patients at high risk of gastrointestinal cancers due to family history or positive genetic testing.

Greatest accomplishment: “I listened to my mom’s lecture at the WHO Conference on Tobacco in Chicago, then she saw me receive a Crystal Award for the best GI patient teaching video of the year in the same city.”

Jessica Benford

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Ryley Carlock & Applewhite

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Executive director T.W. Lewis Foundation

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A first-generation American citizen, Parra specializes in social entrepreneurship and has a specific passion for coaching and developing education entrepreneurs.

Greatest accomplishment:

“Securing a seat on the Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board.”

Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to be a classroom teacher when I was a kid.

I am still very committed to education and the development of young people in Arizona.”

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Benford helps entrepreneurs, start-ups, established companies and financial institutions negotiate and document business transactions.

Greatest accomplishment: “I was humbled to be elected a shareholder at RCA.” Childhood aspiration: “I wanted to be a Foreign Service officer.

I’ve always been fascinated by different cultures and the interdependent nature of economic and political events.

Instead of being an advocate of U.S. interests abroad, I work to advance the interests of my clients.”

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Teresa M. Pilatowicz Of counsel Garman Turner Gordon Pilatowicz focuses on bankruptcy litigation, business restructuring and bankruptcy and creditors’ rights.

Greatest accomplishment:

“I remember standing my ground as a young attorney in a courtroom full of more experienced attorneys and winning my case. Today, I am proud of mentoring young attorneys to do the same.”

Childhood aspiration: “The ability to work on a broad range of issues in different industries while helping clients led me to the legal profession.”

Denyse Airheart

Interim director of economic development City of Maricopa Airheart joined the City of Maricopa in August 2013 to support and broaden the city’s retail, commercial and industrial base.

Greatest accomplishment:

“People who have worked with me know that I am reliable and committed to finding solutions. I cherish the relationships that are built along the way.”

Childhood aspiration: “When

I was young I wanted to be a lawyer. I even dressed up as an attorney one Halloween.”

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Attracting women to tech

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Science, technology, engineering and mathematics education is the root of the issue

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o say women are severely underrepresented in the technology industry is an understatement. According to the nonprofit Change the Equation that is committed to improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, women in the United States make up just 24 percent of the STEM workforce — a figure that has remained unchanged for the past 13 years.

Unfortunately, Arizona is not Steven G. Zylstra leading the way Technology toward reform. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research ranked the state No. 37 in the nation for women in science and engineering jobs.

That’s a sad state of affairs for a forwardthinking industry.

However, we can’t fix the technology workforce gender gap overnight. While every technology company can and should pursue diversity in their workforce and boardrooms, the stark truth is women are not sufficiently represented in the talent pool from which technology companies hire. Because women represent less than 30 percent of the STEM workforce, it’s incredibly difficult for tech companies to achieve gender balance in their hires.

The root cause is the shocking underrepresentation of women in collegelevel science and technology classes. The 2010 U.S. Census reported 57 percent

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of undergraduate degree recipients were female but accounted for only 18 percent of computer science degrees. It’s an area where we’ve slipped dramatically in one generation when you realize 37 percent of undergraduate computer science degree recipients in 1985 were women.

This has occurred despite a general trend toward better mathematical instruction for women. When Duke University researchers compiled three decades of standardized test results, they found 13 men at the start of the study period achieved a score of 700 on the mathematics SAT for every woman who did. By 2010, that gap had fallen to 3 to 1.

While society has made great strides in providing access to the academic fundamentals that support undergraduate science and engineering education, fields like physics and computer science retain cultural barriers that filter out women.

From 1995 to 1999, Jane Margolis and Allan Fisher conducted a study of Carnegie Mellon University’s computer science department. At the dawn of the study, women represented only 7 percent of computer science majors and were twice as likely to leave as their male peers.

The research uncovered institutional biases that rewarded those who connected with computers at an early age and coded with single-minded intensity, which they found to be more typical of males entering computer science. By contrast, they found that women tended to connect with computer science casually at first, with an interest level that grew over time.

When Carnegie Mellon implemented departmental changes to create a more

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welcoming culture, enrollment in the major by women grew to 42 percent.

While a more inclusive culture in undergraduate STEM education is necessary to bring more women into the technology workforce, women are discouraged from academic participation in math and science at every stage of their education. Pervasive social stereotypes about gender roles discourage women from mathematical and engineering achievement, so the key is reaching women early before social conditioning forms an insurmountable barrier to success.

Embracing and rewarding math and science participation by women should ideally begin in middle school, where STEM performance between men and women first begins to diverge.

The technology industry must strive to create a culture that embraces and rewards women. Events like Girls in Tech’s Catalyst Conference held in Phoenix last month are great starts because they celebrate female role models in technology. But until we grow the number of women in the technology workforce, we all face a bottleneck that inhibits diversity. We must leverage our influence to ensure women are supported in the study of science, engineering and math at all ages. Through internships, mentorships, speaking engagements and sponsorship of youth activities, we can begin to grow the culture of strong female involvement in the technology industry and pave the way toward a more diverse future.

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ARIZONA HOSPITAL AND HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION

GREG VIGDOR: Prior to coming to Arizona, the president and CEO of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association was responsible for the creation the Washington Health Foundation, which created innovative programs like the Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign and more than 150 other programs that improved the health of people across Washington.

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Agent of change AzHHA CEO sees encouraging trends that are having a positive impact on Arizona healthcare

By MOLLY CERRETA SMITH

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hen he arrived in Arizona in 2013, Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association President and CEO Greg Vigdor brought more than 30 years of experience in the evolving and ever-changing healthcare industry.

With two years in Arizona under his belt, Vigdor sat down with Az Business magazine to share his thoughts on industry trends and challenges, the Affordable Care Act and AzHHA’s mission to better healthcare in Arizona.

AZ Business: What is your personal mission as president and CEO of AzHHA? GV: Our vision as an organization is to make Arizona the healthiest state in the nation. It is my job to push us toward the changes we need to make to ensure we achieve that vision. That means finding out how we can pursue better care and better results at lower costs.

AB: What are some of the biggest challenges you face in accomplishing these goals?

GV: The good news is the healthcare industry is in its most exciting transformation in history; it is continuing to reinvent itself. The challenge is we have to be constantly trying to figure out how to get from here to there, where we want to be. We have to take the innovations that we’re seeing now and figure out how to lead them, operationalize them and capitalize on them. That can sometimes be difficult in such a resource-challenged environment that we have in Arizona. The state budget is a challenge that is concerning as well. We need better answers for state funding in the future.

AB: What are some of the trends you’re seeing in the industry on a local, national and global scale?

GV: It’s exciting to see innovative processes happening overall in organizations to improve patient care. We know patient care can be better, more effective and cheaper. We have the ability to remake patient care and delivery with new technologies we now have.

The focus now is not on the illness care alone, but rather on making people healthier. Chronic disease management is a prime example. People are living longer but are now dealing with chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart disease that have to be managed over long periods of time with treatments as well as everyday care.

AB: What impacts of the Affordable Care Act are you seeing in Arizona hospitals?

GV: As far as the long-term impact, the jury is still out. It has been successful in terms of getting more people covered and getting more people into the system if they need care.

That is a good thing, simply from a moral aspect. However, when it comes to the changes our healthcare system needs, we need a more detailed blueprint than the act has provided thus far.

AB: What are your thoughts on the recent collaborations that are taking place among local hospitals and with universities, entrepreneurs and global leaders?

GV: I’ve been in this industry for 35 years and these recent collaborations are some of the most encouraging things that are occurring in the state. This trend of working together for the common good can bring a lot more scale of change and speed of change when you bring it across the community. I’m a big fan of that, and that is a large part of what AzHHA does as an organization.

What is AzHHA? The Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (AzHHA) is an organization of hospitals and healthcare systems dedicated to providing leadership and advocacy on issues affecting the delivery, quality, accessibility and cost effectiveness of healthcare. For more information, visit azhha.org.

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AzHHA

INNOVATION MODIFICATION Arizona hospitals combine cutting-edge tech, collaboration for better patient care

By MOLLY CERRETA SMITH

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n the ever-changing face of healthcare, many Arizona hospitals have stepped up to the plate to provide some of the most innovative advances in treatment in an effort to provide patients with better care and better results.

