AZBusiness July/August 2021

— 2021 —

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Table of Contents 6

Trendsetters

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Healthcare

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Leadership Profile

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Arizona Hospitality

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Banking and Finance

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Dining

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37 Most Influential Women in Arizona 73 WESTMARC

Real Estate

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1 | Beth Stiller 2 | Nancy Gonzales 3 | Gabrielle Finley-Hazle 4 | Jennifer Russo 5 | Sandra Sagehorn-Elliott 6 | Julia S. Acken 7 | Kris Yamano 8 | Latasha Causey 2

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9 | Pam Stelzer 10 | Sarah Cosette 11 | Susan M. Gray 12 | Lyndsey Fry 13 | Jamie Boggs 14 | Julie Gable 15 | Jeanine Jerkovic 16 | Dr. Heather Schneider

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17 | Geri Mingura 18 | Christina Hamilton 19 | Meghan H. Grabel 20 | Christine Ferrell 21 | Cathy Graham 22 | Rebecca Lundberg 23 | Susan Dana-Kobey 24 | Mona Stone

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25 | Christine Boles 26 | Barbara Kennedy 27 | Lea Marquez Peterson 28 | Cathleen Walker 29 | Dr. Alyssa Chapital 30 | Beth McDonald 31 | Dr. Stacie Pinderhughes

32 | Erica Sietsma 33 | Elise Thorpe 34 | Dawn Grove 35 | Keri Tignini 36 | Beth Ginzinger 37 | Kari Cornicelli Missing: Adriana Kong Romero

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SHOUT-OUTS

President and CEO: Michael Atkinson Publisher: Amy Lindsey Vice president of operations: Audrey Webb

DESERT FINANCIAL OFFERS EMPLOYEES FULL TUITION AT ASU Consistently ranked a “Best Place to Work,” Desert Financial Credit Union launched InvestED, a program offering full college tuition and professional certification coverage for all eligible employees.

“Our employees invest their time and talent into Desert Financial, and we’re returning the favor by investing in their growth and development,” says Jeff Meshey, president and CEO at Desert Financial.

“As a lifelong learner myself, I want to encourage our employees to pursue career advancement, hone their skills or even change direction.

We’re thrilled to partner with Arizona State University and InStride to help us navigate this incredible benefit for our employees.”

EDITORIAL Editor in chief: Michael Gossie Senior editor: Rebecca L. Rhoades Staff writer: Kyle Backer Intern: Gabriella Herran-Romero Contributing writers: Alison Bailin Batz | Trevor Halpern | Victoria Harker | Veronique James | Erin Thorburn | Steven G. Zylstra ART Design director: Bruce Andersen Art director: Mike Mertes MARKETING/EVENTS Marketing & event specialist: Lynette Carrington Digital marketing specialist: Paul Schaum Marketing designer: Heather Barnhill

WILDE WEALTH MANAGEMENT DONATES $25,000 TO ARIZONA TUITION CONNECTION Wilde Wealth Management Group, an award-winning financial services firm that provides comprehensive retirement, investment, real estate, insurance, legal and tax planning services all under one roof, donated $25,000 to Arizona Tuition Connection to develop a scholarship fund that will help low-income students to attend Notre Dame Preparatory Academy.

According to Trevor Wilde, from sponsoring local sports teams to organizing fundraising events for nonprofits in need to donating to causes, Wilde Wealth Management is making a difference in the lives of people across Arizona in every way it can through Wilde for Arizona, its community relations arm.

OFFICE Special projects manager: Sara Fregapane Database solutions manager: Amanda Bruno AZ BUSINESS MAGAZINE Senior account executives: David Harken | April Rice AZ BUSINESS ANGELS AZ BUSINESS LEADERS Director of sales: Sheri Brown AZRE | ARIZONA COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Director of sales: Ann McSherry EXPERIENCE ARIZONA | PLAY BALL Director of sales: David Ealy RANKING ARIZONA Director of sales: Sheri King

GIVING BACK: Trevor Wilde, left, presents a check for $25,000 to Arizona Tuition Connection team members.

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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 2021 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.

TRENDSETTERS LILACH MAZOR POWER Founder and managing director Giving Tree Dispensary Power, a former sergeant in the Israeli military, owns Giving Tree, which has locations in Mesa and Phoenix. Giving Tree is also Arizona’s sole dispensary that features majority female ownership. But Power takes girl power a step further as her team includes several women who grow cannabis for the 8-year-old cannabis company and Giving Tree also supports local, women-owned companies.

GRETA BRANDT // President The Flower Shop Brandt is pioneering the cannabis industry with her brands and breaking glass ceilings for women who want to be in the industry as well.

She serves as president of The Flower Shop AZ and True North of Utah, which collectively operates five medical marijuana dispensaries, four cultivation sites and processing facilities in Arizona and Utah. Brandt interfaces with all Arizona and Utah regulators, serving as an advocate for the industry.

MARVINA THOMAS // CEO 420 Skincare and 420 Medibles

TURNING A NEW LEAF Here are five of the most influential women who are leading Arizona’s cannabis industry

Laura Bianchi

Partner // Bianchi & Brandt Cannabis, like many industries, tends to be male-dominated.

Bianchi, however, is one of the nation’s foremost experts in cannabis law, business, compliance and operations. Having begun her work in the discipline with the 2010 passage of Arizona’s medical marijuana law, she was among the first business/corporate transaction attorneys in the country to specialize in the nascent legal cannabis market and has represented clients in more than $100 million in transactions in the industry.

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The former registered nurse has spent the past several years self-educating herself on the many health benefits of cannabis.

Thomas began her canna-business journey learning to make soap by blending CBD oil with beautifying Egyptian ingredients. Later, Thomas created THC treats to help others heal naturally without opioids. The social entrepreneur channels a percentage of her profits to help fight addiction and homelessness and is the founder and CEO of Start Living Recovery Home.

SARA GULLICKSON // CEO and founder The Cannabis Business Advisors Gullickson is an entrepreneur, investor and corporate dealmaker with a decade of experience building and scaling businesses. At 27, she founded her first cannabis consulting group — Dispensary Permits in Phoenix — and eight years later sold it to a publicly traded company. She has consulted internationally and across over a dozen state cannabis markets receiving numerous awards. Gullickson thrives in an unconventional business landscape and is passionate about inspiring women to pursue leadership.

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TRENDSETTERS

20 MOST-PROFITABLE PUBLIC COMPANIES IN ARIZONA

There is no debating the fact that 2020 was a tough year for business. Jobs were lost. Industries were shuttered. Some companies were forced to pivot, then pivot again, and then pivot again. Even with the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presented, some Arizona-based public companies were still able to have a banner year in 2020. Here are 2020’s 20 most-profitable companies in Arizona, based on corporate financial statements.

COMPANY

INDUSTRY

ALIGN TECHNOLOGY Teeth aligners REPUBLIC SERVICES Waste collection AMERCO Rental trucks FREEPORT-MCMORAN Copper mining NORTONLIFELOCK Cybersecurity PINNACLE WEST CAPITAL Electric utility WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORP Banking MERITAGE HOMES Homebuilding KNIGHT-SWIFT TRANSPORTATION Trucking FIRST SOLAR Solar energy MAGELLAN HEALTH Health benefits AMKOR TECHNOLOGY Semiconductors MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY Semiconductors CARLISLE Plastics, rubber CABLE ONE Cable TV SPROUTS FARMERS MARKET Grocery stores GRAND CANYON EDUCATION Higher education TAYLOR MORRISON HOME Homebuilding ON SEMICONDUCTOR Semiconductors STORE CAPITAL Retail REIT

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HEADQUARTERS

2020 REVENUE

2020 PROFIT

Tempe Phoenix Phoenix Phoenix Tempe Phoenix Phoenix Scottsdale Phoenix Tempe Phoenix Tempe Chandler Scottsdale Phoenix Phoenix Phoenix Scottsdale Phoenix Scottsdale

$2,472,000,000 $1,776,000,000 $10,154,000,000 $967,000,000 $4,304,000,000 $659,000,000 $14,198,000,000 $599,000,000 $2,493,000,000 $591,000,000 $3,587,000,000 $551,000,000 $1,206,000,000 $507,000,000 $4,506,000,000 $423,000,000 $4,674,000,000 $410,000,000 $2,711,000,000 $398,000,000 $4,578,000,000 $382,000,000 $5,051,000,000 $338,000,000 $5,298,000,000 $333,000,000 $4,245,000,000 $320,000,000 $1,325,000,000 $304,000,000 $6,469,000,000 $287,000,000 $846,000,000 $257,000,000 $6,129,000,000 $243,000,000 $5,255,000,000 $236,000,000 $694,000,000 $213,000,000

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TRENDSETTERS

HERE’S HOW TO DECODE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS Between TikTok, Twitter, Clubhouse and more, it can be challenging for a company to choose what platform will benefit their business model the best. According to Oberlo, there are 3.78 billion users on social media in 2021, which equates to about 48% of the population.

Here are some tips from Justin Lee at Commit Agency: • TikTok: The power of the influencer and user-generated content on full display. TikTok is not about editorialized feeds or polished ad campaigns — it’s about leveraging the power of authentic, approachable content and voices that add value to your brand.

• Clubhouse: The buzziest new kid on the block, Clubhouse can be thought of as an interactive and audio-only take on a Facebook Live or your favorite podcast. The catch?

Getting your audience on the still-new app.

• Twitter: This legacy microblogging platform remains relevant for quick and digestible news items, online reputation management and audience listening. Twitter can also support your organic search (SEO) strategy.

• Instagram: Still a proven heavyweight in terms of both your ad and content strategy, with Instagram’s ever-growing features like stories, reels, IGTV and a soon-to-launch Clubhouse rival, there’s little doubt the visual-first platform will continue to be a priority for many brands.

Phoenix homebuyers seek futuristic smart tech for homes Original research conducted by Cox Communications to find out how Phoenix home buyers across generations view the importance of smart tech built into their homes has revealed a new, blended group of “homebodies” who expect smart tech to make their lives easier. Cox’s survey of Phoenix residents found: • 47 percent want automatic laundry machines that wash, dry and fold clothes • 30 percent want a robot home chef • 38 percent want a refrigerator that automatically restocks itself • 18 percent want a smart wardrobe that selects outfits itself

her own

LEAGUE OF Molly Miller, the women’s basketball coach at Grand Canyon University, is on another level when it comes to winning.

Her combined high school and college record as a player was 221-27 — an .891-win percentage. In her first season at GCU, Miller led the ’Lopes to an 18-7 record, giving her a career coaching record of 198-24 — an .891 winning percentage, which is No. 1 among active men’s or women’s basketball coaches with at least five years of experience. To put Miller’s staggering numbers into perspective, Geno Auriemma, famed women’s basketball coach at UConn, has an .885 career winning percentage. Mark Few of Gonzaga has the best record among men’s coaches with a .834 mark.

To learn more about Miller, visit azbigmedia.com.

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GARDEN ART

AZ TOTEM ART aztotemart.com | 602.677.5999 View more than 25 studio art pieces on site

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SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

CHIC CHEF COMPANY BREAKS NEW GROUND

With the launch of Chic Chef Company, Chef Nik Fields — also known as Nik The Chic Chef — became the first Black chef with her own brand of olive oils and vinegars. Fields also founded Chic Chef Company Cafe & Marketplace in Phoenix, where foodies can sample Fields’ most requested meals. Fields is also known for her philanthropic efforts to provide food and clean water to villages in the Dominican Republic and her nonprofit organization Waste Not Want Not, which encourages households and restaurants to limit food waste.

PHOENIX GETS FIRST SELF-POUR TAPROOM Phoenix’s new self-serve taproom, Tap That Downtown, offers a rotating selection of 35 draft beverages in the heart of the blossoming Roosevelt Row Arts District. Guests can explore and pour their own using iPourIt self-pour RFID technology to activate taps and track their tab. Roshiem Austin, co-owner and Cicerone Programs Certified Beer Server, curates the revolving list of 30 craft beers and five wines. “If you’re a beer person, this is your dream scenario,” he says. “You can explore and have your own experience, and our guests are super excited about that.”

Babyish helps kids stay stylish Since its launch in February, Babyish has quickly become one of Phoenix’s most popular children’s boutique among parents who want to style their children with high-quality, handmade designs. Founder Katie Danzer discovered her passion for sewing after the birth of her premature daughter, Paige, in 2020, who was too small for regular baby clothes but too tall for preemie apparel.

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Danzer learned to tailor clothes and eventually started sewing items from scratch. After massive success selling head wraps, dummies and clips online, Danzer launched a brick-and-mortar store in the middle of a pandemic to sell her own handcrafted designs along with other locally sourced items from Phoenix vendors, to help bring small business awareness and community support.

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LEADERSHIP PROFILE

5 QUESTIONS WITH THE ARIZONA SITE LEADER FOR ROBINHOOD AB: What is Robinhood’s target market?

TW: Our goal is to be accessible to all. As we have grown as a firm, our app has appealed to a broad audience, however we see that 50 percent of the Robinhood customers today are first time investors. Median age is 31. So the short answer is everyone is our target market.

