AzBusiness magazine March/April 2017

CONNECT » GUIDE » INSPIRE

MARCH // APRIL 2017

The

TOP

100

LAWYERS in Arizona

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William W. Drury is a shareholder at Renaud Cook Drury Mesaros and a co-founder of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

TOP 100 LAWYERS

34

EAST VALLEY UPDATE

65

VISIT GLENDALE

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HSMAI ARIZONA CHAPTER

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Table of Contents 6

Trendsetters

12

CEO Series

14

Healthcare

16

Banking

20

Marketing

24

Real Estate

28

Technology

30

Dining

32

Employer Branding

34

Top 100 Lawyers

34 WISH GRANTED: In 2014, Logan’s wish was to build a playground for his Gilbert neighborhood. In 2017, Logan shares the cover of this issue of Az Business with Bill Drury.

Changing the world

A

65

65 East Valley Update Visit Glendale

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73 Hospitality

Sales & Marketing Association International CONNECT » GUIDE » INSPIRE

MARCH // APRIL 2017

The

TOP

100

LAWYERS in Arizona

William W. Drury is a shareholder at Renaud Cook Drury Mesaros and a co-founder of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

TOP 100 LAWYERS

2

34

EAST VALLEY UPDATE

65

VISIT GLENDALE

73

HSMAI ARIZONA CHAPTER

73

On the cover: William W. Drury, shareholder at Renaud Cook Drury Mesaros and co-founder of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, with Logan, a 12-year-old Wish Kid from Gilbert.

Photo by Mike Mertes of AZ Big Media.

Design by Ana Ochoa Richey

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AB | March - April 2017

s the editor of a business magazine, there are not many stories that hit home on an emotional level. There are stories that impact mortgage payments or retirement plans and hit me in the wallet.

But this issue hit me in the heart.

I met Bill Drury for the first time a few months ago, but he changed my life decades earlier. See, Bill is one of the cofounders of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. And I have two sisters who were both Wish Kids. Lisa died in 2004, but not before she got a visit from the Buffalo Bills … when the Bills were still good. And Kristina, who celebrates her birthday this month, got to go to Disneyland. Both dreams were made possible by Make-A-Wish.

So this issue, with Bill on the cover, is special. It’s special because I know the impact this man has had on my family; and I know how his passion project — Make-AWish — has made the world a better place … one wish at a time.

For every family whose loads were lightened by the realization of your vision, I cannot thank you enough.

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

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SHOUT-OUTS Who are Arizona’s best in-house attorneys?

A

z Business magazine recognized the vital role that in-house counsel plays in the success of a business at the Arizona Corporate Counsel Awards in January. Here are the winners: Nonprofit sector: Paul Holma, senior counsel for real estate and

construction, Dignity Health

Government, municipal or public sector: Michael T. Liburdi, general

counsel of the office of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey

Up-and-comer (two winners): Ahron Cohen, general counsel, Arizona

President and CEO: Michael Atkinson Publisher: Cheryl Green Vice president of operations: Audrey Webb EDITORIAL Editor in chief: Michael Gossie Associate editor: David McGlothlin Interns: Madison Arnold | Bayne Froney | Kennedy Scott Contributing writers: Sarah O'Keefe | Jonathon A. Talcott Erin Thorburn | Steven G. Zylstra ART Art director: Mike Mertes Graphic designer: Ana Ochoa Richey

Coyotes; and Helena Varnavas Gorman, senior legal counsel, ASML US Inc. Private company (medium): Justin Steltenpohl, vice president and general counsel, PB Bell & Associates Inc. Private company (large): Ronald R. Stuff, senior vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer, Sundt Construction Inc. Public company (medium): Michael Bennett, executive vice president and general counsel, S|T|O|R|E Capital Public company (large): Sharon Koath, senior IP transaction counsel, Microchip Technology Legal department of the year: Pinnacle West Capital Corporation legal department

DIGITAL MEDIA Digital editor: Jesse A. Millard

2017 Industry Leaders of Arizona are recognized

AZ BUSINESS MAGAZINE Senior account manager: David Harken Account managers: Jennifer Heberlein | Brit Kezar | Bailey Young

E

ach year, Az Business magazine presents the Industry Leaders of Arizona Awards, which recognize the impact of Arizona‐based companies on both the economy and in the communities they serve. The 2017 winners are: Education: Grand Canyon University Technology: Microchip Technology Commercial general contractors: Markham Contracting Financial services: Canal Partners Entertainment: Phoenix Symphony Community impact: LGE Design Build Innovation: GlobalMed Founder's Award: The Leona Group

A family filled with impact

C

ommunity impact must be hereditary.