Beyond better treatment, the impact of healthcare on Arizona’s economy is undeniable.

Twelve of the 50 biggest employers in Arizona are healthcare-related businesses. In an industry that is constantly being asked to re-invent and redefine itself, the ability to innovate is what will make hospitals and healthcare a growing sector in Arizona’s economic landscape.

Want to know who some of those leaders in healthcare innovation are?

Az Business magazine takes an in-depth look at what four healthcare providers are doing.

Maricopa Integrated Health Systems (MIHS) The Arizona Burn Center, under the umbrella of MIHS, is world renowned for its burn care and continued research to improve burn treatment. It is not only one of the largest burn centers but also the only one in Arizona to have received verification by the American Burn Association. The center is leading the charge when it comes to better solutions to heal burn victims and is on the cutting edge of two of the most promising new skin substitutes, a “skin spray” and lab-grown artificial skin.

“Our original intention for the skin spray, which has not yet been approved by the FDA and is undergoing trials, was to be used to treat relatively small burns, but we discovered it is much more useful for large burns,” says Kevin Foster, surgeon and medical director of the Arizona Burn Center. “With special approval from the FDA, and of course the patients, we have used it outside the study in three cases.”

The results of those cases were so promising that Foster says they changed the direction of the study to reflect the way the skin spray will ultimately be used, for large burns rather than small burns.

Foster calls a true artificial skin the “Holy Grail” of skin substitutes and notes that a product utilizing lab-grown cells is currently being developed by the University of Wisconsin. The Arizona Burn Center is the research site for that product.

Beyond the development of these new skin solutions, Arizona Burn Center is changing the way burn victims receive diagnosis and treatment. With telemedicine, Burn Center surgeons are available 24/7 via desktop or laptop to consult with emergency physicians at outlying hospitals. Burn specialists can “see” patients, assess the injuries and determine whether a patient can be treated locally or needs to be transported to the burn center.

Though admittedly very expensive to develop and use, these advances in technology are designed to return the patient to their normal lives sooner and with less rehabilitation, which is where the savings will result, says Foster.

“Ultimately, we want patients to get better sooner with less time spent in hospital,” Foster adds. “The skin spray and artificial skin will do that.”

Tucson Medical Center While innovations in medicine and treatment are paramount, it is also crucial to keep up with the advancing technologies of daily operations within a healthcare organization to keep it running as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Tucson Medical Center (TMC) Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Elizabeth Maish says that 2015 has been focused on taking TMC’s operations to the next level, as it’s the foundation for all of the other improvements that need to occur within a healthcare organization.

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“We placed great importance on our electronic medical records (EMR) at an early stage in the game,” Maish says. “While many organizations are just now really diving in, we began our journey in the early 2000s, even before the Affordable Care Act. This has allowed us to reach Stage 7 EMR, which very few hospitals in the U.S. have achieved.”

In addition, TMC has built several interactive, data-rich tools to improve operations, such as the Bed Board, which is an electronic board that allows for ultra-real time management of patients who are waiting for a bed, placed in a bed or discharged.

“This technology has reduced the amount of time that it takes us to get patients in a bed by 30 percent,” Maish adds.

TMC’s goal is to keep people “at home and healthy” versus being in the hospital, according to Maish.

In an effort to improve care management and keep readmission rates low, the facility has become an Accountable Care Organization and established the Arizona Connect Care program, within which special measures are taken when discharging patients to ensure they have all the information they need to continue healing at home.

Maish feels that the innovations TMC is taking in the quest for operational excellence will yield better efficiencies and outcomes, which translate to dollars and an optimized bottom line. However, that is secondary.

“More importantly, adopting a steadfast

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approach toward improvements through innovative thinking, data use and clinical evidence can be the platform for untold financial strength and cultural transformation,” she says.

Mayo Clinic Sometimes going forward to advance patient care requires reverting to basics. For the Mayo Clinic, that means going back 150 years to the team-based care initiated by the Mayo brothers. Dr. Richard S. Zimmerman, M.D., a professor of neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, says the organization “has a long tradition of innovation in healthcare built upon our core belief that the needs of the patient come first … yet only recently has this been emphasized that much better care occurs with this integrated care model.”

Mayo Clinic has advanced medical research with the goal of providing the best possible care for patients. Some of its most recent areas of innovation include cancer care, with its upcoming Proton Beam facility — the first and only one of its kind in Arizona and scheduled to open in February 2016; medical education; telemedicine; genomic research; personalized medicine; regenerative medicine; and the science of healthcare delivery.

“The needs of patients drive research at Mayo Clinic,” Zimmerman says. “As doctors treat patients and see opportunities for advancing patient care,

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they work together with Mayo scientists and research teams to develop new and improved diagnostic tools, medications, devices, treatment protocols and more.”

Another major innovation at the Mayo Clinic is the development of The Mayo Medical School — Arizona Campus, which will include a key collaboration with Arizona State University. A major differentiating feature resulting from this new branch of Mayo Medical School is that all students will complete a specialized certification in the Science of Health Care Delivery concurrently with their medical degree. Zimmerman believes Mayo Medical School is the first to offer such a program.

“The science of healthcare delivery focuses on how patients actually receive care,” Zimmerman says.

“From using engineering principles to determine the most efficient way to schedule patient appointments to research focusing on the most successful, costeffective means for delivering treatment, this discipline’s aim is to enhance the patient’s health care experience by improving quality, outcomes and cost.”

Flagstaff Medical Center

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The big picture Based on the innovative efforts of Arizona hospitals and healthcare organizations, patient care has never been more of a priority. This focus has caused an interesting new trend of collaboration, according to Joan Koerber-Walker, president and CEO of the Arizona BioIndustry Association.

“Patients are now receiving the highest level of care, not only by today’s standards but by tomorrow’s as well,” Koerber-Walker says. “This is a result of collaborations of hospitals with other hospitals, universities, entrepreneurs and global leaders. Arizona has a true collaborative spirit and, with that, we’re seeing great things.”

Koerber-Walker cites the Arizona Alzheimer’s Association as an example of multiple organizations working toward a common good.

“TGen, UofA, ASU, Banner, Mayo and Barrow are all working together on this project and we’re seeing how the best of each of these institutions can come together to end this disease,” Koerber-Walker says, noting that Arizona is receiving global attention for its collaborative effort on Alzheimer’s research.

Koerber-Walker believes strongly in the recent innovations such as telemedicine and collaborative research will continue to result in better patient care and ultimately prevent readmissions that hurt hospitals’ bottom lines.

“Innovation is not only making patients’ lives better, it’s improving quality of care,” she says.

“With telemedicine, Burn Center surgeons are available 24/7 via desktop or laptop to consult with emergency physicians at outlying hospitals.”

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Donated to the Flagstaff community in 1955 by Dr. Charles Sechrist as Flagstaff Hospital, the notfor-profit healthcare organization, now known as Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC), has one very unique aspect — its staff treats every patient, whether or not they are able to pay for their care.

FMC, which is DNV Healthcare accredited, also has a special partnership with Northern Arizona tribes, such as the Navajo, to provide care to those

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with limited access. This exemplifies the true spirit of healthcare leaders, refocusing efforts back on patient care and satisfaction.

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ARIZONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

POLITICAL PUNCH Top 10 ways Ducey, Legislature helped Arizona businesses

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overnor Doug Ducey promised an administration that would move at the speed of business. His first legislative session proved true to his word.

The session was lightning-quick at 81 days, the fastest since 1968. Together, the governor and Legislature passed into law over 300 bills, many of which will significantly enhance Arizona’s business environment, making our state’s tax, educational, regulatory and civil justice frameworks some of the best in the country.

The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry is proud to have helped foster the pro-business policy environment and to have worked to Glenn Hamer advance a shared agenda of growth Arizona Chamber of and prosperity.