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

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opular investing app Robinhood grabbed headlines earlier this year after it decided to freeze trades for GameStop when shares of the video game retailer spiked after traders on Reddit began frantically buying the company’s stock.

What many people don’t know about Robinhood is that the financial services company has offices here in Arizona. Az Business talked with Taeshima White, site lead for Robinhood, about the company’s growing presence in the Grand Canyon State and the things you need to know about Robinhood.

Az Business: For those unfamiliar with the company, what is the mission of Robinhood?

Taeshima White: Robinhood’s mission is to democratize finance for all. This is a shared belief that financial markets should be accessible to everyone. I interpret this as meeting people where they are with products and experiences that are digestible, relatable and created to lower the barriers to participation in the markets. This ranges from the app design to the way we deliver our news to our suite of learning resources.

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AB: How big is Robinhood’s presence in Arizona?

TW: We opened the doors, virtually, for our Tempe site in August of 2020, before I was hired. We are excited to continue to have hundreds of Hoodies in the Tempe office. Our plan is to continue to invite top talent in to support the broader growth plans of Robinhood.

AB: Why did the leaders of Robinhood choose Arizona as a place to establish a presence?

TW: There are lots of reasons for a company to plant roots in Arizona, such as the strength of its workforce and the pool of financial services professionals in Greater Phoenix. The head of customer experience, Alex Mesa, is based in the Valley, and that speaks to the talented hires we find in Arizona.

AB: What are the long-term goals of Robinhood in Arizona?

TW: Our long-term goal is for Tempe to remain focused on culture, growth, employee development and contributing to high performance in key areas for Robinhood. There is a buzz and energy in Tempe, with a mission to build a solid foundation supportive of the long-term Robinhood vision of democratizing finance for all.

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BANKING AND FINANCE

WOMEN TAKE CHARGE

It’s a fruitful time to be a woman in the accounting industry, as more firms focus on cultivating leadership pathways and opportunities for growth

By ERIN THORBURN

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or female certified public accountants, the field of accounting has become a proverbial thriving orchard. The market consists of mature, strong leadership that continues to grow and maintain incredible resiliency. What was once a male-dominated business sector is now a fruitful, ever-ripening industry for women. In fact, recent statistics demonstrate that women hold a 61.7 percent share of accounting and auditing jobs in the United States.

Here, closer to home in Greater Phoenix, companies such as Wallace Plese + Dreher serve as a microcosm of women’s evolution in accounting. Of their 13 partners, five are women (all of whom were promoted in the last five years). Additionally, Wallace Plese + Dreher’s management team is comprised mostly of women. And they aren’t the only company to exhibit progress in this area.

While women still face challenges in terms of gaining traction in the accounting industry (especially in more leadership-focused

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roles), they are steadily leveling the playing field, fostering new talent, and cultivating positive mentorship and co-working relationships.

Diversifying the accounting industry The success of an orchard is largely dependent upon diversity.

Science shows diversified home orchards are more pest-resistant and resilient than monoculture orchards. Accounting is no different. Diversity, as many industries have discovered, has the power to attract more clients, boost revenue and inspire confidence in new talent.

“There’s no denying that women’s growth in accounting has been slow, but we are getting there,” says Bailey Tocco, managing director at CBIZ. “In male-dominated fields, we are now seeing more companies rebrand to entice women to want to grow into leadership roles.”

According to the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA), 46 percent of women accountants have manager-level positions, while 45 percent hold senior manager and partner-level positions. While these percentages are slightly lower than those of women in associatelevel positions (54 percent), the advancement in women’s diversification in accounting is undeniable when compared with 20 or even 10 years ago.

“Some women who started their careers in the accounting sector 20 years ago will recall that women weren’t allowed to wear pants at work. Starting a family was taboo, as there was often uncertainty regarding how a woman could balance a personal and professional life,” says Letizia Brentano, tax partner for Moss Adams. “One thing that I love about Moss Adams and how far we’ve come is that we have a community that is very supportive of working parents being successful, both professionally and personally.”

Shayne R. Neuwirth, CPA, whose accounting firm is ranked No.1 in Ranking Arizona magazine, shares a similar experience, “The accounting sector can be more accommodating to the schedules of women who are managing a family and a household.

This is one of the reasons I decided to start my own CPA firm more than 10 years ago.”

Several of Neuwirth’s employees are moms. One, in particular, is a mother of a daughter with special needs. “She works from home to help with the care of her daughter. I allow her to work on her own schedule, so it’s not necessarily a 9-to-5 job anymore,” Neuwirth says.

Cross-pollination (nurturing new generations) In addition to diversity, orchards rely on pollination for their success. Cross-pollination is the process of one plant’s pollen being used to pollinate another plant. In the accounting field, AB | July - August 2021 17

BANKING AND FINANCE

LETIZIA BRENTANO

SHAYNE R. NEUWIRTH

cross-pollination — through mentorship — is common among professional women.

“As more women become leaders within the industry, there are more examples for young women to look to for support and mentorship,” Tocco says. “Firms are providing women’s networking events, training and resources, flexible work schedules, mentorship programs, technical training and growth opportunities — all of which entice women to stay in the workforce and advocate for themselves.”

CBIZ, for example, established CBIZ Women’s Advantage (CWA) initiative designed to create a competitive advantage for women through professional training, development, mentorship, recognition and career enhancement. Additionally, the company’s Women Transforming Business Award bestows recognition upon visionary women in business across the country for their success in advancing financial, cultural and innovational initiatives.

“Firms are creating relationship networks where female juniorlevel employees are connected with female senior leader mentors/ sponsors,” adds Melinda Xanthos, managing partner of KPMG LLP, “to provide a supportive/encouraging environment with visibility and access to female senior leaders.”

Broadly, however, women may not even need a formalized mentor to be inspired to pursue a career in accounting.

Sometimes, it’s simply enough to observe the success of predecessors.

“When I started my accounting career in 2004, there were a lot of women in high ranking positions. To me, it meant that I could be a leader, too,” Neuwirth says. “Now, I notice there are more women in accounting positions.”

BAILEY TOCCO

MELINDA XANTHOS

But firms, whether small or large, aren’t shying away from these growing pains. Instead, they are facing the murkier areas of the industry and focusing on how to correct its pain points.

“Accounting firms are actively engaging potential leaders.

They’re identifying and investing in high-performing women with the capacity and inclination to lead and giving them the confidence to do so,” Xanthos says. “Firms are also treating leadership as a tangible skill, and they clarify the most valued and respected attributes of leaders in the organization, e.g. strategic thinking.”

New generations of growth New generations of women entering the accounting field are an essential piece to developing strong leaders. And, thus, establishing pathways of advanced training and leadership is all the more crucial.

“Creating growth and development opportunities where women’s voices are heard and valued is key to propelling the advancement of women in the industry,” says Brentano. “We need to continue to have the conversations that need to be had and increase focus on inclusion and diversity for all communities.”

And to the women entering the accounting workforce, “Make your goals known,” encourages Xanthos. “Don’t wait for someone to tap you on the shoulder. Be vocal about your interests and aspirations; proactively develop relationships with those who can help get you there, such as mentors and sponsors.”

In addition to raising voices, keeping conversations going and mentorship, many established professional women in accounting believe in the value of encouraging the next era of female successors—especially in the way of shared insights.

Higher ground For example, Brentano recommends that women, “seek out Orchards do their best on the high ground. In accounting, striving mentors who will guide and support you, and never compromise your goals or your voice — there is a seat for you at the table.” toward higher ground — leadership — has proven challenging. As Neuwirth adds, “I encourage young women interested in we mentioned briefly, more positions held by women in accounting accounting to get a few internships while they are in school to are in associate-level positions. Second to the need for accounting firms to boost leadership opportunities for women (taking note from figure out what they like, There are many different facets of accounting, this includes taxes for individuals or businesses, initiatives like CBIZ and other mentorship programs), is promoting auditing with one of the Big 4 CPA firms, working for a nonprofit further ethnic diversity. In 2018, it was reported that 71 percent of organization or government agency.” all CPA professional staff were white.

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azbigmedia.com is the fastest-growing website in the nation

azbigmedia.com added 310% more new users than other news websites in the United States. azbigmedia.com attracted more than 22 million page views in 2020. azbigmedia.com out-performed other news websites in Arizona by 121% in organic search results. azbigmedia.com is on pace to amass more than 36 million page views in 2021, a 68% increase in readership over 2020.

NOTE: All numbers are based on reporting from Google Analytics.

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azBIGmedia.com Print

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Digital

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ARIZONA SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

WHAT’S NEXT FOR HR?

Here’s how the impact of the pandemic and the changes it brought will shape the future of human resources

By ERIN THORBURN

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mergency preparedness isn’t anything new to human resources. Part of being in the profession is ensuring the health and well-being of employees as well as protecting the company’s infrastructure. As such, HR managing directors are accustomed to being “ready for anything.”

Preparing everything from hazard and emergency plans, evacuation procedures and lockdown protocols, to how to appropriately communicate companywide emergency instructions and information, HR professionals are typically prepared for whatever comes down the pike. But, for all the emergency preparedness, you’d be hard-pressed to find many HR departments that were ready for a pandemic (prior to 2020).

Yet, for as unexpected, alarming and disrupting as COVID-19 was (and continues to be), HR managers have demonstrated remarkable resiliency and ingenuity. With contingency measures such as working from home and hybrid schedules that many companies suspected would only be temporary, how are HR departments adjusting to what now looks to be more permanent workplace changes?

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Much like they did at the beginning of the pandemic, HR directors are adapting.

It’s a vastly different world now, but it’s one that some local HR experts are prepared to navigate.

In the beginning …

“We had a lot of scrambling to do,” says Kathy Stoner, human resources and network manager for Burch & Cracchiolo.

“Our first priority was keeping everybody healthy and then trying to figure out what to do next. Do we send people home? Do we let them work in the office? Our situation was a little different in that we were in the process of moving to a new building.”

On top of contending with a change in geographics, Stoner, who also heads up her company’s IT department, was faced with the added challenge of figuring out the technical barriers attached to sending employees home.

“We did a quick survey, figured out who could work from home, and sent home who we could. I had several staff members that begged me to let them come to work and not make them go home,” Stoner says, “and we were able to keep social distancing and keep probably about a quarter of our staff on site.”

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ARIZONA SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

“The biggest challenge was keeping employees engaged in the mission of the organization so that businesses remained operational.”

— Stephanie Waldrop

cascading challenges.

For Stephanie Waldrop, principal at Employee Benefits International (EBI), HR challenges involved a close look at how to make sure employee benefits were readily available to employees during the pandemic.

“We worked closely with HR teams to create policy amendments,” Waldrop says, “to ensure that employees who needed to be furloughed retained access to their much-needed employee benefits at a time when the risk of them facing health issues was heightened.”

As with the rest of the world, one challenge quickly mounted into another.

“Once we figured the [technology] out, the HR aspect for the people who were remote was, ‘How could you tell that they were working?’” Stoner says, adding, “How would you know if they were keeping up? And the people who were at the office were having to pick up things at the people at home couldn’t do.”

There was also the added uncertainty of how long remote employment would be necessary.

“The biggest challenge was keeping employees engaged in the mission of the organization so that businesses remained operational,” Waldrop says. “Employees needed a unique support system and more flexibility than ever due to children being at home and/or a spouse who was unemployed or working right next to them.”

On top of these already robust issues, others such as emotional challenges, lack of balance and human connection affected employees, according to Waldrop.

Break in the clouds Despite the stacking challenges, there have been moments of clarity, lessons 24

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KATHY STONER

STEPHANIE WALDROP

learned and even some wins along the way during the pandemic’s peak and (hopeful) recession.

One notable triumph for Stoner was learning how to make a stalwart disaster plan going forward. Heaven forbid it’s needed, but, again, who could have predicted a global pandemic either? Now, the HR team at Burch & Cracchiolo — and likely many, many other company HR departments — are equipped more than ever for the unexpected.

“I think that people talk about having a disaster recovery plan, but it’s all a very pie in the sky concept,” Stoner says. “For us moving forward, if we can’t go into the office, we know what we can do and we know how we can handle these types of things.”

The adversity posed to all during the pandemic has also strengthened lines of trust between employees and their superiors, according to Stoner, who explains that ultimately, the prospect of trying to quantify how much people were working from home (and when) organically solved itself. And, in a way that was comfortable for both sides.

Beyond dealing with unexpected and immediate danger, Waldrop points out that the pandemic has also heightened the long-term health and wellness outlook

for HR departments. “Employers are most focused now — more than ever — on the health and well-being of their employees and how it affects the overall success of the organization,” she says.

“There is a heightened priority on offering comprehensive healthcare, disability income protection, life insurance, wellbeing, mental health and financial health programs to achieve this goal.”

What’s next?

As vaccines increase and COVID-19 infection rates remain on the decline, HR departments and their employees naturally have questions. One of the topmost: Will I be able to continue to work remotely?