Nicole Cundiff, daughter of Bill Drury, one of the founders of Make-A-Wish and the man who graces the cover of this issue Nicole Cundiff of Az Business, founded Colleen’s Dream Foundation in 2012 in memory of her mother Colleen Drury, who passed away after a 5-year battle with ovarian cancer. In 2016, Colleen’s Dream Foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $273,000 to cancer research institutions.

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AB | March - April 2017

MARKETING/EVENTS Marketing & events manager: Cristal Rodriguez Marketing coordinator: Kristina Venegas OFFICE Special projects manager: Sara Fregapane Executive assistant: Mayra Rivera Database solutions manager: Cindy Johnson

AZ BUSINESS ANGELS Director of sales: Jared J. Gard AZ BUSINESS LEADERS Director of sales: Sheri Brown AZ HOME & DESIGN Director of sales: Joe Freedman AZRE | ARIZONA COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Director of sales: Ann McSherry EXPERIENCE ARIZONA | PLAY BALL Director of sales: Jayne Hayden RANKING ARIZONA Director of sales: Sheri King 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 2017 by AZ BIG Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from AZ BIG Media.

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TRENDSETTERS

5 ways to protect your business from cyber attacks

E

xperts say it's not a question of if, but when a business will be the victim of a cyber attack. Bob Meshinsky, practice leader of forensic services and cyber security investigations for WGM, offers five tips to protect your business from cyber attacks: 1. Training: Provide quarterly training for employees so they know how to identify a phishing/spear phishing email, a social engineering attempt or company policy on plugging in unknown devices or downloading software from the internet.

2. Passwords and authentication: Require employees to use unique complex passwords — minimum of 10 characters with a combination of letters, upper and lower case, special characters and numbers. Estimated time to crack an 8-character password is one day. A 10-character password could take 591 days. The passwords

should be changed every three months and should not be repeated.

3. Have a mobile device action plan: Company issued phones should

be password protected, data should be encrypted and security apps should be installed. There should be a company policy for when a phone is lost and what personal information is allowed on the device.

4. Need to know: Limit employee access to data and information that they need for their jobs. If a user account is compromised, the intruder only has access to those files.

5. Protection: Protect information, computers and networks from cyber attacks. Keep all computer systems current with security patches and application updates. Hackers scan for known flaws in the system and know how to exploit them.

Is Arizona getting healthier?

A

rizona is getting healthier. Well, sort of. The health of Arizona residents ranks 29th healthiest in the nation, up from 30th last year, according to United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings 2016 Annual Report.

Below are additional numbers that show how Arizona rates compared with the rest of the nation.

More women appointed to tech boards

T

he gender balance on corporate boards is improving – but there’s still a ways to go.

For every two men appointed to a tech company board of directors in the first half of 2016, one woman was appointed, according to research by Redfin, a national real estate brokerage. The encouraging news is that’s up from one woman for every six men in 2013.

“Since it seems unlikely that three times as many females became qualified for board seats over three years, we have to conclude that what matters is not just women’s qualifications, but the board’s search process,” said Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman, who co-authored a blog post with Redfin CTO Bridget Frey on the research findings.

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AB | March - April 2017

14%

Or about 1 in 7 adults in Arizona smoke, compared with 17.5% nationally.

28.4%

Or about 2 in 7 adults in Arizona are obese, compared with 29.8% nationally.

12.2%

Or about 1 in 8 people in Arizona lack health insurance, compared with 10.6% nationally.

18.6

Drug deaths per 100,000 people in Arizona, compared with 14 per 100,000 people nationally.