Commerce & Industry

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Here are (just) 10 things that got done that are good for business:

1. TAX REFORMS YOU CAN SET YOUR WATCH TO.

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Governor Ducey and legislative leaders made clear early on in the 2015 legislative session that the tax reforms included in the 2011 and 2012 competitiveness packages would continue to be implemented without pause. That means the corporate income tax rate phase down from 6.9 percent to 4.9 percent, the business property tax relief, and the 25 percent reduction in the capital gains tax will continue to come online on schedule, giving Arizona job creators and taxpayers the certainty they need.

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2. AVOIDING BACKDOOR TAX INCREASES. The governor in his State of the State address called for Arizona’s tax brackets to be pegged to inflation and made it a priority agenda item for his first legislative session. This is tax relief for small businesses that file as individuals under the tax code and for Arizonans who have earned a raise and have been bumped into a higher tax bracket. Thanks to the leadership of Rep. Justin Olson, who has made this issue a priority for several sessions, responded to the governor’s call and sent him a bill to make this commonsense reform, putting Arizona in the company of 23 other states that index their tax brackets to inflation.

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3. PUTTING DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON INSURANCE PREMIUMS. Speaking of dogged legislators, House Majority

Whip David Livingston was successful in his push to send to the governor legislation that reduces the state’s insurance premium tax. Reducing this gross receipts tax insurers pay has been a priority for the Arizona Chamber for several years, and there was strong bipartisan support in the Legislature this year to pass this bill that phases down the tax from 2 percent to 1.7 percent over the next decade. We were thrilled that Gov. Ducey signed the bill into law, improving our insurance environment and even putting some downward pressure on premiums.

4. A STOP SIGN IN FRONT OF NEW REGULATIONS. It’s important that Arizona continues to reduce the regulatory burden on job creators in order to realize Gov. Ducey’s vision of making “Arizona the pace leader in the competition for the very best state in America to do business,” as he said in his inaugural address back in January.” The governor started things off on the right foot, making his first official act a moratorium on regulatory rulemaking and calling on his agencies to review existing regulations.

Also on the regulatory front, Rep. Warren Petersen worked with the business community to craft an amendment to S.B. 1241, which prevents cities from instituting bans on certain types of containers, such as plastic bags, and prevents cities from requiring building owners to make public their energy usage as part of so-called energy audits. Creating yet more regulatory burdens for business to comply with won’t grow jobs in Arizona, and we were pleased that Gov. Ducey signed the Petersen measure into law.

5. A FOCUS ON EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM. Gov. Ducey and the Legislature made their first order of legislative business passage of the nation’s first American Civics Act, an effort led by Rep. Steve Montenegro, which will require Arizona students to correctly answer the same questions that appear on the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization civics exam before graduating from high school. Lawmakers and the governor also established the Arizona Public School Achievement District, which will be focused on expanding and replicating Arizona’s very best educational models.

6. TORT REFORM THAT PUTS AN END TO “DOUBLE DIPPING.” A landmark asbestos litigation transparency bill

sponsored by Rep. Sonny Borrelli became law, which will help put an end to abusive “double dipping” by plaintiffs between asbestos trusts and trial courts. We’re now one of only five states with this important law on the books.

7. MAINTAINING HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARDS. Our most vigorous defensive effort this session was devoted to ensuring that the state’s high academic standards were maintained. The State Board of Education has now been tasked

by Gov. Ducey with reviewing our existing standards and replacing them with higher Arizona standards.

8. COME FLY WITH ME. We averted unnecessary hassles to tourists and business travelers by seeing to passage legislation by Sen. Bob Worsley (H.B. 2609) that ensures Arizonans will be able to obtain identification that meets federal security standards to allow them to board commercial aircraft.

9. OPENING UP INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. The fiscal year 2016 budget wisely calls for the continued funding of Arizona’s trade office in Mexico City, the capital city of our largest trading partner. And Gov. Ducey made a great call when he named David Farca as the new president of the Arizona-Mexico Commission Board of Directors. David’s the perfect fit for this outstanding organization.

10. KEEPING PACE WITH TECHNOLOGY. Gov. Ducey signed into law a bill by rep. Jeff Weninger and Sen. David Farnsworth that opens up the growing crowdfunding space to individuals looking to purchase equity in a startup. This is an important bill that ensures our laws are properly aligned with emerging technology.

Respected national rankings continue to take notice of Arizona’s moves to improve its jobs environment. The American Legislative Exchange Council’s Rich States, Poor States report recently ranked Arizona number 5 for economic outlook. We made great progress this year, and expect to move up the charts again next year.

Glenn Hamer is the president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

AZ Chamber 2015 priority legislation Here is the legislative bills that the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry cited as priorities for 2015. For more information, visit azleg.gov or azchamber.com.

H.B. 2001: Income tax brackets; inflation index

H.B. 2083: Income tax revisions

H.B. 2568: Insurance premium tax reduction

H.B. 2064: Graduation requirement; civics test

H.B. 2334: Unfair claim processing; procedure; penalties

H.B. 2603: Personal injury action; asbestos; requirements

S.B. 1403: Consumer lawsuit loans; prohibition

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ARIZONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

Made in

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By MICHAEL GOSSIE

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ou may not know it, but Arizona manufacturers are producing everything from tortilla chips to microchips.

In Arizona, manufacturers are utilizing new technologies and high-tech advancements at the speed of light. At the heart, there are thousands of vast and varied manufacturing companies employing more than 150,000 Arizonans who are propelling Arizona’s economy into the next era of growth.

More than 80 percent of Arizona’s $18.4 billion in exports for 2012 were manufactured goods. Here are 10 products that you may not know are manufactured in Arizona, but are driving the state’s economy.

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TAKING OFF: The USS John Paul Jones launches a Raytheon-made Standard Missile-6 during testing.

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SynCardia Systems in Tucson is the manufacturer of the world’s first and only FDA, Health Canada and CE approved Total Artificial Heart for use as a bridge to transplant for people suffering from heart failure in which both ventricles can no longer pump enough blood for a person to survive.

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ucson-based Instant BioScan makes the only real-time sensor to detect microbes such as bacteria, fungi, yeast, mold and parasites in water and other filterable products. The traditional method for detecting microbes in water takes two to seven days for results.

Software JDA Software’s transformational technology actually helps other manufacturers excel. The cloud-based JDA Manufacturing Planning solution delivers manufacturing planning capabilities for profitably satisfying customers while optimizing global inventories and resources.

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Helicopters H ighly maneuverable and heavily armed, the combatproven Apache helicopter, which is manufactured at Boeing’s facility in Mesa, is the backbone of the U.S. Army.

The helicopters are continually enhanced with advanced technology to make the helicopters more survivable.

Missiles Tucson’s Raytheon Missiles Systems helps manufacture the SM-6, a surface-to-air supersonic missile capable of successfully engaging manned and unmanned aerial vehicles and fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. It also defends against land-attack and anti-ship cruise missiles in flight.

Infrastructure repair

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ucson-based HJ3 Composite Technologies manufactures carbon fiber-based repair alternatives as a costeffective solution to extend the life of failing infrastructure and to protect structures against earthquakes, blasts and environmental damage, at a fraction of the cost of replacement.

Radios for miners

Semiconductors

Originally funded by the U.S. Army’s Small Business Innovative Research program, Phoenix-based Kutta Radios manufactures next-generation medium frequency radios for mine operators to use as a reliable, costeffective solution to communication and tracking needs.

Chandler’s Microchip Technology is a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors for thousands of diverse customer applications worldwide. Microchip reported record sales up 11 percent for 2015 and its 98th consecutive quarter of profitability.

Winter footwear After sliding down an icy gully in the Italian Dolomites, Danny Giovale launched Kahtoola, a Flagstaff-based company that’s been redesigning winter footwear for over a decade. Popular products include snowshoes, crampons and Kahtoola’s MICROspikes.

Snack chips The Frito Lay manufacturing plant in Casa Grande began production in 1984 and employs approximately 325 people. Some of the snacks coming out of the plant include Cheetos, Doritos, Fritos, Lay’s Potato Chips, Sunchips Multigrain Snacks and Tostitos Tortilla Chips.

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Newmark Grubb Knight Frank proudly acknowledges the leadership and staff of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry for their meaningful contributions to our industry and the future of business in Arizona. Our prosperity and entrepreneurial endeavors are in good hands as the result of your outstanding efforts.