“Post-pandemic, it’s estimated that the average employee may want to work from home as much as 50% of the time.

Some positions may transition to work from home entirely as corporations have acquired the skills and tools to effectively manage these positions remotely at a much lower cost than securing commercial space,” Waldrop says. “‘Remote only’ companies will continue to be a very small minority.”

And, for those with children, it may not be so much a matter of wanting to work remotely as it is needing to, depending on what happens down the line.

“We have some mothers with young kids that don’t have as many options as they used to have for childcare,” Stoner says, “so we have to try and work around that and find ways for them to still keep their job, remain productive and not have to stop working just to care for their kids.”

Flexibility, it seems, (for now) will continue to be the credo while there is still much dust to settle and uncertainties to solve.

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azBIGmedia.com 602.277.6045

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REAL ESTATE

THE RISE OF iBUYERS The pros and cons of digital cash offers in the red-hot housing market

Trevor Halpern Real Estate

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hoenix real estate has seen a serious technological shift since the beginning of the pandemic.

The most notable shift is agents pivoting quickly from in-person showings to FaceTime tours, 3D walkthroughs and virtual open houses to keep serving clients while Arizona was shut down.

Another digital alteration that’s becoming more popular is the rise of the iBuyer, an internet buyer who uses automated valuation model (AVM) technology to value a home and send an instant offer.

Examples of iBuyers are sites such as Opendoor, Offerpad, Redfin Now or Zillow Offers, that will purchase a home sight unseen. Sounds simple and fuss-free, but as with anything, there are pros and cons.

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Cash offers have many advantages most of the time. However, cash offers aren’t right for every seller. Pocket listings, also referred to as off-market listings, sell for between 6 percent and 20 percent less than those put on the MLS, which confirms that sellers do not always financially benefit from limited exposure in this marketplace. An iBuyer may offer what seems like a generous price, but sellers are likely to financially benefit by listing the home on the open market, which usually generates competition in this low housing inventory environment. Accepting a cash offer from an iBuyer prior to listing the home on the open market will also eliminate the possibility of a bidding war.

Another downfall of iBuyers is the high transaction fees. iBuyers charge a lot of money to complete a purchase, not to mention hidden fees. Typically, a seller is looking at fees of 7 percent of the price of the home, but sometimes that number can go up to 13 percent. That is much higher than the cost of closing and commission for traditional real estate sales. For an average commission of 6 percent, real estate agents can offer experienced advice, make introductions to other experts (moving companies, painters, attorneys, etc.), help negotiate a fair price of the home and help sellers find a new home, which doesn’t come easy.

On the other hand, iBuyers are low risk.

Traditional buyers often need financing, which adds time and risk to the sale of your home. That valuable time off the market could end up in a loan denial or an inability to close because the home did not appraise for the contract price. These issues do not exist with iBuyers, as they pay cash and do not need to be concerned with financing or appraisals. Additionally, cash offers often ensure a quick closing and streamline a speedy transaction, which is attractive if a Seller wants to get rid of their home quickly. Many iBuyers also allow Sellers to choose their closing date (within reason).

Ultimately, there is no one size fits all approach when considering a traditional sale or working with an iBuyer. It is important that sellers take time and consider all options. As iBuyers become more popular, it is equally important for real estate agents to constantly be prospecting, developing long-term relationships with clients, and offering concrete benefits to clients that they won’t find anywhere else.

Trevor Halpern is the No. 1 independent agent at Phoenix-based North&Co. and founder of the Halpern Residential real estate group.

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HEALTHCARE

SCREEN TIME

Arizona expands virtual healthcare offerings beyond pandemic

By VICTORIA HARKER

H

ealthcare is a thriving sector in the West Valley, and by all accounts, the region’s industry boom has only just begun.

Arizonans took full advantage of telemedicine visits that were allowed temporarily during the pandemic. Now, Governor Doug Ducey has signed a bill that extends them permanently.

The legislation, House Bill 2454, also ensures that providers continue to be reimbursed for telemedicine visits as they would for an in-person visit.

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That was vital for the healthcare industry, which invested heavily in research and development to rapidly transition to virtual services during the pandemic, says Todd LaPorte, chairman of the Health System Alliance of Arizona, the voice of the majority of hospitals and healthcare employees in the state.

“This really made a statement to the provider community to keep moving in the direction of this kind of advanced technology — ‘We’ve got your back. We’re going to make sure your investment is reimbursed,’” says

LaPorte, who is also president and CEO of HonorHealth, a large hospital and healthcare system that spans the Phoenix region.

Now, the legislation will pave the way to continue to make healthcare more accessible and convenient for all citizens, says LaPorte, who spoke to Chamber Business News about how the pandemic and technology are changing healthcare for the better.

Most importantly, the law opens up the opportunity to expand access for all patients, particularly in rural and remote regions, he says.

“We are at a time when there are provider shortages in specialties in certain communities, but now we have the ability to provide access to services that might be based in an urban area, which is really amazing,” LaPorte says.

LaPorte cited examples of how telemedicine is evolving and better serving patients including: Telemedicine triage visits for E.R. diagnosis Technology for virtual visits to diagnose patients is evolving, including one of the services now provided by the popular virtual triage company TeleDoc, which allows patients to troubleshoot with an E.R. physician to determine whether an emergency room visit is needed.

Electronic caregivers, at-home monitoring Virtual technology for monitoring patients’ health from their homes is also a growing area with body technologies, like rug-like pads equipped with sensors to monitor issues like range of motion after surgery.

Another successful company, Electronic Caregiver, is using technology with “avatar nurses” to help patients with issues like medication management and interactive health assessments.

Non-clinical side of virtual healthcare expanding On the non-clinical side of healthcare, technology is also responding. Medical information technology provider My Chart now serves more than 100 million patients to access their medical records and lab results online. Interactive features are also part of the service, such as online appointment setting, observing lab test results, communicating with doctors and healthcare staff.

Arizonans on board with virtual health Arizonans have transitioned easily to telemedicine, LaPorte says. In March 2020, about 25 primary clinics were averaging 2,600 in-office patient visits a day. A month later, 80 percent of patients were using telemedicine. Video visits were the most prevalent.

According to the data: • 65 percent were video visits • 15 percent were visits by telephone call • 20 percent were in-office visits No-show rates also lowered with telemedicine appointments compared to in-office visits. Mental health apps are another growing area that have proved beneficial during the public health crisis, he says.

“We’ve been moving toward electronic records for a decade. The value of that really showed itself during the pandemic,” LaPorte says. “When we had to do it, we just did it and people responded.

“If there’s any good news out of the pandemic, it certainly did accelerate the adoption of technology that was starting to emerge.”

What the new legislation does Here are the main elements of the telemedicine bill, HB 2454: • The bill expands telemedicine for patients, ensures doctors receive equal compensation from insurance companies for telemedicine services, and allows out-ofstate health care professionals to provide telemedicine in Arizona.

• Under the bill, medical examinations in the worker’s compensation space can also be conducted via telehealth if all parties consent. It also prohibits healthcare boards from enforcing any rule that requires a patient to visit in-person before being prescribed most medications.

• HB 2454 also requires medical insurers to provide payment parity for telehealth services using audio and visual features, and allows health care providers who are licensed in other states to provide telehealth services into Arizona under certain conditions.

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ARIZONA HOSPITALITY

NEW

FOOD GODS

Here are the innovative restaurant groups building empires based in Arizona

By ALISON BAILIN BATZ

T

ucson native Sam Fox made national headlines this past spring with The Global Ambassador. The hospitality experience, which includes a 141-room hotel, is the culmination of more than 20 years in the restaurant industry. Fox famously founded Fox Restaurant Concepts (FRC), a locally based group that opened more than 100 restaurants under his leadership, and a brand he continues to run day-to-day even after his sale of it to the Cheesecake Factory in 2019. In addition to FRC, there are a slew of similarly creative, well-run Arizona-based restaurant groups keeping a steady national spotlight on the local culinary scene. Here are some of the best and brightest:

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The Haunted Group If you’ve been to Cottonwood or Jerome in recent years, chances are you have fallen under Eric and Michelle Jurisin’s spell once or twice. The couple owns The Haunted Group, which operates The Haunted Hamburger and Grapes in Jerome as well as Crema Craft Kitchen & Bar, Pizzeria Bocce, Nic’s, The Tavern Grill and The Tavern Hotel in Cottonwood. In 2020, the husband-and-wife team managed to expand, opening The Clinkscale, a Jerome hotel and restaurant of the same name that offers American-fusion cuisine with a touch of French flare as well as daily brunch and regular wine pairing dinners. In more recent months, they opened Strada, an eclectic extension of the ultrapopular Pizzeria Bocce made from eight industrial-sized shipping containers and featuring a menu of shareable Italian tapas and street food, many with ingredients sourced directly from Italy.

Information: thehauntedgroup.com THAT Place Projects Founded in 2009 with the opening of Tinderbox Kitchen in Flagstaff, THAT Place Projects is behind not only Tinderbox, but also Annex Cocktail Lounge and Tourist Home immediately next door. The three concepts, under the leadership of Kevin Heinonen, Nick Williams and Mike Schmitz, work symbiotically; sharing product and employees alike, and the wide breadth of demographics for each restaurant captures the interest of families, students and couples, keeping business humming nearly 20 hours a day. In May 2020, the team signed a lease on a new restaurant space just up the street in the heart of downtown Flagstaff where it plans to open a fourth concept – a high-end, modern Italian Restaurant with expansive wine and amari selections by year’s end.

Information: thatplaceprojects.com Barter & Shake Creative Hospitality Founded in 2016 by Jason Asher with the opening of UnderTow, a Tiki-inspired concept located below Sip Coffee Bar in Arcadia, Barter + Shake is also the creative team behind turn-of-the-centuryinspired cocktail-centric venue Century Grand, opened in 2019. In 2021 and in response to COVID-19, the brand boldly moved all of its concepts into one space.

As a result, today Century Grand features AB | July - August 2021 31

ARIZONA HOSPITALITY Platform 19, a high-concept mixology bar set in a historic Presidential Pullmaninspired train car that takes guests through the Rocky Mountains via visual effects and sounds; Grey Hen Rx, a New Orleans apothecary-themed cocktail bar with experimental nonalcoholic spirits alongside low-alcohol cocktails and boozy classics that also serves sorbets and ice creams; and UnderTow, a new version of the beloved Tiki concept.

Information: bartershake.com Upward Projects In 2001, a hip indoor-outdoor wine bar called Postino – named for the Italian word for postman as the venue was located in a vacant brick building that was a local post office once upon a time – opened in Arcadia.

And while no longer a post office, the smallbut-mighty location delivered night after night, growing a faithful following across the Valley. Its success led to the creation of Upward Projects by Lauren Bailey and Crag Demarco in 2008 with a vision to take vacant or historically relevant buildings in town and reinvent them into restaurants and bars. In the years since, Postino has grown to 15 locations across Arizona, Texas and Colorado. Today, Upward is also behind Windsor, Churn, Federal Pizza and Joyride Taco House in the Valley.

Information: upwardprojects.com Born and Raised Hospitality Arizona natives Nick Campisano and Joshua James are the creators of Born and Raised, founded in 2013. Campisano refined his craft by opening up a series of new-age lounges along the Southern Californian coast, while James began his journey crafting exquisite cocktails at AZ88. The dynamic duo met while working together at The Parlor in Phoenix and has since opened four restaurant concepts together: Clever Koi, which has locations in Central Phoenix and Gilbert; Fellow Osteria in south Scottsdale; Across the Pond in Central Phoenix; and Clever Ramen, an upscale fast-casual restaurant serving up steamed bao buns and build-your-own ramen bowls out of their newly constructed restaurant space that opened in late spring.

Information: thecleverkoi.com The Maggiore Group While The Maggiore Group was officially founded by Joey Maggiore, Cristina Maggiore and Flora Tersigni in 2019, its roots began in 1977 when Maggiore family 32

AB | July - August 2021

patriarch and renowned chef Tomaso Maggiore – who was born and raised in the Sicily region of Italy and who passed earlier this year – opened Tomaso’s in Phoenix.

Today, The Maggiore Group boasts Tomaso’s as well as The Italian Daughter, Sicilian Baker, Sicilian Butcher and Hash Kitchen concepts across the Valley. The family-owned and operated brand plans to double in size over the next year, which will include expansion out of Arizona – likely into Houston, Dallas and/or Denver – as well as aggressive growth of current and new concepts, including a Mexican eatery called The Mexicano, within Arizona.

Information: maggioregroup.com Common Ground Culinary Common Ground Culinary, owned by award-winning chef Christopher Collins, operates some of the most recognizable restaurant concepts in the Valley. Chef Christopher is proudly raised in Phoenix and is a fourth-generation restaurateur.

Common Ground Culinary began with Grassroots Kitchen & Tap in 2011 and has expanded to a total of seven concepts today: Grassroots, Twisted Grove Parlor + Bar, The Collins Small Batch Kitchen, The Macintosh, Wally’s American Gastropub, Sweet Provisions and Arcadia Catering Company.