213.7

Cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people in Arizona, compared with 251.7 per 100,000 nationally.

7,148

Years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000 people in Arizona, compared with 7,054 per 100,000 nationally.

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TRENDSETTERS

How does Arizona’s sales tax compare with others?

F

orty-five states and the District of Columbia impose statewide sales taxes, but 38 states allow local governments to impose additional taxes that can push the tax rate up even further. Five states— Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire

Top 10 most valuable brands in the world

I

f you Google “most valuable brands,” the answer you get would be appropriate.

Google’s brand value rose by 24 percent during 2016 to knock Apple out of the top spot as the most valuable brand, according to the latest Brand Finance Global 500 report. Google last occupied the position of the world’s most valuable brand in 2011.

Of the 10 most valuable brands, eight are U.S.-based companies. Here are the 10 most valuable brands for 2017: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

8

Google: $109.5 billion Apple: $107.1 billion Amazon: $106.4 billion AT&T: $87 billion Microsoft: $76.3 billion Samsung Group: $66.2 billion Verizon: $65.9 billion Walmart: $62.2 billion Facebook: $62 billion ICBC: $48.8 billion

AB | March - April 2017

and Oregon — do not have statewide sales taxes.

According to the Tax Foundation, Arizona has the 11th highest sales tax rate at 8.25 percent. Louisiana leads the nation at 9.98 percent.

Are we living in two different Americas?

A

new survey suggests Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton voters live in vastly different Americas. According to a flash poll conducted by Pollfish, there is a monumental difference in expectations of a Trump presidency.

The economy under Obama: Only 17 percent of Trump voters, compared with 87 percent of Clinton voters, think the U.S. economy improved under Barrack Obama.

Economic expectations: 96 percent of Trump voters think the economy will improve under Trump, while just 13 percent of Clinton voters feel the same way.

Personal finances: 77 percent of Trump voters think their personal financial situation will improve in the coming years, but only 11 percent of Clinton voters express the same sentiment.

Future of the press: 23 percent of Trump voters — compared with 61 percent of Clinton voters — think the press will become less free under a Trump presidency.

8 tech jobs with the fastest-growing salaries

W

hat will be the top-paying jobs this year?

The 2017 Salary Guides from Robert Half Technology and The Creative Group, show a number of high salary growth roles will be in the IT and creative fields, which are seeing significant gains due to organizations’ increased focus on mobile and digital initiatives and big data. Here are eight to watch, with their average starting salary: 1. Front-end web developer (1-3 years of experience), $56,500-$80,500 2. Mobile designer, $80,000-$121,500 3. Data scientist, $116,000-$163,500 1. User experience (UX) designer (3-5 years of experience), $75,750-$103,000 2. Big data engineer, $135,000-$196,000 3. Network security engineer, $115,500-$162,500 4. Content strategist, $81,250$115,250 5. Software engineer, $108,250-$164,500

TRENDSETTERS

Striking a different note I

t might surprise you that many of Arizona’s most accomplished business leaders had dreams that included sixstrings, not C-suites in their youth.

Mark Bonsall, general manager and CEO, SRP: “As the youngest of four kids, I was

determined to do something that would get me noticed and set me apart from my siblings, so I learned how to play music: piano, brass instruments, drums – the louder the better.”

George Chen, partner, Bryan Cave: “More than 20 years ago, I played keyboards in a Metro Phoenix-area cover band called the Tongue Darts.”

John E. Cummerford, co-managing shareholder, Greenberg Traurig: “I played the

Kristen Merrifield, CEO, Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits: “I play the piano and sing and

have written several songs.”

Mark Bonsall

George Chen

John E. Cummerford

Bill Lavidge

Kristen Merrifield

Tim Riester

Tim Riester, president and CEO, Riester:

“I was a rock and roll drummer in bands throughout high school and college.”

James W. Ryan, managing partner, Frazer Ryan Goldberg & Arnold: “In

2010 my high school and college rock band was inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Bryan R. Sperber, president, Phoenix International Raceway:

“I’m a decent acoustic guitar player. I played in a rock band in my youth.”