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Mediation guide

The trend in business for resolving disputes:

Mediation

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While mediation used to be a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), mediation has become mainstream.

Today, virtually every dispute that is not able to be resolved through direct negotiation is proceeding to mediation. The only questions are at what stage of the process will mediation be held and who will be selected as the mediator.

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Amy L. Lieberman Mediation

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When should parties mediate?

More often in business today, mediation can be mandatory, pursuant to a contract that requires mediation before arbitration or a lawsuit is filed, or pursuant to company policy that requires mediation before an administrative charge or suit is filed.

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•

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Pre-suit. This occurs when one party, typically through counsel, sends a demand letter and suggests private mediation. The main advantage of this is privacy: no public suit is filed than can generate negative publicity or that will remain public information forever. The other advantage is that resolution can occur before much is expended in legal fees. The disadvantage is that, without formal legal discovery, parties are making decisions that are less than “fully informed.” However, parties can save literally hundreds of thousands of dollars.

After suit is filed, before discovery. The privacy advantage is lost, but now the primary advantage becomes avoiding the extensive costs and emotional and lost productivity drain of protracted litigation. The disadvantage is that, as with pre-suit mediation, much information will not be known.

After discovery, before motions filed. Much of the costs of litigation will have been incurred, but it avoids the costs of filing motions, which can run in excess of $25,000, and it avoids the risk of loss if the court rules against a party on a motion that may dispose of all or part of a case.

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After motion is ruled on. At this point, the parties have given their best pre-trial shot at convincing the judge of the righteousness of their positions, and the outcome is known. The advantage here is to avoid the risks at trial, if trial is still available, or of an appeal, if the judge has dismissed the case.

Post-trial. Mediation at this point occurs after a highlyundesirable result has occurred at trial and the losing party wishes to avoid paying a huge verdict, and/or wishes to avoid the process, costs and risk of an appeal.

Who should be selected as the mediator?

Selection of a mediator is made easier today by on-line research. Ask your lawyer for a recommendation. Search mediate.com, the American Arbitration Association, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, the American College of Civil Trial Mediators, or JAMS, for possible sources of lists of mediators. Mediator searches can be run by geographic location and by subject matter expertise and experience.

In making your selection, consider the following: • Substantive expertise. Does the mediator have an

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extensive background in the type of dispute (i.e., real estate, employment, commercial, environmental, personal injury, domestic relations, etc.)?

Reputation. Is the mediator well-known and wellrespected in the legal community?

Style. Do you prefer a mediator that is more directive, evaluative or facilitative?

Availability. Is the mediator available within the time frame we need?

Cost. While relevant, this should be the least important factor. Mediations generally last one day and if you can resolve your conflict in one day, it is a heck of a worthwhile investment.

Amy L. Lieberman is a mediator whose practice concentrates in employment and executive mediation. She is the author of “Mediation Success: Get it Out, Get it Over, Get Back to Business,” available on Amazon.com. She is the executive director of Insight Mediation and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America and Southwest Super Lawyers in ADR for more than a decade.

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Arizona’s top mediators

Michael A. Beale

Michael A. Blair

Sherman D. Fogel

William J. Friedl

Aiken Schenk Hawkins & Ricciardi P.C. ashrlaw.com

Beale, Micheaels & Slack beale-micheaels.com

Baird Williams & Greer bwglaw.net

Attorney at Law shermanfogel.com

As a mediator, Blair brings his years of commercial litigation experience to help parties find a way to resolve their disputes without going to trial.

Fogel has arbitrated or mediated more than 1,000 cases and provides mediation, arbitration and facilitation services and regularly participates in ADR educational programs.

Friedl Richardson friedlrichardson.com

Aiken devotes a substantial portion of his practice to mediation and arbitration and was selected by Best Lawyers in America as Lawyer of the Year (Mediation, Phoenix) for 2012 and 2015.

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Beale has served as a judge pro tem for the Maricopa County Superior Court. In 2013 he was named Lawyer of the Year for Phoenix in the area of personal injury defense

by Best Lawyers.

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Friedl was invited and now is a recognized member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. He has tried cases in the state courts of Arizona, Colorado and California.

Richard Friedlander

Amy L. Lieberman

Richard K. Mahrle

Paul J. McGoldrick

Thomas L. Toone

Dickinson Wright dickinson-wright.com

Insight Employment Mediation insightemployment.com

Gammage & Burnham gblaw.com

Shorall McGoldrick Brinkmann smbattorneys.com

Beer & Toone beer-toone.com

Friedlander, identified in Best Lawyers in America for his ADR work, has mediated hundreds of disputes involving construction, real property, contract, bankruptcy and other complex cases.

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Lieberman is the first mediator in Arizona to be selected as a Fellow of the American College of Civil Trial Mediators and is regularly voted one of the “Best Lawyers in America.”

Mahrle serves as a mediator and arbitrator in commercial disputes.

He is on the commercial, construction and employment arbitration panels for the American Arbitration Association.

McGoldrick is a frequent mediator and arbitrator, helping to provide effective alternative dispute solutions.

He is a member of the prestigious National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals.

Toone has served as a court-appointed settlement judge, a private mediator, an arbitrator, special master and umpire for appraisal hearings in more than 2,650 cases during the past 25 years.

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Arizona’s top mediators

Maureen Beyers

David J. Damron

Jill A. Herman

Norma Izzo Milner

Burke Mediation eburkemediation.com

Osborn Maledon omlaw.com

DamronADR damronadr.com

Herman Goldstein hgfirm.com

Jennings Strouss jsslaw.com

Burke uses his 12 years of experience on the benches of the Maricopa County Superior Court, along with more than 30 years of practice to help parties resolve their disputes.

Nationally recognized as a top arbitrator, Beyers has served as an arbitrator and chairperson in hundreds of arbitrations throughout the United States involving a variety of business disputes.

Damron has mediated more than 1,000 matters in his practice and participation as a Judge Pro Tem. He attended the prestigious Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine School of Law.

Over the course of her 33-year career, Herman has been a consistent proponent of ADR and has arbitrated and has been selected as a mediator and arbitrator in more than 100 cases.

Izzo is vice-chair of her firm’s ADR Department.

She concentrates her practice in the area of family law and domestic relations matters, mediation, arbitration, custody and child support.

Mark D. Zukowski

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Patrick Irvine

Fennemore Craig fclaw.com

Irvine, who has experience working in the office of the Arizona Attorney General. practices in litigation, business law and Indian law and regularly serves as an arbitrator and mediator.

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Charles J. Muchmore

Winn L. Sammons

Sharon B. Shively

Scott & Skelly scottandskelly.com

Sanders & Parks sandersparks.com

Sacks Tierney sackstierney.com

Muchmore became involved in ADR by conducting mediations as a Judge Pro Tem for the Maricopa County Superior Court. He is a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals.

Sammons’ ADR practice at Sanders & Parks now includes mediations, arbitrations, conflict coaching, groupthink facilitation and peacemaking to help clients resolve their disputes.

Shively, a four-time Super Lawyers selectee and five-time Best Lawyers selectee, frequently serves as a mediator, settlement conference judge and arbitrator in complex, multi-party matters.

Jones, Skelton and Hochuli jshfirm.com

Zukowski is a construction and commercial arbitrator and mediator for the American Arbitration Association. He is also a member of the prestigious National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals.

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN

Industry Leaders of Arizona recognizes businesses and business leaders who through hard work and innovation think beyond traditional boundaries and help lead the future of Arizona business.

This year, we will honor the following industries:

Healthcare • Hospitality • Logistics/Distribution • Retail • Staffing Companies NOMINATE AT

azBIGmedia.com | Nominations close September 4, 2015

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Glendale Convention & Visitors Bureau strategizes for continued growth and success

By CHERYL HURD

H

ere comes the boom.

The Glendale Convention & Visitors Bureau will amplify its national message and fine-tune its operations this year as it continues to grow the tourism and hospitality industry in the West Valley.

Plans are underway to increase national sales, add a third advisory committee and implement a grant program to entice events to the increasingly popular destination.

The CVB is maturing, says Lorraine Pino, director of the bureau, which opened its doors five years ago. The experience of hosting events like the Fiesta Bowl, Super Bowl, Wrestle Mania and spring training has readied the CVB for national outreach.