Each of Common Ground’s concepts are specifically designed to fit the neighborhood they inhabit, and according to Collins, diners can expect three new concepts in the Valley from him in the next year.

Information: commongroundculinary.com Square One Concepts It all started with a cold beer and a cheeseburger. Square One is behind Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers, a casual burger spot known for its laundry list of halfpound burgers – including one with sugar-cured bacon, peanut butter and jelly – and a selection of more than 130 beers that first opened in Scottsdale in 2011. Today, the brand has more than a dozen locations across Arizona and two in California. Square One has also branched out into other concepts, notably Cold Beers & Pizza, Wasted Grain, Bourbon & Bones Chophouse & Bar and Famous 48 in Scottsdale; The Funky Monk in Tucson; and both Bootlegger and Pacific Beach Shore Club in San Diego.

Information: squareoneconceptsinc.com Dahl Restaurant Group Chef Lisa Dahl is one of the country’s

leading female chefs and restaurateurs and a pioneer of the culinary scene in Sedona. As executive chef and CEO of the restaurant group that bears her name, she oversees five outstanding restaurants in the region: Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano; Cucina Rustica; Pisa Lisa; Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill; and Butterfly Burger, A Couture Burger Lounge. In addition to her own restaurant group, Dahl was also recently announced as culinary director of Alchemy at the soon-to-open Ambiente hotel in Sedona, where she will offer a menu of her magic food in a custom Airstream that has been reimagined into a culinary destination situated poolside at the heart of the rugged three-acre property.

Information: dahlrestaurantgroup.com Genuine Concepts Genuine Concepts was founded by Tucker Woodbury and Jim Riley in 2006 and quickly earned a reputation for creating unique environments that become neighborhood-defining hangouts. What began with The Vig Arcadia has grown into a collection of hyper-local, community-driven restaurants and bars packed with genuine people, serving genuine food and drink. Today, there are not only five Vig locations across the Valley, but Ladera Taverna y Cocina and The Womack in Phoenix, The Little Woody in Arcadia, Campo Italian Bistro and Bar in Scottsdale (in partnership with James Beard award-winning chef Alex Stratta) and The McMillan in Flagstaff.

Information: genuineconcepts.us Vivili Hospitality Group Founded by Skyler Reeves in 2014, Vivili Hospitality Group is the largest restaurant group in Prescott, employing more than 100 people across four thriving restaurants, including The Barley Hound, Rosa’s Pizzeria, Taco Don’s and La Planchada, plus a full-service events and catering company, Hawk & Hound. With an eye toward putting Prescott on the culinary map, Vivili is not only committed to executing exciting new concepts that deliver big-city appeal, but also breathing new life into celebrated staples while maintaining the quality and charm locals and travelers have grown accustomed.

Information: viviligroup.com

DINING

EMBER IS A SURE THING We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort restaurant takes fine dining to a new level

By MICHAEL GOSSIE and PAUL SCHAUM

F

orget every presumption you have about casino restaurants.

Not only does Ember at We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort shatter every stereotype you might have about casino dining, it exceeds every expectation you might have about a fine dining experience.

Last fall, the Yavapai Nation unveiled its state-of-the-art 166,341-square-foot casino that replaced the original Fort McDowell Casino, which first opened in 1984 as a bingo hall.

When the new We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort — We-Ko-Pa is the Yavapai translation for Four Peaks — opened, it brought a contemporary ambiance and visitor-centric experience that raised the bar for Arizona casinos. But no one could have predicted the perfection that is Ember, which is without-a-doubt the jewel of the entire resort.

The restaurant is led by general manager Brent Rumph and world-renowned chef Richard Pelz, who is French-trained and has cooked at multiple Michelin three-star restaurants. This fine dining establishment features an open concept that overlooks the all-scratch kitchen with views of the culinary team as they prepare your mouth-watering masterpiece. In fact, each protein is prepared over a custom wood burning grill using mesquite wood found from local trees in the area.

In addition, one of three stocked wine cellars is located in the middle of the dining space enclosed in glass to allow guests to view a portion of the more than 500 bottles of wine offered 34

AB | July - August 2021

SUPREME STEAK: Ember’s Snake River Farms wagyu striploin with lobster risotto, asparagus and house Ujih sauce.

TOASTING EMBER: One of Ember’s three stocked wine cellars is located in the middle of the dining space enclosed in glass to allow guests to view a portion of the more than 500 bottles of wine offered on the menu. on the menu. The wine program actually covers 17 different countries, focusing on each nation’s top wine-producing regions and most highly acclaimed vineyards. The menu even includes a specialty page entitled, “The Century Club,” which contains 32 critically acclaimed wines that have scored a perfect 100 points.

The Ujih Hot Stone ($23) is Ember’s signature appetizer. “Ujih” is the Yavapai word for Ember, so it makes sense that they tied it to such a magnificent dish. It is your choice of wagyu beef or Pacific ahi tuna prepared on a 900-degree hot stone right in front of guests. And let me tell you, it is melt-in-your-mouth delicious. And if you’re craving seafood, the Seafood Tower ($95) is a cannot-miss culinary experience.

As for main courses, you can throw a dart at the menu and come back every time with a dish that takes deliciousness to a never experienced level. The Herb-Crusted Chilean Sea Bass ($52), Braised Buffalo Short Rib ($42), Colorado Lamb Chops ($48), and EVERY amazing steak on the menu stand out as exceptional in a menu packed with excellence.

Ember’s signature dessert is the Ember Flaming Liquid Chocolate Truffle ($16) that is made up of citrus-infused cognactoasted brioche pudding with vanilla bean marshmallow. Similar to the hot stone, this dessert is prepared tableside. As the sauce is lit on fire and poured over the dessert, the chocolate begins to melt over the top of the brioche bread pudding, creating a delightful combination of flavors.

Ember is destination dining at the highest level. Don’t miss this jewel of the Sonoran Desert.

Ember Location: 10438 WeKoPa Way, Fort McDowell, AZ 85264 Information: wekopacasinoresort.com/dining/ember

3603 East Indian School Road, Suite A, Phoenix S.E. Corner of 36th St. & Indian School in the Gaslight Square Brunch Sat & Sun 9am - 3pm (Brunch Drink Specials) Dinner Wed - Fri 4pm - 9pm • Closed Mon & Tues

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MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN ARIZONA 2021 AWARDS

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AB | July - August 2021 37

THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN ARIZONA BUSINESS // 2021

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AB | July - August 2021

THE JOB AHEAD In the wake of the pandemic, here’s how to bring more women back into positions of power in the workplace

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

C

OVID-19 created countless workplace challenges, but women in business faced the most — and seemingly the highest — hurdles.

For many women, the global pandemic left no real choice but to step away from work to manage new familial obligations like educating their children at home and caring for youngsters who would have spent their days at daycare or in school prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.

We have already seen a disproportionate number of female employees exit the workforce due to the effects of COVID-19, and the trend is likely to continue. Researchers from the National Women’s Law Center estimate more than 2.3 million women have left the workforce since February 2020, bringing female labor participation rates to the lowest levels the country has seen since 1988.

In the first month of 2021 alone, women made up an astonishing 80 percent of U.S. job losses — more proof of a recession that is specifically hitting women, erasing decades of work to narrow the gender gap. A new term — “shecession” — has been coined to describe this cataclysmic shift in the workplace and workforce.

The implications of the global health crisis are far-reaching and could result in a perpetuation and widening of the gender pay gap, as well as a lack of employment and advancement opportunities for women in the years ahead. It could also perpetuate the stereotype that mothers are not reliable employees because of their obligations to child rearing.

Now is an important moment for policymakers, business owners and employers to figure out how they are going to respond to the fact that, more

than ever before, female employees are being stretched to cover family caregiving and work obligations at the same time.

According to Joshua Black, managing attorney at the Law Office of Joshua Black, some ways to make the workplace more family-friendly, include: • Reviewing medical and other leave policies to ensure the policies are gender neutral and available to all employees. For instance, employers can review their handbooks for antiquated language, such as “maternity leave,” opting to update such a policy to “parental leave.” This language shift encourages a well-rounded workforce and embraces the idea that male employees can also take leave to care for family.

• Providing paid leave and paid sick days to help employees care for family members.

• Being aware that illness, such as COVID-19, affects each employee differently. Employers should review an employee’s individual circumstances when considering granting leave or workplace accommodations.

• Helping make childcare more accessible and affordable for employees.

• Working to normalize employees taking parental leave when appropriate.

Many employees – male and female – say they fear taking parental leave will negatively impact the way they are viewed in the workplaces and will limit growth/ promotion opportunities.

• Being open to flexible work arrangements that make it possible for working parents to have a career while raising their families.

With this issue of Az Business casting the spotlight on the Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2021, here is advice from past Most Influential Women on what business leaders can do to create more opportunities for women in the workplace.

AB | July - August 2021 39

THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN ARIZONA BUSINESS // 2021

MEET THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN OF 2021 From a pool of more than 1,200 women under consideration, the editorial board for Az Business magazine and a panel of experts selected 38 women as the Most Influential Women of 2021. Meet them on the pages that follow.

JODI R. BOHR

shareholder, Tiffany & Bosco Most Influential Women of Arizona CLASS OF 2019

“Mentorship support and flexibility are key. A formal mentorship program offers women the opportunity to ask questions without judgment.

This support builds bonds that last. Also, flexibility (when possible) removes some of the pressure women feel when balancing work and family needs. Last year proved that we can get it done with a little flexibility. It’s OK to not be flexible at times. But when work can be done outside of normal business hours, let it be. A woman who feels like she can be there for her family when needed and is not placed within unnecessary constraints will shine and stick around to rise up the ranks.”

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AB | July - August 2021

LISA DAVEY

vice president and Northeast Arizona Division manager, WaFd Bank Arizona Most Influential Women of Arizona CLASS OF 2018

“As a female leader at WaFd Bank, I have opportunities to give back, cultivate new relationships, learn and grow side by side with a vast number of other women leaders. In my position, I aim to provide opportunities for young women to flourish within our bank by recognizing and utilizing the top talent among us. Our partnership with Metro High School introduced me to numerous talented young women who completed the WaFd Bank sponsored EVERFi program and excelled in the banking and finance classes. I encourage these young professionals to lead by example and share their passion for their career with the community through volunteerism and mentorship.”

ANGELA OLEA

ELIZABETH SHABAKER

Most Influential Women of Arizona CLASS OF 2019

Most Influential Women of Arizona CLASS OF 2018

“COVID-19 disproportionately impacted women in the workforce who faced a dual crisis of both job loss and overwhelming increase in caregiving demands as a result of school closures and collapse of support networks for their aging parents. It has created an unsustainable dynamic. As we prepare for post-pandemic life, I believe that offering parttime flexibility, remote-work environments, supplement wages and increased funding for childcare and senior assistance will ultimately be the key to drive the opportunity for women to better their work-life balance and return to the workforce.”

“We need more women in both the financial industry and in leadership. There has been a great deal of talk about it but not enough action. It’s not going to happen by just giving advice to women about how to advance in business. It’s up to businesspeople and their organizations to consciously include women in their ranks and in leadership positions.

Propelling women to new roles requires plans that involve the commitment of both men and women. That means creating a workplace where women are included in all departments and with access to programs that amplify the capabilities of those who have the aspirations and ambition to excel in their field.”

RN, CEO, Assisted Living Locators

CEO, Versant Capital Management

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THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN ARIZONA BUSINESS // 2021

WILL YOUR NEXT MARKETING CAMPAIGN BE EFFECTIVE?

ASK A WOMAN W

omen hold more power than society leads us to believe. We’re bombarded with images of traditional femininity — hourglass figures, smooth skin, made up faces. Society and its expectations of women are largely shaped by the media we consume, Veronique James and the media we consume Marketing has an agenda — especially when it comes to ads.

Slowly but surely, marketers are cluing into the mindblowing fact that women hold the majority of purchasing power in a household — somewhere between 70-80 perecent, according to Forbes. That means that targeting women the right way makes sense. Dollars and cents.

But too often we see marketing campaigns utterly fail to connect with the female audience due to antiquated ideas of what women want — and want to be. Whether or not you have a woman on your agency team, it’s important to hear what female voices have to say about what your brand is offering.

Do you want your marketing campaign to be effective? Here are three reasons to ask women their thoughts on your next ad.

Think outside the archetype A woman holds the majority of purchasing power in her household, but that doesn’t mean she runs the stereotypical home. The archetype of the do-it-all supermom may be a reality for some, but many modern women don’t fall into the category of the selfless caregiver. In fact, more and more women are choosing not to have a family at all.

The “supermom” archetype might be convenient for advertisers, but it places toxic expectations on women and devalues the role men play in a family. The supermom is in contrast to the helpless dad, who is happy to support his wife but is completely out of his depth when it comes to basic household tasks.

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A woman’s eye can easily identify these stereotypes that don’t apply to her goals and desires as a woman. Market research that surveys women can further identify the pain points in a woman’s life where your brand can swoop in and improve it.