James W. Ryan

Bryan R. Sperber

violin in a Diane Keaton movie called ‘The Lemon Sisters.’ If you look at the end credits, I’m there as the ‘Violin Guy.’” Bill Lavidge, CEO, Lavidge: “I was in a teen rock band that taped a 45 rpm record in Smokey Robinson’s studio when I was 13 years old. I later traded my bass guitar for a water ski.

It was a good trade.”

How much value is your car going to lose?

C

hances are slim that the cars we drive to and from work every day will bring in big bucks at Barrett-Jackson. Still, we want to minimize the value flush when we drive our new car off the lot. Online used car dealership Carspring conducted a study to better understand the depreciation of car brands in the Unites States. Among the Top 13 selling brands, Ford retains the most value, while Chevrolet retains the least.

Here’s the percentage of devaluation by brand after after 34,700 miles of driving:

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AB | March - April 2017

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Ford, 41.85 percent Toyota, 42.39 percent Lexus, 44.99 percent Mini, 45.88 percent BMW, 46.42 percent Honda, 47.18 percent Nissan, 53.29 percent Volkswagen, 53.31 percent Nissan, 54.85 percent Fiat, 54.62 percent Hyundai, 54.98 percent Audi, 55.29 percent Chevrolet, 56.71 percent

Fennemore Craig makes a case for artificial intelligence

F

ennemore Craig is partnering with artificial intelligence technology company ROSS Intelligence to use artificial intelligence for the firm’s legal research.

The firm will use this innovative artificial intelligence resource in the areas of intellectual property and bankruptcy with further development expected in the areas of tax as well as labor and employment in the coming year.

Fennemore Craig Managing Partner Steve Good said utilizing artificial intelligence is a significant step in adapting to the evolution of the legal industry.

“It is our goal to effectively harness the power of artificial intelligence as a means to provide superior service to our clients with greater efficiency,” Good said.

CEO SERIES

Lively discussion Co-founder and president of Arizona Summit Law School talks about the need for change

By JESSE A. MILLARD

W

hen you hear about law schools, you’re often bombarded with a dearth of numbers about where the school ranks amongst competing institutions.

Don Lively, co-founder and president of Arizona Summit Law School, is trying to do something beyond chasing rankings.

He hopes to make the legal industry more diverse with his school’s graduates.

“Law is the least diverse white-collar profession in the country,” Lively says. “Without change and institutions that will lead change, it will continue to be the least diverse white-collar profession in the country.”

Lively hopes to lead that change.

Az Business magazine talked with Lively about his mission and how he hopes to disrupt the legal industry.

AZ Business: What’s your leadership style like?

Don Lively: I look at leadership as

not a function of title, turf or position.

It starts with leading yourself and recognizing the impact we have — for better or for worse — on other persons. We’re in a knowledge-worker environment and it’s particularly critical with knowledge workers to create an environment of inspiration and to avoid some of the old, out-worn leadership models: telling people what to do, centering on your ego, being incapable of acknowledging your weaknesses and shortcomings. The model of leadership that I think best fits an environment like our’s is one of authenticity, vulnerability and humility.

AB: How has your diverse career — broadcast journalist, lawyer, educator — helped with your current role?

DL: As I think about it, I think vision.

If I were trying to identify strengths, I think it’s probably seeing big pictures and being able to compose and articulate an advanced vision.

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AB | March - April 2017

AB: What made you want to pursue a legal career?

DL: When I was in broadcasting, it was

a curiosity experience, because it exposed me to a wide range of interesting lives, experiences, achievements, failures. I got into law and legal education because I have this curiosity about figuring things out, identifying issues, problems and trying to come up with creative solutions.

AB: What inspired you to co-found Arizona Summit Law School?

DL: When I was in legal education,

I went through the process: teaching, writing books, getting tenured and saw that there was something missing in legal education. There was an increasing disconnect with the legal profession. Law schools’ priorities were becoming increasingly mis-calibrated to the legal profession’s needs and direction.

In terms of envisioning what a law school should be, that got me to thinking about how to effectuate a model that was more in tune with the times and more responsive to some of the challenges and opportunities out there for law schools.