“We host a major event almost every weekend,” Pino says. “In March, we saw record-breaking attendance and record-breaking hotel stays in the city of Glendale.” The CVB is preparing to capitalize on the West Valley’s growth.

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In the beginning

About the time of the 2008 Super Bowl, a grassroots group later named the West Valley Events Coalition, was formed by tourism partners who realized that by working together they

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could drive tourism west.

What followed included extensive research and assistance of Valleywide CVBs and destination-marketing organizations throughout the state that provided input and expertise to help formulate a business plan for what in now the Glendale CVB. “That really showed the camaraderie, partnership and friendship we all have throughout the tourism industry of Arizona, Pino says. “Ultimately, we want Arizona to shine.

When we bring tourism to Arizona we all benefit.”

In 2010, the Glendale Convention & Visitors Bureau was officially launched. Fourteen cities were included in the strategic planning and two advisory committees were formed to guide the bureau’s direction. The first was the CVB advisory committee made up of representatives from throughout the tourism and hospitality industry. The second was an advisory committee of hoteliers.

Strength in numbers

The hotel industry recognizes the power in working together.

The outpouring of support and collaboration among hoteliers impacted the way the CVB is funded. The bureau is a city entity, but it is not funded by the city. The hotel industry approached

ATTRACTION the city about raising the bed tax from 3.4 to 5 percent, Pino explains. The 1.6 percent additional tax revenue is combined with the paid memberships to fund the CVB. The CVB, which is usually the first point of contact for major events, is instrumental in bringing all the players to the table so they can collectively book business and benefit as a whole.

When the hotels work together, they can offer a higher number of available rooms that are essential to drawing large events.

“We are in a growth phase,” explains Brianna Fischer, director of sales for Staybridge Suites and Holiday Inn Express. “With the Super Bowl being a success and the fact that we have the NCAA Championship Game 2016 and the Final Four 2017, it sets a nice stage for more mega events to be coming to this area.”

What’s new?

One initiative being launched this summer will be the addition of an advisory committee comprised of hotel and venue representatives.

“We want to make it easy for event planners to book our city,” says Fischer, who is on the committee. “In order to do that, we need to work together. I really feel that we will be able to pick from the talent in the city, pool our contacts and be able to bring our experience to the table.”

Also underway is the Event Support Grant Program. “It is a tourism promotion fund, common in the tourism industry,” Pino explains. The program helps fund events through a grant program and the grants are awarded at different funding levels depending on several factors including the number of hotel room nights the event generates.

“We continue to grow,” Pino says. “We have only touched the surface of what we can capitalize on. So much of what we have done is so brand new.”

In December, at the request of the hotel advisory committee, a national sales arm of the CVB was created. The bureau hired Danielle Dutsch as its national sales manager. According to Pino, Dutsch has already booked numerous conferences and

ANIMAL ATTRACTION: “We have grown with this wonderful growth of the West Valley,” says Mickey Ollson, who opened the Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium more than 30 years ago. ”It’s really amazing. Not only the growth in population, the number of businesses and the size of the cities in the West Valley, but it has been amazing with the growth in the tourism industry on this side of Phoenix.”

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LORRAINE PINO: “We host a major event almost every weekend,” says the director of the Glendale Convention & Visitors Bureau. “In March, we saw recordbreaking attendance and record-breaking hotel stays in the city of Glendale.”

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conventions and is also targeting national trade shows. Among them are NASC Sports Event Symposium, Meetings Quest and Connect Sports.

Because of the explosive growth of the sports and entertainment district and the freeway accessibility, Pino explains, the West Valley has more now to sell, promote and capitalize on.

“These are all added tools to our tool box,” she says. “(Dutsch) can customize her pitch depending on the groups’ needs,” Pinos says. “If they are looking for an authentic historical experience, she can tell them about historic downtown Glendale.

If they are looking for nightlife and a large-scale conference site, she can tell them about the Westgate Entertainment District.

If they are looking for a Western experience, she can tell them about Buckeye and Wickenburg. If they are looking for sports, she can tell them about the stadium, Camelback Ranch and all the spring training facilities throughout the West Valley. So the beauty of working as a region is that we have so many different attributes and venues, activities and attractions, that we can truly customize and be all things to all groups.”

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who have a “let’s do it, let’s get it done” attitude and she has discovered the power of working together and accomplishing things that she “never thought would be possible.”

“It was a huge vote of confidence that they believe in small businesses,” she says. “Small businesses are important, small businesses matter, small businesses make a difference in the community.”

Pino points to the impact made when small businesses and the community come together. In the past decade, about 7,000 teddy bears have been donated to emergency responders to calm children in crisis. The community recently came together to fill 149 care packages for women warriors serving over seas.

While not mega events, these efforts speak to the heart of the community.

“The charity events we do throughout the year have such a lasting impact,” Pino says. “Seeing those charities continue to grow really warms my heart and makes me realize what a wonderful community we have.”

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Growth and confidence

It was 30 years ago that Mickey Ollson opened Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium in the West Valley. At that time, farmland The increased tourism traffic is impacting local businesses as dominated the rural landscape. visitors discover all that the West Valley has to offer.

Since the zoo gates first opened, it has continued to expand, Valerie Burner, owner of Bears & More, has owned her with a recent addition of a fourth aquarium and 10-acre safari teddy bear store in the historic Catlin Court Shops District for park. The zoo employees 75 to 80 people and will be expanding 23 years. The shop has been operating since before popular again in the fall. festivals, such as Glendale Glitters and Chocolate Affaire, and “We have grown with this wonderful growth of the West the Glendale CVB existed.

Valley,” Ollson says. ”It’s really amazing. Not only the growth in She credits the CVB with increasing her business. population, the number of businesses and the size of the cities “This year for sure, the CVB outreach to the Dodgers resulted in the West Valley, but it has been amazing with the growth in in a huge uptick of Dodger fans coming in game gear and the tourism industry on this side of Phoenix. Having lived here shopping here,” she says. “A lot of them told me they would come my entire life and having a business here in the West Valley for early or would stay late so they could shop downtown Glendale. I 30 years, I can really appreciate how much growth has been out had new customers that I would not have seen otherwise.” here and of course it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The West Valley Burner was asked to participate in the Glendale CVB advisory has a very bright future, I believe.” committee. She says she has met a group of business owners Ollson also participates on the CVB advisory committee.

Small businesses thrive

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You’ll Love Every Minute Glendale, AZ & the West Valley It is more than a perfect blend of the old and the new, the wild and the tame, the luxurious and the rustic.

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He said the CVB has created a synergy among the various cities and tourism and hospitality businesses so they are working in the same direction to promote tourism.

“We’re really excited with the CVB doing such a great job and all the cities coming together. It is feeding the whole economic development of the West Valley.”

For years Ollson has seen the need for tourist attractions and hotels in the area. ”In the last five years, the Glendale CVB has filled that niche,” Ollson says. “They are doing a marvelous job.”

A bright future

“Eventually, hopefully we will be an international destination out here,” Ollson says. “That’s going to come as the economy improves and as the CVB gets more funding and grows this place a little bit longer. It takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it does seem to be speeding up. I give credit to the leaders of Glendale because they are forward looking. Ten to 20

years from now we will look back and say it was the right thing to do.”

Pino says the work that is taking place at the CVB is causing an economic ripple that means more hospitality-related jobs in the city.

“The more conventions and conferences we host, the more people stay, eat, shop and impact local businesses large and small. The more visitor dollars that come in, the more tax generation, and that equates to more city services, parks, recreation, libraries, street improvements and all of those things that are quality of life for residents.

“Now that we have put our best practices in place, have our business model and programs running, we now are taking a moment to open our ears even wider to hear what our members, our partners and our boards are saying, what they think are our next steps,” Pino says. “For us, this listening campaign is very important because it will bring us into the next five years.

“The best is yet to come.”