Be mindful of belittling The now-infamous 2012 “BiC for Her” campaign may go down in history as one of the most tone deaf of all time.

It began with the bizarre idea that a woman would need a gendered speciality pen in traditionally feminine colors.

Starting with a flawed idea, the ad campaign only got worse from there. In an ad, written next to a woman in a business blazer, were the words “Look like a girl. Act like a lady. Think like a man. Work like a boss.”

The message women received is that they need to look young and act proper at all times. The ad also suggests that thinking like a man is somehow better than thinking like a woman, especially when it comes to being a professional. And all of this came from an ad for a pink pen.

While we don’t know who was in the room for the BiC for Her concept meeting, we can say that asking women what they thought of the campaign would have steered marketers away from these belittling messages.

Excluding powerful audiences “Inclusivity” is the marketing term de jour, and we won’t likely go back to the before times when the common target audience was the white, middle-class mom. Including minorities, people from diverse backgrounds and those with disabilities in your ad campaign can lead to skyrocketing sales if done in an empowering way. American Eagle lounge brand Aerie clued into this fact early on, incorporating more body types, racial backgrounds and abilities than you’d see in the average lingerie ad.

Victoria’s Secret took note. Once known for its idealistic “Angels,” the brand held 80 percent market share in 2015. In 2019, that number slipped to 65 percent. Since then, the brand has increasingly begun using models with a wider diversity of races, body types, abilities and even genders in the marketing

for its PINK line. This signals a cultural shift from one that strives for perfection to one that aims for comfort in our own skin.

My business, The James Agency, is woman-led and we’ve been able to identify these pitfalls from day one. By bringing more women into your marketing ideations, you’re not only creating a cultural shift — you’re impacting your brand’s bottom line. Kind of a win-win, right?

Veronique James is the founder and CEO of The James Agency (TJA), a woman-led, fully integrated marketing agency located in Scottsdale. James founded TJA with the goal of creating an agency focused on communication and transparency with clients and employees. James is an Az Business magazine Most Influential Women 2018 honoree.

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THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN ARIZONA BUSINESS // 2021

Barbara Kennedy

Elise Thorpe

Executive vice president and chief human resources officer Western Alliance Bank

Principal Lovitt & Touché

A champion of women, Kennedy has blazed a trail not just for HR professionals, but also for women in highly competitive and traditionally male-dominated industries.

Source of pride: “Being able to leaf through a collection of personal messages and notes I have received over the years that express genuine gratitude is something for which I’m extremely proud. They reflect years of friendship, mentoring and in some cases, a life-changing impact the relationship has had and reinforces that going the extra mile has made a difference.”

A nationally recognized thought leader in employee health and wellbeing for more than 25 years, Thorpe has partnered with CEOs, CFOs and HR professionals to create strategic benefits packages that attract top talent and align with company culture.

Lesson learned in 2020: “The pandemic reinforced the importance of relationships, flexibility and a positive attitude. Strong relationships helped strengthen mutual trust and respect during an unpredictable period that required immense flexibility in how we operated personally and professionally while striving to stay positive in some of the most trying circumstances.”

Gabrielle FinleyHazle

President and CEO Dignity Health Arizona Central and West Valley Finley-Hazle has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare and leads Dignity Health Arizona Central and West Valley, including St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Westgate Medical Center.

Lesson learned in 2020: “There are many lessons that I will take away from the pandemic, including the power of prayer, resiliency, the importance of transformation, and innovation. However the most powerful lesson was the tremendous impact of ‘Hello Humankindness.’ As a healthcare leader, all of these lessons have profoundly impacted me and our organization during the pandemic.”

Meghan H. Grabel Partner Osborn Maledon

Grabel is a partner at Osborn Maledon, where she leads the Energy, Water, and Utility Practice Group. She teaches the utility law and regulation course at ASU College of Law. Source of pride: “Establishing a thriving energy, water and utility law practice. I left a key position in a good company because I saw a strategic opportunity to use my expertise and fill an underrepresented demographic in Arizona’s utility regulatory bar.

My firm is now a valuable player in utility regulation and energy project development, representing multiple clients from a variety of industries.”

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THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN ARIZONA BUSINESS // 2021

Jennifer Russo

Owner and executive chef The Market Restaurant + Bar

by Jennifer’s and Jennifer’s Catering

Dawn Grove

Nancy Gonzales

Lea Marquez Peterson

Grove is the vice president and corporate counsel for Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, parent company of PING (a top global golf equipment brand) and related subsidiaries. Gov. Doug Ducey appointed her to chair the Workforce Arizona Council beginning in 2016.

When she graduated from ASU, Gonzales became the first in her family to earn a college degree. She then went on to earn a PhD from the University of Washington and launched an award-winning career in research and teaching.

Marquez Peterson is the chairwoman of the Arizona Corporation Commission, which regulates the utility industry. She is the first Latina to serve as a statewide public official. She formerly served as the president of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber.

Source of pride: “I am most proud that I have used my research, community work and leadership roles to open doors for individuals and groups that have been underrepresented in higher education. This is ultimately the core thread that unites my past work as a faculty member, teacher, mentor, social and behavioral scientist, and executive leader.”

Lesson learned in 2020: “As a commissioner, I worked to protect Arizonans who were facing financial difficulties by supporting disconnection policies for our utilities. Additionally, I’ve focused on supporting efforts to ensure high-speed internet to vulnerable populations across the state. My priority is the public’s health and safety during the pandemic.”

Vice President and corporate counsel Karsten Manufacturing

Russo, a graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, owns and operates Jennifer’s Catering and the popular The Market Restaurant + Bar by Jennifer’s, located in the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix.

Lesson learned in 2020: “The fact that we survived is amazing and says everything. And I have an incredible staff and client base.

But besides that we learned how to work leaner, smarter and harder because 23 years of business was on the line. We didn’t stop once. We just kept being thankful and pushed through.”

Lesson learned in 2020: “My takeaway is how precious time with people is, and how nothing is more valuable than the people we are blessed to meet. Being a leader is all about caring for and serving people, and now I serve with greater urgency, never knowing when our last moments together might be.”

Executive vice president and university provost Arizona State University

Chairwoman Arizona Corporation Commission

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THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN ARIZONA BUSINESS // 2021

Christine Boles

Vice president of Internet of Things Group, general manager of Industrial Solutions Division Intel Boles’ organization is responsible for Intel’s Industrial IoT business. For more than 25 years, Boles led development, delivery and enabling Intel-based solutions, across a broad range of customers, applications and industries.

Lesson learned in 2020: “My personal brand includes being an approachable, relatable leader. During 2020, I increased my connection with others, creating a safe workplace for individuals to deal with personal unknowns and challenges. Through focus and clear priorities, and encouraging individuals to ask for help, we globally achieved incredible business results.”

Beth McDonald

Julie Gable

McDonald believes that her love of radio was nurtured by her mother who always had the radio on at the breakfast table. During her childhood, her family occasionally vacationed in Phoenix, and she knew that this is a place she would love to live.

Gable has more than 20 years of experience in IT and business consulting with a proven track record of delivering meaningful and measurable technical and operational results.

Radio host 99.9 KEZ

Source of pride: “There are a couple of things I’m particularly proud of. One is being one of the first women in the country to host a morning drive radio show. I think what makes me most proud is my longevity in this industry and realizing that people still have an interest in listening.”

COO TBConsulting

Source of pride: “I am proudest of the people I have brought into the IT industry through what I call ‘creative staffing.’ I often seek out non-technical people who are culturally aligned (analytical, strong communication and work-ethic) and then develop their technical skills. Few things are as rewarding as watching these individuals overcome the technical hurdles and then go on to have meaningful careers in IT.”

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Kari Cornicelli,

Erica Sietsma

Latasha Causey

Cornicelli has extensive experience in healthcare finance, value growth and in developing healthcare reform initiatives like population health strategies. She leads broad financial initiatives as well as the operations of Phoenix Children’s Care Network and Phoenix Children’s Pediatrics.

Sietsma is COO at Digital Air Strike, a consumer experience technology company based in Scottsdale.

She has 20 years of technology experience and has been a driving force of Digital Air Strike’s vision and growth.

Causey has been an HR leader for decades. She is active in the community, serving on the Teach for America, Valley of the Sun United Way, ASU Alumni Association and Phoenix Workforce Commission boards.

Lesson learned in 2020: “Nothing is impossible. Each challenge (or pandemic or recession or market crash) is just a new opportunity to get creative and problem solve. I learned that as a team (and as a leader) we can do hard things, but do them smarter and more creatively.”

Source of pride: “What gives me the most pride is seeing those I have led, mentored or coached – especially those in the next generation of workers – flourish into the best versions of themselves. All the phone calls, what-if’s and connections have helped them succeed both personally and professionally. Doing my small part in helping them gives me confidence in our future.”

Executive vice president and CFO Phoenix Children’s Hospital

COO Digital Air Strike

Lesson learned in 2020: “I’ve always valued teamwork. This past year, the importance of a cohesive team became even more evident.”

Surprising fact: “I probably appear as a workaholic — which isn’t uncommon for these types of leadership positions. But I do like to have fun. I am an outdoor enthusiast who likes to go jeeping, camping, biking and hiking.”

Surprising fact: “I do a pretty good imitation of Chris Farley’s SNL character, Matt Foley.”

Vice president, human resources Bell Bank

Mona Stone

Senior vice president, general counsel, chief compliance officer, and corporate secretary Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona Stone has volunteered on several nonprofit boards, including the Arizona Association of Corporate Counsel and the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession.

Source of pride: “My current role at Goodwill is a true honor and privilege. I am able to provide both business and legal guidance to the business in support of our critical vision to end poverty through the power of work. I also am mentoring some incredible future leaders.

Being able to help people transform their lives is extremely rewarding.”

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Susan Dana-Kobey

Alyssa B. Chapital, MD

Partner Burch & Cracchiolo

Dana-Kobey is a family law attorney who handles all aspects of divorce and family law matters.

Lesson learned in 2020: “To slow down and look up. Strong leaders adapt to change and find innovative ways to get through challenges. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we need to always nurture our ability to understand humanity and its ever-evolving ways so that we can be better prepared to lead in the right direction when the road is dark. When we are too busy to look up, we miss the opportunities that allow us to develop the skills needed to lead.”

Medical director Mayo Clinic Hospital

Dr. Chapital is an associate professor of surgery in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and also serves as the medical director for the Mayo Clinic Hospital. She led the Hospital Incident Command for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lesson learned in 2020: “Nothing is impossible. Too many times we are challenged as leaders, as humans, with situations or problems that seem unfathomable or unsolvable.

Complacency was not an option during the pandemic. Committing to an audacious goal takes guts but also it inspires people to operate at the highest possible level and do great things.”

Beth Stiller CEO Massage Envy

Stiller is the CEO of Massage Envy, the largest provider of therapeutic massage and skin care services across its over 1,100 franchise locations. She has more than 20 years of experience in retail, branding, merchandising and management.

Lesson learned in 2020: “It’s the importance of connection. Everyone was physically isolated for months, so we worked hard to keep the lines of communication open. We conducted frequent touchpoints to discuss the changing environment, provide support and listen to our franchisees’ challenges. Finding ways to stay connected while physically apart was a big focus and something I’ll always keep in mind going forward.”

Sarah Cosette

Vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer Cancer Treatment Centers of America Phoenix Cosette is an Air Force Academy graduate, holds a master’s in nursing from Vanderbilt University, and serves as a lieutenant colonel and chief nurse in the Air Force Reserve.

Lesson learned in 2020: “While the pandemic forced clinical leaders into a defensive mode, I doubled-down on empowering CTCA clinicians and Air Force medics … and then listened.

Maximizing their tactical role and drawing on their expertise enabled me to regain the offensive and lead more strategically, continuing our hallmark compassionate care to our patients and communities.”

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Heather Schneider, DMD

Julia S. Acken

Jamie Boggs

Jeanine Jerkovic

Acken focuses her practice on labor and employment law. Acken has defended numerous companies in gender, race and disability discrimination cases in state and federal court.

Boggs was instrumental in GCU’s successful transition from NCAA Division II to Division I. She was selected as vice chair of the NCAA’s Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee.

Lesson learned in 2020: “There is no ‘best way’ to get the job done. I used to try and control every aspect of my work product, but the pandemic made that impossible. I had to be creative, find alternatives and rely on others, and the final product ended up being as good, if not better, through that collaboration.”

Lesson learned in 2020: “Serving with humility, empathy and authenticity is necessary to strengthen the connection with your team, especially in times of significant challenge. A leader’s responsibility is to create calm and a clear direction. It is important to lean on your culture, which for us is one of collaboration, continuous improvement, community and Christian leadership.”

Jerkovic was recognized in 2019 as “Economic Developer of the Year” by the Arizona Association for Economic Development. Jerkovic has a BA from Arizona State University and has an MSc from the London School of Economics

Member Jennings, Strouss & Salmon

Dental director Delta Dental of Arizona

Dr. Schneider is Delta Dental of Arizona’s dental director and an adjunct instructional dentist at A.T. Still University.