I came to the conclusion you couldn’t do that from within existing legal education.

So I began looking for ways to create a new law school.

AB: What is your law school’s model?

DL: The model I wanted to create was

one that did two things: • Align legal education more closely with dramatic changes unfolding within the legal profession.

• Lead the diversification of the legal profession, which is the least diverse white collar profession in the country.

Law has been in the past, is now, and without change — and institutions that will lead change — will continue to be the least diverse white collar profession in the country.

PHOTO BY MIKER MERTES, AZ BIG MEDIA

DON LIVELY: The co-founder and president of Arizona Summit Law School is the author or co-author of numerous law review articles, casebooks and lawrelated books.

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HEALTHCARE

Mental health break How can Arizona improve its low ranking when it comes to caring for those with psychological and emotional issues?

By MADISON ARNOLD

I

n 2016, Mental Health America’s annual State of Mental Health Report ranked Arizona last in the nation for the state’s high prevalence of mental illness and low access to mental healthcare.

The reason cited by Mental Health America for Arizona’s low ranking were high poverty, high toxic chemical release and low high school graduation rates.

These outcomes were interconnected through poor access to mental healthcare. In short, Arizona’s mental health issues stem from a decided lack of resources, experts said.

“The difficulty in serving Arizona’s mentally ill stems from the need for more mental health providers to meet the high needs in the state,” said Douglas Albrecht, Ph.D., co-director of mental health services and clinical director of the Good Fit Counseling Center

14

AB | March - April 2017

at Southwest Human Development.

According to the Treatment Advocacy Center, Arizona failed to provide the number of beds considered necessary to provide adequate treatment for people with mental illness. Fifty beds per 100,000 people is the standard. In 2016, there were 4.4 beds per 100,000 people, ranking Arizona 48th in beds per capita.

Studies show when states had higher access to mental health care, they had lower child maltreatment, homelessness, poverty, unemployment, violent crime and higher high school graduation rates.

Arizona also incarcerates more people with mental illness than it hospitalizes, with a 9.3-1 chance of being incarcerated vs. being hospitalized if a person is mentally ill, according to the Treatment Advocacy Center.

When experts discuss the dramatic problem Arizona faces in dealing with its mental health crisis, a theme that reoccurs throughout the conversation is the increasing need for mental healthcare specialist.

According to Mental Health America’s annual report, Arizona’s youth were more mentally ill and underserved than adults. Arizona ranked 32nd for mental healthcare for adults, while the state ranks 47th for mental healthcare for young people.

“We work with young children — ages birth to 5 — and this challenge is even more amplified due to the need for post-graduate training to be able to treat infants, toddlers and young children,” Albrecht said, When ranking the adults, the Mental Health America study factored in adults with any mental illness, dependence or abuse on drugs or alcohol, suicidal thoughts, those who didn’t receive treatment for their mental illness, adults with an unmet need, those who are uninsured, or adults with a disability that could not see a doctor because it was too expensive.

When ranking the youth, the study focused on youth with at least one “major depressive episode” in the last year, youth with alcohol or drug dependence, youth with severe major depressive episodes, youth with major depressive episodes (MDE) who did not receive mental health services, youth with severe MDE who received some consistent treatment, children with private insurance that did not cover mental or emotional problems and students with an individualized education program for emotional disturbance.

“It’s a unique population, given children’s developmental needs, priority attachment, particularly in light of mental health needs arising from trauma and other developmental insults,” said Albrecht.

Access to mental healthcare for Arizona’s youth was significantly worse compared with access for adults, according to Mental Health America. Southwest Human Development’s Good Fit Counseling Center works with young children and their families, providing them support from trained professionals.

“This is a high-risk population that is severely underserved in Arizona,” said Albrecht. “In 2016, nearly 18,000 children were involved with the Department of Child Safety, and of those, 9,000 or so (nearly 50 percent) were ages birth to 5.”

According to its website, the Good Fit Counseling Center is the only mental health clinic for young children in Arizona.