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Glendale Convention & Visitors Bureau highlights 2014 SUCCESSES • The Visitor Center has assisted more than 180,000 visitors from 46 countries and all states in the U.S. • 41 percent of the out-of-state visitors are from the Midwest region • The Visitor Center averages 10,000 visitor phone calls annually • Visitor Center volunteers donate an average of 2,000 hours annually • The CVB fulfilled 16,761 requests for visitor information generated from advertising campaigns • 9.8 percent increase in hotel occupancy • 48 percent increase in e-newsletter subscribers • 53 percent increase in social media subscribers

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• 142 percent increase in mobile activity • Debut of the CVB Mobile App • Debut of the CVB Blog featuring guest bloggers • CVB hired a national sales manager 2015 IN THE WORKS AT CVB • Adding a third advisory committee representing hotels and venues • Launching event support grant program • Increasing national outreach to conventions, conferences and trade shows COMING SOON • Website redesign • 2016 College Football Playoff Championship • 2017 NCAA men’s basketball Final Four

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RICHARD HUBBARD: “The West Valley is burdened by the fact that 90 percent of the people who live here have to drive east for their jobs,” said the president and CEO of WESTMARC. “It’s a misperception that there isn’t a talented workforce where businesses can come in and flip a switch and have a workforce with high-level, highly skilled employees.”

PHOTOS BY MIKE MERTES, AZ BIG MEDIA

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MISSION

Hubbard leads WESTMARC and the West Valley into a period of tremendous growth and innovation

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

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s CEO of Valley Partnership, Richard Hubbard led the Valley’s most visible advocacy group for responsible development.

Hubbard, who became CEO of WESTMARC in February, will use that experience in economic development to help the West Valley capitalize on its Opportunity Loop, the region encircled by Loop 303 and Interstates 10 and 17 that offers an abundance of shovel-ready land and foreign trade zone tax breaks for businesses looking relocate or expand.

Az Business sat down with Hubbard to talk about his new role at WESTMARC and how he plans to leave his mark.

Az Business: What attracted you to the position at WESTMARC? Richard Hubbard: WESTMARC is a great organization that’s been around for about 25 years and it’s a broad mission. It’s a very broad economic development mission and a promotion of the West Valley. It really had great leadership with its board of directors and each community’s mayor is on the board. The regional aspect, the broader mission and the people made it a very attractive opportunity.

AB: How has WESTMARC been so effective at creative a regional approach?

RH: There has been a history of unity in the West Valley because the communities are very young. There’s a lot of unity around Luke Air Force Base and protecting

Luke. There is a lot of appreciation for the terrain and the White Tank Mountains. Plus, the fact that there is an infrastructure issue among all communities that have to work cooperatively really promotes that unity. Just look at the Loop 303 and the number of communities it passes through. All those communities had to cooperate to make that a reality.

AB: As CEO, what do you see as WESTMARC’s primary role?

RH: I want to drive WESTMARC according to the three main things in its strategic plan — promote the West Valley, enhance economic development and increase member value.

AB: How has the opening of Loop 303 impacted development of the West Valley?

RH: It’s been spectacular. It enhances the ability to get goods from the West Valley into California and back. It’s opened up a whole regional transportation infrastructure.

AB: How has the Greater Maricopa Foreign Trade Zone helped WESTMARC? RH: The foreign trade zone has been a terrific success. WESTMARC serves as its marketing arm and administrative arm. If you’re in the business of international distribution, we have great access from an infrastructure with the airports and the highways AB | July-August 2015

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— including the new Loop 303. Plus, the FTZ offers two added benefits for an international company. One is that you have the tax and the customs benefits from the FTZ. Second, there is a property tax benefit and that has helped bring really big companies to the West Valley. If that’s not enough, the West Valley has a built-in workforce necessary to help businesses succeed.

AB: Who are some of the companies that have benefited from the FTZ? RH: Amazon, REI, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Macy’s. Today, you can order something from Amazon and it will be delivered directly from Goodyear. It’s spectacular efficiency, innovation and economic development.

AB: How does higher education in the West Valley impact WESTMARC’s ability to attract and retain business?

RH: Many of the educational institutions in the West Valley — including Midwestern University and West-MEC — are career path organizations. Students come out of those

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schools and are job ready. From a higher education standpoint, I always say that ASU West is an unpolished jewel. It’s a beautiful campus. It’s a four-year degree college and students can interact with other campuses.

Students can get on a bus and be at the downtown campus or be at the Tempe campus.

We are just starting to see the impact of ASU’s acquisition of the Thunderbird School of Global Management. The combination of those two is an enormous asset.

AB: The West Valley will host the three biggest events in sports in three successive years — the Super Bowl, the College Football Championship Game in 2016 and the Final Four in 2017. What impact does that have on WESTMARC’s ability to attract new businesses?

RH: You take advantage of those opportunities to promote the facilities in the West Valley. The University of Phoenix Stadium and Westgate are great venues to host these mega events. When those events

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are in town, we take that opportunity to talk about the assets and opportunities that the West Valley holds.

AB: What are your primary goals as CEO of WESTMARC? RH: I want to do a lot of economic development for the West Valley, which is keeping businesses here and helping them grow and bringing new businesses to the area. This is a broader mission than I had with Valley Partnership. Valley Partnership is focused on the advancement of commercial real estate. That’s only a part of what WESTMARC does. If you just look at healthcare, healthcare is part of economic development, part of community growth, part of promoting the West Valley. The companies get it. They understand that they’re building to serve the West Valley. They want to make the communities better. They want to be good citizens. And WESTMARC helps foster that entire mission.

WESTMARC’s 2015 priorities WESTMARC — the Western Maricopa Coalition — is a public-private partnership of the 15 communities, the business community and the educational sector in the West Valley. WESTMARC has identified three priorities for 2015:

1. Promote the West Valley • Create collaborative group of media relations and public information officers to work together toward advancing positive coverage of the West Valley.

• Launch a new WESTMARC website that focuses on promoting the West Valley and its assets.

• Leverage state, regional, and local activities as opportunities to further promote the West Valley.

2. Enhance economic development • Develop and communicate data and materials that demonstrate the West Valley’s workforce.

• Examine and pursue programs to enhance infrastructure in the West Valley.

• Enhance West Valley presence in statewide and regional economic development activities.

3. Increase member value • Create a web-based member database to promote its member organizations and individuals.

• Organize more opportunities for members to interact, learn, and communicate through activities that promote the West Valley.

• Enhance opportunities to engage in issues affecting the West Valley and hear from special speakers through WESTMARC’s committee structure.

WESTMARC

Going

PRO

WESTMARC develops tool to show the strengths of the West Valley workforce to potential employers By MICHAEL GOSSIE

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est Valley economic development officials have battled a stigma for years.

“The West Valley is burdened by the fact that 90 percent of the people who live here have to drive east for their jobs,” said Richard Hubbard, president and CEO of WESTMARC. “There’s been a misperception that there isn’t a talented workforce where businesses can come in and flip a switch and have a workforce filled with high-level, highly skilled employees.”

To combat that misperception, West Valley officials commissioned a workforce study in 2008 to show the strengths of the West Valley to potential employers. Unfortunately, the Recession quickly made that study obsolete. So the burden remained.

“All the economic development people in the West Valley have one thing that always has to get checked off the checklist and that’s whether or not we can deliver the professionals a business needs to relocate or expand in the West Valley,” Hubbard said.

Finally, there is an answer. WESTMARC, through its Economic Development Committee, is working to create a comprehensive database of potential employees who live and could work in the West Valley. The West Valley Professional Resource for Occupations — or West Valley PRO – will be an interactive online tool that allows the user to search for a specific industry or occupation. Data about each industry including the occupational Bill Honsaker workforce will be displayed in an easy-to-understand format.

“The West Valley had a strong need for data that shows the capability of the workforce we have on this side of town,” said Kristen Stephenson, economic development administrator for the City of Glendale’s Office of Economic Development. “Prior to the development of this tool, it was much more difficult to show that we have the workforce available for employers. Through the work of the WESTMARC Workforce subcommittee, we were able to compile data that shows the labor force based on where people live and demonstrate that the West Valley has a substantial labor force already located here. More importantly, it allows the data to be quantified based on the occupation of a person, not just an overall workforce number.”