Source of pride: “Many don’t know this, but initially I was a dental assistant. I am exceptionally proud of pushing myself to earn my Doctor of Dental Medicine degree and the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency that I completed after that, extending my surgical and specialty skill set.”

Surprising fact: “I am a twin. Yes, there are TWO of us.”

Vice president of athletics Grand Canyon University

Economic development director City of Surprise

Source of pride: “I am most proud of leading the recruitment of Costco to the City of Surprise, because it was the most-wanted retailer by the residents for several years.

When the Surprise Costco opened its doors in September 2020, it launched a 890,000-squarefoot Prasada Gateway Village masterplan.”

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THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN ARIZONA BUSINESS // 2021

Beth Ginzinger

Chief strategy officer and chief risk officer Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona Ginzinger, RN, MBA, is responsible for developing and overseeing the BCBSAZ’s foundational and transformational strategic planning activity. She also has responsibility for enterprise risk management, business continuity, and strategic intelligence.

Source of pride: “Being a part of launching Arizona’s first 24/7 vaccine clinic is an experience I will hold with me forever. I am proud to have been a part of a company that stands by its mission to inspire health and to always go where our help is needed.”

Kris Yamano

Vice president and market leader BMO Wealth Management Yamano leads her team in providing high-net-worth families, businesses and charitable organizations with customized wealth services. She serves on the executive committees for both the board of the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation and Arizona Council on Economic Education.

Lesson learned in 2020: “The pandemic underscored the importance of flexibility, empathy and communication. Being willing to adapt is imperative, and it’s essential to have frequent and open dialogue with both clients and team members to understand their needs. These things continue to be especially valuable as we transition to a new environment.”

Stacie Pinderhughes, MD Market chief medical officer UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement Dr. Pinderhughes has a built a reputation as a visionary medical leader with a history of devising and implementing complex care delivery systems.

Source of pride: “Early in my career, I had the privilege of developing a model for the first and only inpatient hospice unit in Harlem, N.Y., at that time. Later in Arizona, my team and I developed hospital and community-based palliative care programs. It was a privilege to serve countless individuals and their families at a time when they were vulnerable, often scared and in need of compassion.”

Cathy Graham

Executive vice president and chief marketing officer Desert Financial Credit Union Lesson learned in 2020: “I learned that anything is possible if you tackle it one day at a time … Because none of us knew how long the pandemic was going to be, we had to each wake up every day and focus on the most important things we needed to do that day to take care of each other and keep business going. It turns out the total of all of those daily actions resulted in innovation, agility and growth beyond what we could have imagined.”

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Christine Ferrell Vice president, private banking Enterprise Bank & Trust

Ferrell has been with Enterprise Bank & Trust for more than 14 years and has 21 years of combined banking and mortgage lending experience.

Source of pride: “Recently I was awarded the Sales Champion Award for 2020 from Enterprise Bank & Trust. This award honors an extraordinary Enterprise associate who is a champion for a better client and associate experience. I have always looked up to the past recipients so I was honored to be chosen out of all the fantastic and deserving people I work with. It’s tough competition and not to be taken lightly.”

Geri Mingura

Cathleen Walker

Christina Hamilton

Lesson learned in 2020: “People are resilient and adaptable. SRP employees pivoted quickly to develop solutions to continue to serve our customers and community … The pandemic reinforced the importance of supporting employees, being open, flexible and letting them demonstrate how awesome they are.”

Walker brings 30 years of financial services experience at PNC Bank to the market and leads a team that provides top-notch service, scale and capabilities with a community focus.

Hamilton is an AV-rated attorney and senior member at The Cavanagh Law Firm. As a certified family law specialist, Hamilton handles complex divorce matters and custody litigation.

Associate general manager and chief human resources executive SRP

Surprising fact: “I love American muscles cars. I once traveled to Las Vegas to drive a NASCAR at the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

I love fast cars and have always favored the Chevy Camaro. To my surprise, my top speed around the racetrack was in a Dodge Challenger, not the Camaro.”

Regional president and head of corporate banking PNC Bank

Lesson learned in 2020: “The biggest lesson I have taken away from the pandemic is realizing just how important good communication and empathy are with our employees, our community and our clients.

Both attributes have played critical roles when working with community organizations on solutions for their pandemic-related needs and with companies looking for remote work solutions to grow their businesses during the pandemic.”

Equity partner The Cavanagh Law Firm

Source of pride: “As a divorce attorney, I am most proud when my clients tell me I did not just do my job; but rather I helped them overcome their challenges with grace and dignity. Oftentimes, I have been told I have made a difference in their lives or the lives of their children which, in my eyes, is what my practice is all about.”

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Lyndsey Fry

Director of external engagement and female hockey Arizona Coyotes

Keri Tignini

Rebecca Lundberg

Pam Stelzer, CPA

Tignini leads a team of middle market banking professionals focused on serving the financial needs of commercial banking clients in the Intermountain Region.

Lundberg is PulteGroup’s Arizona division president, leading the strategy and execution for a team of 200 to deliver more than 2,000 homes annually. Passionate about giving back, Lundberg is a board member for HomeAid, HBACA and the University of Arizona’s marketing department.

Stelzer is a manager with Henry+Horne, specializing in technology audits. She is on the board at Valleywise Health Foundation and previously at Foundation for Blind Children.

Stelzer has chaired fundraisers, guided blind climbers to the summit of Kilimanjaro and received the Cardinals Community Quarterback Award.

Executive director, market executive JPMorgan Chase

Fry is the first person — male or female — from Arizona to represent Team USA in ice hockey at the Olympics and the first athlete from Arizona to win a medal in the Winter Olympics, winning a silver medal in the 2014 Olympics. She played college hockey at Harvard University.

Source of pride: “I am most proud of co-founding the Arizona Kachinas Hockey Association. When I was born, there were fewer than 20 girls in the state of Arizona playing hockey. Now we have almost 200 in our association alone.”

Lesson learned in 2020: “One of my favorite quotes is, ‘Lead yourself with your head and lead others with your heart.’ The power of empathy showed up in many ways this year, as we all managed through unprecedented demands. I hope we all take some of the grace we’ve shown each other back into the world as we emerge from the pandemic.”

Surprising fact: “Im a huge Disneyland fan.”

Arizona division president PulteGroup

Surprising fact: “At the age of 17, I left home to dance as a soloist with the Moscow City Ballet Company in Moscow, Russia. We traveled throughout the United Kingdom and Southeast Asia, where I performed the roles of Big Swan and Spanish Bride for the prime minister of Singapore.”

Audit manager Henry+Horn

Source of pride: “Mentoring. I love to be a part of the formal and informal mentoring processes.

Helping empower staff to overcome obstacles, gain confidence, grow technically, earn promotions and ultimately excel is extremely rewarding.”

Surprising fact: “I swam Alcatraz to raise funds for a local charity.”

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Adriana Kong Romero Sandra Sagehorn-Elliott

Susan M. Gray

Sagehorn-Elliott leads Vantage West Credit Union, which has 20 branches statewide, $2.5 billion in assets, and a track record of community involvement. She assumed leadership in 2020 with a charge to propel the credit union’s 65-year legacy forward.

Gray began her TEP career 26 years ago as a student intern and is now the first woman to lead the company. She has championed efforts to promote women’s engagement and achievement in the traditionally male-dominated utility industry.

Lesson learned in 2020: “I learned we are capable of more than we give ourselves credit for. When we had to move all of our non-branch employees to a work-from-home model in order to keep the business running, we did it in under two weeks. Our team’s ability to adapt was truly impressive.”

Source of pride: “I’m very proud of my role in starting a Women in Energy resource group several years ago at our company. It provided a more formal way to inspire and equip women to be successful and was another step toward a larger focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.

We’re continuously working to bring this support not just to women, but to the men who work alongside us.”

President and CEO Vantage West Credit Union

Surprising fact: “I attended a two-room country school from kindergarten to 6th grade.”

CEO Tucson Electric Power

President Bank of America Tucson As president of Bank of America Tucson, Kong Romero deploys the bank’s resources to address social and economic concerns and build strong communities. She leads a team of bankers who serve companies with annual revenues of $5 million to $2 billion.

Lesson learned in 2020: “The pandemic taught me the importance of slowing down and appreciating the value of the simpler things in life, for the sake of my physical and mental health. If we come together and prioritize the health of our employees and community, we’ll emerge from the pandemic stronger than before. As we transition to a “pre-pandemic normal,” I remain committed to this notion and encourage everyone to pursue a healthy worklife balance.”

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THE SCIENCE OF INCLUSION Here’s how Arizona’s technology community is striving for equality and diversity in its industry

E Steven G. Zylstra Technology

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ach year, I become more hopeful for the future of equality for women and minorities in Arizona’s expanding technology ecosystem. And while great progress has been made, we still have a long way to go until true equality is achieved. It’s worthwhile to take a look at the remaining barriers, the work we’re doing to achieve our goals and what we’ve accomplished thus far.

Gender bias remains a big issue.

According to the National Center for Women & Information Technology, women make up 47 percent of all employed adults in the United States but only 25 percent of computing roles. Women in engineering positions account for only 13 percent

of the total U.S. engineering workforce, according to the Society of Women Engineers.

A look at the cause The underlying reason there are fewer women who pursue or stay in high-paying jobs in high-tech fields is the persistent culture of discrimination against women.

A Pew Research Center report found 50 percent of women surveyed said they had experienced gender discrimination at work. The industry can certainly do more to advocate for young women and minorities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and continue to encourage them on

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A PEW RESEARCH CENTER REPORT FOUND 50 PERCENT OF WOMEN SURVEYED SAID THEY HAD EXPERIENCED GENDER DISCRIMINATION AT WORK.

schools encourage girls and boys in grades 6 through 12 to get elected as CSOs by their peers. Youth who become CSOs are invited to a summer leadership institute, where they create a customized action plan aimed at impacting STEM learning.

The CSO program began in Arizona in 2015 and has expanded to 720 children in 10 states and three countries around the world. It aims to cultivate a pipeline of diverse STEM leaders and to help prepare them for college, careers and civic engagement. The program also helps solve the challenge of gender disparity by addressing the problem at the beginning of the pipeline. The program has been successful in this regard because more than 50 percent of the CSOs elected in 2020 were girls. This next generation of technology talent will help inspire even more women to get involved with STEM programs and education to help us reach parity and eliminate gender bias in our industry.

The Council also founded the Tech Inclusion Forum IDEA series to focus on highlighting the inclusion, diversity, equity and awareness (IDEA) challenges facing women and minorities in STEM fields today, and showcase the many extraordinary and accomplished women in Arizona’s tech ecosystem. The goal New initiatives of the forum is to highlight challenges A major initiative of the Council’s and the and triumphs while also providing SciTech Institute is the Chief Science Officer awareness and tools to hiring managers, (CSO) program, designed to build excitement top executives, human resources leaders, and enthusiasm for young students and experienced and aspiring STEM interested in technology. Participating professionals. opportunities in technology until the cows come home. However, until we fix the “bro culture” largely associated with the technology industry, we won’t get far.

One way Arizona’s technology community is trying to solve this issue is by promoting female leadership. As the state’s largest technology trade association and a strong voice for this community, the Arizona Technology Council is pushing for equality. A little over a year ago, the Council’s board of directors and I made the decision to actively appoint more female board members for increased parity, diversity, inclusion and equity. Since January 2020, we have appointed five new female board members.

In addition to this commitment to equity on the board, the Council and other key stakeholders in the technology and economic development community are working to bring FairHire to Arizona. FairHire is a high-end applicant tracking system featuring a fully anonymized, blind-hiring platform backed by behavioral science. The main purpose of the platform is to remove unconscious bias from the hiring process and improve diversity across industry sectors. The goal is to launch FairHire in Arizona in late 2021 or early 2022.

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Progress being made Through these and many other initiatives statewide, we’re certainly making progress. An annual study conducted by SmartAsset concluded Chandler ranks as the 14th best city in the nation for women in technology. Data collected from SmartAsset’s survey and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found women in Chandler make up 28.1 percent of the city’s tech workforce, which was the 18th largest in the study. However, they rank towards the middle of the study for gender pay gap, earning 85 cents for every dollar men make.

A 2020 Arizona Technology Industry Impact Report released by the Council stated 33 percent of Arizona’s technology jobs were held by women. While still nowhere close to an acceptable number, it’s much higher than the national average that hovers around 20 percent to 25 percent, according to Built In, a national community united by a shared passion for technology.

I urge every community around the state to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Take a hard look at your company culture to ensure it’s welcoming to women and minorities. I remain hopeful for Arizona’s technology community, and with the work we’re all putting in, I do expect to report back next year with even more impressive results.

Steven G. Zylstra is the president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council.