Beginning at age 4, St. Luke’s Behavioral Health Center assists all people in their quest for better mental health.

“The center’s program philosophy is to provide individualized clinical care guaranteeing each person the opportunity to reach his or her maximum level of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being,” said Gregory Jahn, CEO of St. Luke’s Behavioral Health Center.

Offering inpatient and outpatient, St. Luke’s assists

people with mental health and substance abuse, according to Jahn.

St. Luke’s offers specialists including licensed psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, licensed masters-level counselors and social workers, mental health technicians, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, registered nurses, case managers and nutritionists, according to Jahn.

Strategies for dealing with mental health issues differ across the board, but an interesting one lies within Bayless Healthcare.

Dr. Andrea Raby, medical director at Bayless, said they, “Focus on wellness as a whole.”

The “wellness navigator,” according to Raby, focuses on providing all aspects of treatment, providing a holistic experience to better the patient’s long-term mental and physical health.

“You can see a huge benefit in that,” Raby said, “almost immediately when we get together with the medical team.”

Mixing medical care with psychiatry provides the patient with a more holistic treatment, according to Raby.

So how does Arizona improve its last-place ranking when it comes to mental healthcare? Experts said the biggest issue is the lack of mental health professionals available to provide care. While there are private and nonprofit organizations that provide care, the number of patients to serve is greater than the current resources that are available.

“There truly needs to be a more coherent strategy to address the unique needs of children across all systems that touch their lives, including mental health, academic, medical, developmental and legal,” said Albrecht.

Experts said the solution to the issues facing Arizona’s mental healthcare system is adding more trained professionals to assist the mentally ill. Policy recommendations made by the Treatment Advocacy Center for Arizona said the state needs to add more public psychiatric beds and actively use the state’s civil

Douglas Albrecht

Gregory Jahn

Andrea Raby

“It’s time to act.

We must invest in the overall physical and mental well-being of our citizens every day.

Paul Gionfriddo, president and CEO, Mental Health America

commitment laws to provide faster care for those in need.

“To provide effective, best practice and evidence-based interventions requires a deep commitment to the unique needs of this population,” said Albrecht.

AB | March - April 2017 15

BANKING

Cashing

it in

Alliance Bank’s retiring CEO has left his mark on the banking industry and its future leaders James H. Lundy: “Aspiring bankers need to understand the dynamics of our own industry better,” says the retiring CEO of Alliance Bank of Arizona. “At one level, banking is the basics of serving customers — taking deposits, making loans, collecting loans, growing the bank.

But you also have to understand how Wall Street looks at the banking industry and how regulators look at it. That’s one of the things I wish I would have done earlier in my career.”

PHOTO BY MIKE MERTES, AZ BIG MEDIA

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

J

ames H. Lundy’s impact on Arizona’s business community is undeniable.

• He is the founding CEO of Alliance Bank of Arizona and helped grow it from a start-up bank in 2003 into the fourthlargest banking organization in Arizona.

• Lundy is past chairman and current board member of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC).

• He is immediate past chairman of the Catholic Community Foundation.

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AB | March - April 2017

• Lundy is secretary of the Phoenix Civic Improvement Corporation.

• He recently completed a three-year term on the FDIC Community Banking Advisory Council.

• The banking icon is past chairman of the Arizona Bankers Association.

• Most important to the future of Arizona, Lundy has helped spearhead the issue of high-quality, accessible education across the state.

Lundy will call it a career when he retires on March 31. Don H.

BANKING “Jim Lundy’s myriad talents and true commitment have not only helped us to build an exceptional banking enterprise, but Jim’s strong leadership and integrity also have shaped his active involvement in the civic and business life of our community. We would not be where we are today without Jim and I am very grateful for his service.”

Robert Sarver, chairman and CEO of Western Alliance Bancorporation Robert Sarver AB: What gives you the most pride?

JL: I look back over a career and I still have customers that

Garner, also a member of the organization’s original management team, became the new CEO of Alliance Bank of Arizona on Jan. 1.

Az Business sat down with man who practiced law before launching a career in banking when he was in his 30s to talk about the future of Arizona banking, how it has evolved during his career, the lessons he has learned and best practices for success.

bank with Alliance Bank that I had at my first bank 30 years ago.