Information will be compiled from a variety of sources, including the Census Bureau and the Maricopa Association of Governments, which will allow WESTMARC and other economic developers to show potential employers the breadth and depth of the workforce in the West Valley.

“We anticipate the primary users will be economic developers, along with site selectors and the broker community,” Stephenson said.

West Valley economic developers said the impact of West Valley PRO will be to demonstrate empirically for the first time the availability of a quality labor force in the West Valley and show that the region is a prime location for doing business.

Kristen Stephenson “As the West Valley continues to grow in terms of population, rooftops and commercial expansion, West Valley PRO will be a critical instrument in presenting the strong attributes on the West Valley labor pool,” said Bill Honsaker, managing director of JLL. “Many times, site selectors and corporate executives are influenced by perception. West Valley PRO is able to provide data that can combat perception with reality.”

To show the benefit of West Valley PRO, Honsaker said he is involved with an industrial company that is considering a move the Valley and will employ between 300 and 500 people.

He utilized West Valley PRO to show the client the abundant labar available in the West Valley.

“With the central and east parts of the Valley being more limited with respect to land availability, West Valley PRO will assist in attracting more and more industrial users to WESTMARC’s communities,” Honsaker said.

WESTERN APPEAL Here are some of the major distinctions of Western Maricopa County and the 15 united communities that WESTMARC represents:

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• There is an abundance of developable land.

• There are more than 50,000 businesses.

• The region is approximately 3,000 square miles.

• The population is 1,272,747.

• The average household income is $64,807.

• It has an educated workforce that has increased 66 percent over the past 10 years.

• It is home to Luke Air Force Base and the new F-35 aircraft.

• The Greater Maricopa Foreign Trade Zone — FTZ No. 277 — makes it an attractive place to do business.

Throughout the West Valley, excellent patient care is our priority.

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A HEALTHY ECONOMY WESTMARC helps the medical industry become a catalyst for growth in the West Valley

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

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here was a time when many West Valley residents had to travel to downtown Phoenix or the East Valley for specialized healthcare services and treatments.

Times have dramatically changed.

“Whether it’s specialized pediatric care, trauma care, cutting-edge heart care, or state-of-the-art cancer care, you can find some of the leading providers of those services in the West Valley,” said Rob Gould, president of Banner Health’s Arizona West Division.

You need to look no further than the Abrazo West Campus (formerly West Valley Hospital) and Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Western Regional Medical Center — which are separated by less than two miles in Goodyear — to see the healthcare innovation that has taken over the West Valley. Surgeons at Abrazo West performed the first surgery in the Valley using the new da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system. In April, CTCA began the Phase II portion of a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, using a new immunotherapy treatment for patients with advanced small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and connectivetissue cancers, including breast cancer.

So how has the West Valley gone from having a reputation as a bedroom to community to one on the cutting edge of healthcare and medical research?

According to Sharon Grambow, chief operating officer of Sun Health Senior Living and immediate past chair of WESTMARC, the West Valley is well positioned for growth for healthcare organizations because of three factors: • Demographics and concentration of seniors, who generally are high utilizers of care.

• The supply of healthcare professionals and workforce pool because of the growth of communities like Surprise, Peoria, Goodyear and Glendale.

• The changing face of healthcare which is trending away from the acute episodic incidents to more focusing on health and wellness, managing chronic disease and personal responsibility for an individuals health.

“There will be an explosion of growth away from the traditional hospital campuses,” Grambow said, “and the West Valley has the available land to support that growth.”

And writing the prescription to help the West Valley capitalize on healthcare opportunities has been WESTMARC.

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Don Freeman

Sharon Grambow

Rob Gould

Sharon Harper

Stan Holm

Matt McGuire

Catalyst for growth

“What WESTMARC has really done well is bringing people together in a way that is starting to build a more definitive brand for the west side of town,” said Matt McGuire, president and CEO of CTCA at Western Regional Medical Center. “WESTMARC has an ability to bring thought leaders together to help better position the West Valley and really make it a place that is attractive not just to healthcare businesses, but to other businesses as well.”

By serving as the leading advocate and economic development group for the West Valley, Gould said WESTMARC has helped outside companies better understand what the west side has to offer their businesses in terms of a skilled workforce, affordable land, freeway access to major markets and a high quality of life for their employees.

“We’ve also appreciated WESTMARC’s efforts to help lawmakers better understand the positive impact healthcare has on the state and why we need to do all we can to support the healthcare industry,” Gould said.

WESTMARC has really help drive the growth of healthcare, Grambow said, because it is uniquely positioned to bring together all the stakeholders — government, business and consumers — to work together for optimal outcomes.

“I am really struck by how friendly and business-minded the political leadership has been in the West Valley,” McGuire said.

“WESTMARC has an extraordinary ability to bring public and private leaders together to coalesce around opportunities and unique branding that makes the West Valley an attractive place for healthcare businesses and EMERGENCY LANDING: The Abrazo West facilities to come.”

Campus is home to a Level 1 Trauma Center.

Once healthcare companies come, economic development experts said other businesses will follow.

“Healthcare is a huge economic development great place to live and play, so it attracts a dynamic and diverse driver,” said Richard Hubbard, president and CEO of workforce,” Gould said. “Additionally, we’re fortunate to have WESTMARC. “Having the ability to promote high-quality so many terrific secondary schools, colleges and universities healthcare facilities in the West Valley helps us attract offering quality healthcare training programs.” businesses. When you can promote premier healthcare Gould said Banner enjoys a close relationship with several of facilities, it really is a draw. Plus, healthcare is a very highthem, including Glendale and Estrella Mountain community wage industry, so there is the added benefit of having the colleges, Grand Canyon University, Midwestern University and economic impact of having an elite industry in the region.”

ASU West.

Gould agreed that families and employers will often factor “Any day of the week, you can find nursing students, in the availability of quality healthcare before choosing where pharmacy students and medical students working alongside to relocate, “so having high quality health care institutions in working professionals inside our hospitals, gaining the the West Valley plays an important role in supporting the West experience they’ll need to enter the workforce,” Gould said.

Valley’s economic development efforts.”

In addition to a built-in worksforce, another strength is the tremendous support the healthcare industry receives from city leaders and economic development officials throughout the Experts said one of the biggest strengths the West Valley West Valley. has going for it as it aims to maintain growth in the healthcare “A few years ago, for example, we completed a major $290 sector is its sizable and well-educated workforce, many of whom million campus expansion at Banner Thunderbird Medical reside in the West Valley but currently leave to work elsewhere.

Center in Glendale,” Gould said. “You don’t get through a project “That’s due, in part, to the fact that the West Valley is a of that scope and magnitude without extensive cooperation and

Maintaining momentum

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PROVIDED PHOTOS COMING SOON: Plaza Companies has partnered with Duke Realty to build a new Class A medical office building on Banner Estrella Medical Campus in Phoenix.

The campus features a 392-bed full-service acute care hospital specializing in bariatrics, cardiology, cancer care, pulmonology, maternity services and women’s health, neurosciences and orthopedics, among other specialties.

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What’s next?

Valley residents don’t have to look any further than daily headlines to see that healthcare is continuing to explode in the West Valley. In just the past five years, Gould said Banner Health has invested about $250 million to expand existing healthcare facilities and to build new ones in the West Valley. This figure is led by the $161 million expansion project that is nearly complete at Banner Estrella Medical Center in west Phoenix. And in support from the city’s economic development team, planning June, Plaza Companies, which is based in the West Valley and department and City Council. At Banner, we don’t take that is one of the premier medical office real estate firms in Arizona, support for granted, and we appreciate it when we see it.” announced it would help build a five-story addition to Banner Healthcare leaders universally agreed.

Estrella Campus. It will be 70,000-square-feet initially, with “When I look at the mayors of the communities we serve — future expansion capabilities up to 125,000 square feet.

Avondale, Goodyear, Buckeye, Litchfield — they are all very “We are looking forward to this project and building a facility progressive and collaborative,” said Stan Holm, CEO of Abrazo that will complement the success of the first Medical Plaza on West Campus. the Banner Estrella campus,” said Sharon Harper, president Not to be ignored when creating a checklist of West Valley and CEO of Plaza Companies. “This is yet another sign of the strengths is the fact that the region has room to grow.