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2021

WEST VALLEY IS BOOMING Here’s a look at the trends, successes, innovations and advances that are driving the region

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WESTMARC

REGION ON THE

RISE

Here’s how economic development, industry, new housing options and quality of life are growing the West Valley

By KYLE BACKER

T

he West Valley is a booming community with 1.7 million residents strong and an expected population of 2.1 million by 2030. With big name companies like the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) making investments in the region, the West Valley is shedding old perceptions and becoming a destination for people to live, work and play.

“It’s no secret that elected officials and business leaders have been working diligently to attract high-wage employment, professional companies and headquarters to the West Valley.

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We’re seeing that, even during a pandemic. Microsoft, TSMC, Ball Corporation, White Claw and so many others have joined us during this challenging time,” says Sintra Hoffman, president and CEO of WESTMARC. As the pandemic diminishes and businesses return to typical operations, trends in the West Valley point to sustained growth.

WEST VALLEY GROWTH: Alamar is a community with more than 30 neighborhood parks accented by custom art installations that provide the backdrop for daily discoveries and lifelong friendships.

Healthcare trends For many in the West Valley, the workday begins with a commute to Central Phoenix or the East Valley. That could become less of a phenomenon in the future, however. According to data obtained by WESTMARC, 36 percent of Maricopa County’s healthcare workers live in the West Valley. “Healthcare is driven by rooftops and rooftops keep being built in the West Valley, so we know that is a sector that’s going to grow as populations increase,” explains Hoffman.

A slew of healthcare investments are arriving west of the I-17.

In June, Phoenix Children’s Hospital announced plans to build a $135 million campus in Glendale. The Arrowhead Campus will create 473 healthcare jobs and serve the 500,000 children expected to live in the West Valley by 2030.

In addition to the hospital in Glendale, Phoenix Children’s is growing its presence in Avondale with the Southwest Campus.

It will include a $33.5 million medical office building, expand the specialty services currently offered at Phoenix Children’s Southwest Valley Specialty and Urgent Care Center and retrofit the current urgent care into an emergency department. The city will also be home to Phoenix Children’s Sports Medicine Clinic, which will cater to young athletes.

“All told, we’re investing nearly $200 million in the West Valley and bringing 650 jobs,” says Robert L. Meyer, CEO of Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Ken Chapa, economic development director at the City of Avondale, says that Phoenix Children’s is one part of the growing suite of medical services offered in the city. In June, the ribbon was cut on Akos Medical Center, located in Avondale’s HealthTech corridor. The 68,000-square-foot campus offers medical office space and currently houses Apricus Urgent Care, Peak Heart & Vascular Medical Office and Peak Surgery Center.

“We’re seeing a lot of health care groups coming to the market.

They know there’s already an established cluster of healthcare, and healthcare providers like being around each other,” explains Chapa. “ClearSky Health, which focuses on brain and spinal rehab, is building its first location in Arizona right next door to Akos.”

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Garilyn Bourgeois

Ken Chapa

Lori Gary

Kirsten Hall

Sintra Hoffman

Robert Meyer

Dr. Michael Simons

Jennifer Stein

demand. “Abrazo Health has developed and grown several residency programs over the past couple of years. There’s a tremendous need in the in the West Valley for additional medical resources,” comments Lori Gary, economic development director for the City of Goodyear. “We think that the medical and healthcare fields are going to drive some of the employment growth in Goodyear.”

Hoffman believes that more specialized care will set roots in the West Valley and bring high paying jobs. A growing niche within the healthcare system is telehealth, which saw greater adoption during the pandemic when people were wary of sitting in a doctor’s office.

Dr. Michael Simons, medical director of Banner Telehealth, expects that – pending regulatory reform – telehealth will grow at a more rapid pace compared to the pre-pandemic status quo since many patients who were reluctant to try to a new mode of care have now experienced the benefits of the system.

“There’s a shortage of physicians and nurses in Arizona,” explains Simons. “There are some definite advantages that are borne out of telehealth. Let’s say there’s a physician who’s in a particular niche of their field. Telehealth makes their practice geographically agnostic, so they can still be focused on the niche they’re interested in while supplementing that with additional duties which can be performed to a much broader patient base.”

Manufacturing trends Another sector spurring growth in the West Valley is manufacturing. The City of Phoenix attracted TSMC to Arizona, with its facility under construction at the I-17 and Loop 303. “We spent a lot of time in 2019 with the Arizona Commerce Authority and Greater Phoenix Economic Council in Taiwan encouraging TSMC to select Arizona,” explains Christine Mackay, community and economic development director for the City of Phoenix. “It’s about the ease of doing business. We have programs in place that 78

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allow companies like TSMC to operate here on capital-intensive projects in our foreign trade zone.”

With the arrival of TSMC in the West Valley, other companies will have more of a reason to follow suit. “All of the suppliers and contractors that work with those bigger name companies will also be drawn to the region,” says Hoffman.

Further south along the Loop 303, manufacturing facilities have taken the place of agricultural fields. Popular products like Red Bull and White Claw are canned in Glendale’s New Frontier District. In Peoria, plastic bottle cap maker Novembal and body armor producer Tyr Tactical add to the West Valley’s advanced manufacturing footprint.

“Tyr Tactical has contracts all over the world, and they’re expanding to two new buildings in Peoria,” says Kirsten Hall, business attraction program manager for the City of Peoria. The company was awarded a contract with the FBI in August 2020 valued at $30 million over five years.

Adds Mackay, “Arizona is projected to outpace the nation in job creation for the next decade. That’s happening because of how hard our elected officials and educators have worked to change the state’s economy from the pre-Great Recession economy that was built on golf and retirement.”

Luxury housing Housing is a top priority for companies that want to relocate.

Two decades ago, when Hoffman was working to attract businesses to the West Valley, she was told that the lack of executive level housing would be a challenge. “That’s not the case today,” Hoffman remarks. “For example, the least expensive house at Sterling Grove in Suprise is $450,000. It’s not by any means a starter community.”

When a company is considering relocating, one of the benefits the West Valley has is a range of housing for the workforce, from the C-suite to entry-level employees. “Being able to show that you

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WESTMARC HOMEGROWN ENTERTAINMENT: Crystal Lagoons Island Resort announced an agreement with Mattel for a new entertainment destination slated to open late 2022 in Glendale.

huge,” says Chapa. “NASCAR is a great way for Avondale to get national attention.”

For folks interested in outdoor activities, the West Valley has no shortage of hiking trails and parks. Estrella Mountain Regional Park and White Tank Mountain Regional Park lets families experience the outdoors and enjoy the West Valley’s natural beauty. Lake Pleasant in Peoria is the second largest lake in the Valley, with plenty of room to boat and fish. have the full spectrum of homes within a 10-minute radius of a “Peoria prides itself on the recreational amenities available particular location is a huge win for us,” explains Chapa. “That’s in the city. Along with Lake Pleasant, we have 27 miles of river enticing to corporate decision makers because they realize that and mountain trails to hike and bike,” says Jennifer Stein, they don’t have to worry about employees getting stuck on the communications director for the City of Peoria. “We also have highway – their workforce is right in their own backyard.” three community parks, including the new Paloma Community In Avondale, a master-planned community called Alamar Park, which has pickleball, fishing, an extensive playground and will have 3,700 homes once fully built. Garilyn Bourgeois, vice splash pad. The park includes adaptive equipment because we president of marketing for Brookfield Residential, believes want everyone to have a wonderful experience.” that businesses and rooftops go hand-in-hand. “Today, we The arts also thrive in the West Valley. Gila River Arena, Aksee tremendous opportunity with an influx of new quality Chin Pavillion and State Farm Stadium bring in musical acts from businesses, a surge in manufacturing facility operations and around the country and world. For local performances, there’s significant investments in recreation centers, retail, education – the Arizona Broadway Theatre and Theater Works. The Arts HQ all the desirable amenities that make families want to stay here Gallery features artwork created by West Valley residents and for generations.” hosts workshops, community events and lecture series.

North Peoria has also become a destination for luxury home Entertainment districts like Westgate and P83 offer a wide builders. “At the intersection of Lake Pleasant Parkway and Happy variety of restaurants and retail stores – and have drawn in Valley Road, the median income is $100,000. If you go a mile more investment. Crystal Lagoons Island Resort broke ground north, it’s $130,000 – and it just gets higher as you go further south of Westgate in June and announced a partnership with the north where these master-planned communities are. They’re all first-of-its-kind Mattel Adventure Park. In P83, a new mixed-use luxury lots and have the topography that you would expect in the development called Stadium Point is bringing more than 500,000 North Scottsdale area,” Hall comments. square feet of Class A office space, a business class hotel and “There’s a lot of wealth in the community, but it’s quiet wealth,” multifamily residential housing, along with retail and restaurant says Hoffman. “But it’s here, and you’re seeing it in the homes on spaces to Peoria. the market now.”

“Goodyear has seen nearly 150 new retail and entertainment businesses open in the past five years and in the past three years, Quality of life we have filled over 600,000 square feet of commercial space with Entertainment and recreation options are another magnet for restaurants, retail and entertainment,” says Gary. attracting businesses to the West Valley. Having the available Hoffman adds, “When we say we have 1.7 million hungry housing is one thing, but businesses and their employees want to residents, we’re not kidding. People don’t want to drive across do more that live and work. As the region grows, so do the options town. They are looking for local options, and I think that it to play. behooves restaurants to look west.”

“Because of the sports we have in the West Valley, we are Economic growth doesn’t just spontaneously occur. It requires a getting a lot more national attention. The Cardinals and Coyotes concerted effort on behalf of business leaders and elected officials play in Glendale. We’re also hosting the Superbowl in 2023, which to create the fertile ground from which development springs. is significant,” comments Hoffman. “And of the 15 Major League “Our residents enjoy an exceptional quality of life, and we’ve Baseball teams that compete in the Cactus League, the West become widely known for that,” says Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat.

Valley hosts nine of them.”

“What makes this possible, though, is that we are doing things Phoenix Raceway in Avondale hosts a variety of races, including the right way in Peoria. With a cohesive council, steady leadership the season finale races for NASCAR’s three national series: the and strong fiscal policies, we are focused on boldly embracing a NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and Camping World Trucks. “We got the future enriched by the depth of our character and enhanced by NASCAR Cup Championship race now three years in a row. That’s our courage to unleash the opportunities ahead.”

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WESTMARC

By KYLE BACKER

W

hat does an economic development organization do during a pandemic? For WESTMARC, it meant promoting the benefits of the West Valley with three new webinar series: Open for Business, Industry Spotlight and Hot Topics.

“What makes me particularly proud this team is that a month before the stay-athome order we had no idea what Zoom was,” says Sintra Hoffman, president and CEO of WESTMARC. “But we jumped in and figured out all the virtual platforms so we could engage our members.”

Open for Business When a new member asked Hoffman about getting more involved with the organization in March 2020, she knew WESTMARC needed to adapt. In-person events – the typical format for the organization’s outreach efforts – weren’t possible. Hoffman, however, knew that the member had a visually interesting construction project the team could showcase, which launched the idea for West Valley Open for Business virtual tours.

Creating an online event allowed for more participation and greater interest – including from out of state viewers. The brokerage community enjoyed the flexibility 84

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of seeing new projects virtually. “Prior to the pandemic, everyone would drive to all these different sites. And sometimes people don’t want that. With West Valley Open for Business, folks could see what’s happening with the project, the timeline, the refined renderings and the vision of the project from their computer screens,” explains Hoffman.

Industry Spotlight When companies look for a place to locate or expand, it’s important for there to be a talented workforce in place. Over the years, WESTMARC has gathered workforce data and partnered with economic development directors in the West Valley to identify what industries they’re looking to attract.

“What we’re doing with the Industry Spotlight series is targeting the six industry sectors that have been identified for attraction and growth here in the region, and we’re individually spotlighting those industries,” says Kimberly Jordan, director of strategic partnerships and business development for WESTMARC. The intent of each of these spotlights is to connect West Valley employers with West Valley talent to keep people working closer to home, which improves their quality of life. WESTMARC partnered with Pipeline AZ, a platform that connects job seekers with employers based on their skills. After the webinar portion of the

Sintra Hoffman

Kimberly Jordan

event, which brings in subject matter experts to talk about opportunities, there is a three-week job matching period that Pipeline AZ helps facilitate.

Hot Topics WESTMARC frequently gets requests from its members to convene panels to speak about topics relevant to the West Valley’s interests, such as freeway investments, demographics and residential construction.

With that experience, making the switch to a virtual environment was smooth.

“All of these subjects filter back up to our over-arching mission of helping to position the West Valley for business attraction and economic development,” says Johnson. “The Hot Topics are open to the public, so it’s a great way for us to amplify this information about our growth, our demographics and everything that we have going on in the West Valley.”

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WESTMARC

GROWING POOL OF YOUNG TALENT Here’s how the West Valley is attracting, training and retaining a pool of talented early career workers

By KYLE BACKER

I

n 1960, the ribbon was cut on the Sun City retirement community in the West Valley. The project received considerable fanfare, with builder Del Webb featured on a 1963 cover of Time magazine promising “a new way of life for the old.” In the decades since, the West Valley has grown to be more than a retirement promised land – and away from its agricultural roots.

“Our median age in the West Valley is 35 years old. In the East Valley it’s 36 years old, and that includes all the ASU students,” says Sintra Hoffman, president and CEO of WESTMARC. “The region had this reputation of being a retirement community, but that is not the case today.”

The West Valley is attracting people and businesses from around the country and world, giving residents more opportunities to live, work and play in their own backyard. As more families choose to raise children in the West Valley, training and retaining young talent is crucial for the region’s sustained success.

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Seeking education From an economic development standpoint, education is a worthy investment. When global and national companies are selecting sites, having an educated workforce in place is a high priority.

“As economic developers, we can do the things companies need to get them here,” remarks Christine Mackay, community and economic development director for the City of Phoenix. “But we can’t fake an educated workforce, whether it’s at the Ph.D. level, mid-manager level or high school graduates coming into entry-level jobs.”

Mackay believes that education is often forgotten in the pursuit to attract companies. “As economic developers, we often overlook that connection for families on education and future workforce opportunities when we bring in these global and national companies,” she explains.

“Deer Valley Unified School District serves the area where the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is moving. The parents who are coming in from Taiwan, Europe and other parts of the country want to know what kind of education their children will get.”

Starting early Future growth and today’s education practices are linked. Strong partnerships between education and industry mean that students are equipped for good jobs, and companies have the necessary workers to operate.

“We partner with West-MEC on our projects and worked with our semiconductor companies to create entrylevel fabrication technician roles that don’t need a seven-year degree. They can take a high school graduate who has gone through these career training programs and get an incredible job,” says Mackay.

Jessica Putton is the director of career services at West-MEC, a career and technical education high school district that serves the West Valley. The district is heavily involved with economic development groups like WESTMARC and the chambers of commerce throughout the West Valley.

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WESTMARC

Sintra Hoffman

Kimberly Jordan

Christine Mackay

Bobbi Magdaleno

Katie Mehin

Jessica Putton

at every opportunity,” comments Putton.

This leads to partnerships with companies such as Avanti Windows & Door and organizations like the Arizona Masonry Council. “Multiple industry partners have taught sections of our curriculum to students,” recalls Putton.

These interactions create a talent pipeline for industry partners and expose students to opportunities available to them. Most students, Putton says, want to stay in the West Valley if they’re entering the workforce after high school – and many graduates find jobs leveraging their established industry connections.

Putting down roots The Arizona State University (ASU) West campus opened in 1984, and its expansion mirrors the rest of the West Valley. “Our student enrollment at the West campus grew by 25 percent last year,” says Bobbi Magdaleno, executive director of government and community engagement for ASU. As enrollment at ASU West has flourished, so have the number of programs. “We have approximately 120 88

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degrees available just at the West Campus.”

The West Valley has many options for training young folks, but retaining them as they graduate high school or college takes concerted effort. That’s why, in 2019, WESTMARC partnered with the Center for the Future of Arizona to get involved in their efforts around young talent.

“We engaged with the Center for the Future of Arizona and pulled together young representatives from the West Valley to make sure they had a seat at the table. We want them to know that they are heard, valued and embedded in the work that’s happening in the region,” says Kimberly Jordan, director of strategic partnerships and business development for WESTMARC. Based off the 13 priorities identified through these conversations, WESTMARC is launching a young talent spotlight program which will culminate in a new award category at the annual Best of the West Awards Dinner.

Leadership West – while not tailored exclusively to young people – is a leadership development program focused on teaching participants about the West Valley and how to show leadership in the region. Katie

Mehin, collaboration success manager at Brighthive, was part of Leadership West’s 21st cohort.

“You get to hear from speakers around the West Valley about different issues and engross yourself in information around topics like job creation, infrastructure and education,” comments Mehin. The program also includes facility tours, leadership training and a retreat.

This broad exposure to people and ideas, Mehin claims, leads to a deeper connection to the West Valley. “I participated in 2015, and I learned so much from the people in my class, whether they had 30 years of service on a board or if they were a young professional like me. I’m still connected with all the people who were in my class.

And even if someone wasn’t in my class, I know that I could reach out and say, ‘Hey, I was in Leadership West’ and have this immediate connection.”

Adds Magdaleno, “I’m impressed with Leadership West because it engages participants in a way that creates a burning desire to stay in their communities and make a difference.”

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BOOSTER SHOT

Here’s how West Valley healthcare industry is creating jobs and driving the economy By ILANA LOWERY

H

ealthcare is a thriving sector in the West Valley, and by all accounts, the region’s industry boom has only just begun.

To help paint a better picture, consider that roughly 36 percent of the healthcare workers in all of Maricopa County live in the West Valley, according to Sintra Hoffman, president and CEO of WESTMARC. That’s about 41,000 skilled healthcare workers.

That means hiring professionals for medical facilities and hospitals — particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on — can turn their attention to the West Valley as they seek to hire the talent that they need to staff positions from administrative to general practice to specialists and surgeons.

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Trevor Stokes, CEO at the Partnership for Workforce Innovation, says the healthcare sector is the largest private-sector employer across all of Maricopa County. And while healthcare is a broad industry, one example of its impact on the Valley is that one in every five sector jobs is in a hospital.

“There has been a remarkable growth trajectory in the healthcare sector since 2016,” Stokes says of Maricopa County. “More than 2,000 establishments have opened in the county in that five-year period.”

He says healthcare subsectors, such as services for the elderly and out-patient mental health services are growing at a rapid pace in the West Valley.

Healthcare jobs Data collected for six West Valley cities (Avondale, Glendale, Goodyear, Peoria, Sun City West and Surprise) found that most of the healthcare workers in these communities provide office and

administrative support, but a significant number were practitioners, healthcare diagnostics and support, and technicians.

These are just some of the companies, hospitals and medical offices that are part of the expansive healthcare sector in the region: • Akos Medical Campus • Banner Health Center • Banner Estrella Medical Center • Abrazo West Campus • Dignity Health • Cancer Treatment Centers of America • Palm Valley Medical Plaza • Integrated Medical Services • Adelante Healthcare • Center for Autism and Related Disorders • Phoenix Children’s Hospital • Copper Springs Mental Health Facility “The growth trajectory of the (healthcare)

industry outperforms other sectors, like construction and manufacturing, and is consistent in its demand level,” Stokes says. But he cautioned that the number of healthcare workers needed to meet the projected demand is a concern.

West Valley healthcare, higher education and workforce professionals, however, are working together to develop programs and promote the industry to make sure the pipeline is full going forward.

One example of how the healthcare industry has taken hold in the West Valley is Avondale’s McDowell Road Corridor, also known as the Healthcare Corridor, which has emerged as an attractive location for both medical and retail investments and is continuing to expand.

Recent investments by the Akos Medical Group include a 68,000-square-foot, Class A medical office building and surgery center, which is slated to open this summer. When completed, the new medical campus will create between 500-600 net new high-wage jobs for physicians, nurses, technologists and support staff in Avondale and Surprise.

Continued growth ClearSky Rehabilitation Hospital recently

announced its plans to build a 43,000-squarefoot facility that will create 100 new healthcare-related jobs and serve hundreds of individuals recovering from strokes, brain injuries and spinal injuries. The 30-bed hospital at 109th Avenue and West McDowell Road will treat 650 patients annually.

Slated to open in 2022, Avondale’s ClearSky Health will be the company’s first in Arizona, as there are five other hospitals in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico. Rehab services will include physical, occupational and speech therapy, rehabilitative nursing, case management, respiratory therapy, dietary services and other specialized care.

Akos and ClearSky join other highprofile medical firms in the corridor, such as Phoenix Children’s Hospital, which announced in May that it will break ground this summer on a new $135 million, freestanding hospital in Glendale. The news comes on the heels of two other new Phoenix Children’s projects on the Westside: A freestanding pediatric emergency department and a youth sports clinic. In all, the three projects represent $200 million in investment and 650 new jobs for the region.

Phoenix Children’s is investing $33.5 million to build and equip a new 71,250-square-foot, three-story medical

office building and retrofit the existing 35,000-square-foot building to provide emergency services. The Southwest Campus will be built on the site of Phoenix Children’s Southwest Valley Specialty and Urgent Care Center at 1665 N. Avondale Boulevard. The new facility is expected to be open by the spring of 2023.

Robert Meyer, Phoenix Children’s Hospital CEO, says the projects are part of a larger strategic effort to expand access to care for families in the West Valley and throughout the state.

More work coming Nearly 130 Phoenix Children’s employees are expected to work out of the Southwest Campus location, with half of these being new positions, according to the hospital’s website.

“Our goal is really to deliver access to care across the healthcare continuum close to patients and their families, so they don’t have the hassle all the time of having to find us and travel so far,” says Dr. Jared Muenzer, physician in chief for Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

The need for a new emergency department is driven by growth in the West Valley, but with that growth comes an increase of kids with serious illnesses or injuries, Muenzer says.

COMING SOON: An artist’s rendering of Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Arrowhead Campus, a $135 million project that will break ground this summer in Glendale.

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Sintra Hoffman

Matt Leach

Phoenix Children’s plans to add more specialty services at the Southwest Campus in the future. The site’s design will accommodate additional development, up to and including inpatient care, as the community grows.

Also located in Avondale is Integrated Medical Services and Arizona Center for Cancer Care. Adjacent to the city’s Healthcare Corridor is McDowell’s Restaurant Row. This area features a variety of destination dining options attracting both residents and customers from across the Valley.

Banner Health is spending $106 million on expanding its Banner Boswell Medical Center at 10401 W. Thunderbird Blvd. in Sun City. The new emergency department at Boswell Medical Center is part of an overall expansion project, which includes a new patient tower which is expected to be completed in Q2 2021. This is the largest renovation the medical facility has undergone in 30 years. The new emergency department increases capacity from 42 to 56 beds, allowing the department to care for up to 60,000 emergency patients annually, representing a 25 percent increase.

Banner also recently added a $53 million Glendale health center — one of its largest — to its portfolio of growing properties throughout the Valley. That facility, at 128,000 square feet, has 128 exam rooms and 13 imaging rooms. It is two to three times larger than Banner’s second-largest health center, located in Peoria and employs 215 healthcare professionals.

In addition, Banner opened a 56-bed, $28 million rehabilitation hospital in Peoria in September 2020. Banner Rehabilitation Hospital West is the first of three to be built under a joint venture between Banner and Select Medical. Banner Rehabilitation 94

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Robert Meyer

Trevor Stokes

Hospital West offers programs and services specially designed to help patients restore strength, mobility and independence as they heal and recover from a myriad of diagnostic conditions.

Valleywise Health opened a 126,000-square-foot comprehensive health center near Grand Avenue and Cotton Crossing in Peoria. The facility offers in-person and virtual appointments for primary and pediatric care, women’s obstetrics, cardiology, dental care and dialysis, as well as a pharmacy.

Sherry Stotler

corner of Lake Pleasant Parkway and Jomax Road is slated to open in late 2022.

With the construction of hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation centers, the need for medical office space is surging, according to a report from Colliers Arizona . And the demand for healthcare services will continue to grow as the population increases, which is projected to drive demand for medical office space throughout 2021.

“Healthcare is driven by residential growth, and the West Valley now is at 1.7 million residents,” WESTMARC’s Hoffman says.

Abrazo Surprise Hospital, the first Upgrades hospital in the city of Surprise, opened in The new location takes the place of October. The hospital, located at 16815 previous centers in El Mirage and Glendale, W. Bell Road, has a 13-bed emergency according to Valleywise. department, an operating room and eight “In our mission to improve healthcare inpatient rooms outcomes for patients across the Valley, we The one-story facility is at the identified a specific need in the Peoria area southwest corner of Loop 303 and and determined this the best location to West Bell Road, is a satellite of Abrazo open this truly comprehensive health center,” Arrowhead. The new hospital will provide Chief Nursing Officer Sherry Stotler says. medical care beyond what’s available at Valleywise opened its general surgery, an urgent care or freestanding emergency orthopedics, podiatry, gastrointestinal, center, says Administrative Director audiology, diagnostic imaging and laboratory Chrissy Salazar. With only about 32,000 services in April. square feet, Abrazo Surprise is smaller “This is a center that residents of Peoria than a typical general hospital. It still should be proud to have available to them offers surgical services, a full emergency and we look forward to caring for all who department, inpatient rooms, ultrasound, need it,” Stotler says.

X-ray and CT scan, laboratory, pharmacy Last September, First Service Medical LLC and other services. paid $3.15 million to buy land in Peoria where Honor Health also is looking to acquire an abandoned medical project sat for nine some medical group practices in the West years. The new plan for the property still calls Valley and purchase land for possible future for building a new medical campus, says Matt development in the region, according to Leah Leach, principal of First Service Medical.

Hill, a workforce development consultant First Service is building an 82,000-square- at Honor Health. Additionally, Honor foot emergency medical services hospital that Health has partnered with FastMed to open is expected to employ more than 150 people. urgent cares throughout the state, including That 32-bed hospital near the southwest Avondale and Buckeye.

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