“The West Valley is poised for growth because the region is not growing need for healthcare services in the west Phoenix area.

For years to come, this facility will serve thousands of people in landlocked by anything tied to state land or Indian territories,” need of medical care.”

Holm said. “It allows businesses to continuously expand and But that’s not the only growth Banner is looking at in the the opening of the Loop 303 has geographically set up the West West Valley.

Valley to succeed for the long run.”

“In June, we embarked on a $2.3 million facelift of the Banner Don Freeman, senior project manager for healthcare for The Thunderbird Medical Pavilion, a large medical office building Weitz Company said another advantage of the West Valley for on the campus of Banner Thunderbird Medical Center,” Gould healthcare facilities is the opportunity to get anchored and said. “Next year, we plan to open a new Banner Health Center established in an up-and-coming market. on the northwest corner of the Loop 101 Freeway and 75th “Available land and economic development partners willing Avenue in Glendale in the Aspera development. This center will and able to work with real estate brokers, developers, new include primary care physicians, specialists and lab and medical businesses and general contractors are the two major factors I imaging capabilities.” see contributing to the growth,” Freeman said.

A NEW LEVEL: Michelle Lawrie, Goodyear’s economic development director; Buckeye Mayor Jackie Meck; Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord; and Litchfield Park Mayor Thomas Schoaf at the Level 1 Trauma Center at the Abrazo West Campus.

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NOW

YOU DIDN’T QUIT.

YOU WERE UNWILLING TO SETTLE. YOU SEIZED SUCCESS WITH BOTH HANDS. THANK YOU FOR LETTING US BE A PART OF IT.

ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP & BENEFITS

Make education a reality for West Valley students.

Get involved or contribute.

WWW.ESTRELLAMOUNTAIN.EDU/ALUMNI 623.935.8050

WWW.GCCAZ.EDU/ALUMNI 623.845.3477 AB | July-August 2015

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When it Comes to Water, Our FoCus is Clear.

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Every day we keep you connected to the things that matter – like clean water for homes and businesses in the West Valley. At EPCOR Water, being a water and wastewater utility is more than providing a service. Your community is our home, too, and taking care of our water resources is serious business.

Learn more about water in the West Valley and Arizona by visiting epcor.com.

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The new Banner Health facility will mark the company’s fourth in the West Valley, joining Banner locations in Verrado, Estrella and Surprise.

But Banner isn’t the only healthcare company expanding in the West Valley.

“We just finished a $26 million expansion a year ago,” Holm said. “In that, we had a south tower that was erected and the third floor was built out and we have shelf space on the first and second floors. We added operating room suites. We built out two operating rooms and have shelf space for future growth there. We are poised with shelf space to continue to grow with the community.”

At CTCA, McGuire said he is deep into the process of planning for growth.

“We initiated a five-year master capital planning process about three months ago and will be working with our board over the summer about what that will include,” McGuire said. “We are looking at options that include adding on to the existing footprint, but we also recognize where healthcare is moving, meaning much more care in the future is going to be delivered in outpatient settings.”

McGuire said than in addition to adding about 200 parking spaces and finishing off a couple areas that are currently shelf space

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PROVIDED PHOTOS FUTURE IS NOW: The Abrazo West Campus was the first hospital in Arizona to receive the robotic-assisted da Vinci Xi Surgical System, which offers patients less invasive options and faster recovery from a variety of surgeries. The new technology provides advanced robotic technology including high-definition, 3-D visualization. It also allows for enhanced dexterity and greater precision and control for the surgeon.

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within the hospital, executives at CTCA are looking at adjoining acreage around the hospital for potential expansion opportunities.

“Instead of adding on, we’re exploring what it might look like to take a more campus approach for our hospital,” McGuire said.

“A lot of that will be decided in coming months.”

As the healthcare industry continues to grow and medical innovation defines the West Valley, the region has developed a swagger that has made it an attactive place to do business.

“The west side has also been hurt historically by its reputation as a bedroom community,” Gould said. “A thriving healthcare industry on the west side is helping change that perception. Today, in many of the communities we serve, our hospitals are the largest local employer, allowing residents to find quality, well-paying jobs in the same communities where they live and play.”

WEST VALLEY’S MAJOR EMPLOYERS

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Here are the largest employers of West Valley residents, with the number of employees:

Banner Health, 7,690

APS/Palo Verde, 2,740

Swift Transportation, 960

Luke Air Force Base, 5,690

Abrazo Community Health Network, 1,940

HonorHealth, 950

American Express, 3,700

PetSmart, 1,860

UnitedHealth Group, 940

Grand Canyon University, 3,550

JBS Packerland, 1,100

Lockheed Martin, 800

Amazon, 3,020

Shamrock Foods, 1,040

Honeywell, 790

AB | July-August 2015

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Growth

leader WESTMARC chairman utilizes group’s strength to help West Valley shine

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By MICHAEL GOSSIE

MICHAEL A. DiMARIA: As director of legislative affairs for CenturyLink Arizona, DiMaria is responsible for interaction with federal, state and local elected officials and their staffs.

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s director of legislative affairs for CenturyLink Arizona, Michael A. DiMaria says his company is committed to strengthening and improving the communities it serves.

“We focus our philanthropic and volunteer efforts on K-12 education and programs that support youth; technology-focused initiatives; and locally-driven efforts that strengthen communities and make them better places to live,” DiMaria says.

To help strengthen his community, DiMaria brings more than 20 years of experience in telecommunications and public affairs to his role as chairman of WESTMARC. Az Business asked DiMaria about the impact WESTMARC is having on the West Valley business community and residents it serves.

Az Business: What do you see as WESTMARC’s primary role in the community?

Michael DiMaria: Consistent with the 2015 WESTMARC Strategic Plan, our primary role is three fold. Our mission is to promote the West Valley throughout the state and nationally, foster economic development in the West Valley and

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increase WESTMARC membership and the benefits we provide. The members of WESTMARC, particularly the sponsors and board of directors, are high-ranking elected leaders in the West Valley and high-level executives of both big and small businesses that operate in the West Valley. With that type of leadership, our primary role is to set an example in fulfilling our mission of promoting the West Valley and the economic development opportunities that exists.

AB: How has WESTMARC’S regional approach helped grow the West Valley?

MD: The regional approach has resulted in tremendous cooperation in the most important aspect of regional growth: infrastructure. The coalition of communities in the West Valley has accomplished a great deal to foster and promote transportation, utility and quality of life infrastructure throughout the rRegion. Included in these successes are the Loop 303, the expansion of the I-10, the unanimous support of Luke Air Force Base’s F-35 mission and many sports and recreational facilities in the West Valley.

AB: What impact do the mega sports

events in Glendale have on WESTMARC’s ability to attract new businesses and grow the region?

MD: Each one of these events put the West Valley on a world stage. We are fortunate enough that when the global television audience looks at our sports facilities, the world gets to see the beauty of the West Valley, including the White Tank and Estrella mountains. Our job is to take advantage of these opportunities through our leadership and to promote a business-friendly climate that is focused on economic development and quality of life for our West Valley communities.

AB: What are your primary goals as chairman of WESTMARC’s board?

MD: Our current focus is on improving the education and economic climate in Arizona with a focus on the West Valley.

With our diverse leadership group, we are able to foster a positive community dialog and recommend public policy positions to assist our elected officials in tackling issues that affect our daily lives. We are focused on being the voice of the West Valley and highlighting the great quality of life all of our communities offer their residents and businesses.

‘‘I wanted a hospital recognized for excellence in treating breast cancer…and I found one close to home.’’

-Joy Parrott

Stage 3 Breast Cancer Patient Goodyear, Arizona

Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), in suburban Phoenix, is the first hospital in Arizona to be recognized by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers for excellence in breast cancer treatment.

In fact, CTCA® met or exceeded all 27 standards for accreditation.

The care model at CTCA provides each patient with individualized treatment options, innovative procedures and a team of breast cancer experts, all dedicated to empowering patients like Joy. “I always felt confident CTCA was the right place. There’s just so much hope within those walls.”

If you or a loved one has cancer, call 800-214-9488 or visit cancercenter.com.

No case is typical. You should not expect to experience these results.

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