They’re a little older. I’m a little older. But they are symbolic of the hundreds and hundreds of business customers that I have been able to touch and help expand their businesses in a profitable way.

Az Business: Why did you decide that now is the right time to retire?

Jim Lundy: It has nothing to do with the business of banking.

AB: What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced?

JL: One of the things I recognized after the first financial crisis

I’m 67. My wife is a physician and retired last year. We have four grown children and 10 grandchildren and they all live in Northern California. It just seemed like the right time from a personal and family standpoint and the bank is doing well.

AB: Why did you switch from law to banking?

JL: I just had an idea that I would enjoy banking more

than I enjoyed practicing law. The general skill sets were complimentary and similar. The thing that attracted me to commercial banking is that you are really involved in the business, you get to understand the business, and you can spend your time helping businesses grow and succeed and thrive. That seemed like a more productive and satisfying way to spend my career than practicing law.

AB: How has the banking industry evolved since you started?

JL: There are two events that have driven change:

• Computerization and the ability to amass and store data across a wide spectrum of media helped propel banking from being a very local business to one where various types of financial products could be tracked on a national scale.

• The second is the economic dips and downturns that involved the financial services industry itself. Not only did you have the macro forces that were driving us through a down economic cycle, but those forces caught up the financial services industry and its own business models. It deepened, exacerbated and lengthened that economic trough.

Those things really changed the way the government looks at banking in two fundamental ways — much increased regulation and much higher capital requirements. I think if we’d had higher capital requirements in place earlier, the housing crisis wouldn’t have impacted the entire country.

So I think the higher capital requirements are appropriate.

Unfortunately, I think most of the intense regulatory scrutiny misses the mark. It makes the policy makers feel better, but it doesn’t do a lot of good to make banks safer.

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AB | March - April 2017

in my career was that the industry stopped recruiting for a while and didn’t have the formal training programs it once had. As I was looking for new talent, it was increasingly difficult to find people who had been trained by others in the industry. So I made a commitment in the mid-1990s to start recruiting bright young people right out of college and we’ve really accelerated that and it’s a huge part of our success. Now, we have a very deep bench of bankers who can really make a difference and build a profitable bank.

AB: What’s the best advice you could give someone who wants to begin a career in banking in 2017?

JL: Pay a lot of attention to the broader world around you. Read the

Wall Street Journal. Read the Economist. Read the New York Times.

Read scientific and scholarly journals. In addition to your specific financial expertise, you’ll be a better banker and a better boss if you have a broader perspective on what’s driving not only the economy, but society in general. That will give you the well-roundedness needed to manage risk well and understand your customers’ needs.

AB: What do you think lies ahead for Arizona’s banking industry in the coming years?

JL: I am generally bullish about Arizona’s economy and economic

prospects. There are certainly some clouds and pitfalls and some things policymakers need to address, primarily in competitiveness and education. There isn’t anything more important to economic development than an investment in education at all levels and Arizona needs to do more than that. I think we learned some lessons from the last recession and I think Arizona’s economy is diversifying and is less dependent on residential construction and real estate development. It’s still the bread and butter of a lot of banking and economic activity, but I think our economic underpinnings are broadening and that will be good for banks. I don’t think the consolidation in the banking industry — there were more than 50,000 banks when I started 33 years ago and there are only around 6,000 today — is a bad thing. I don’t think we are are going to have lots and lots of small community banks ever again, but overall, Arizona’s economy has a bright future.

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April 6, 2017 | 6:00 - 8:00 PM OdySea Aquarium

Ranking AZ recognizes your favorite companies at The Best of the Best Bash.

Join us for Arizona’s largest networking event, cocktail party and celebration on April 6, 2017!

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MARKETING

SAVORING SAVORING SUCCESS SUCCESS WW

How can companies e all know what being No. 1 in capitalize on companies their spot sports means.

How can If you’re a college football allthe know what being to No. 1 in in Ranking Arizona to team, being No. 1 means school is going capitalize on their awardattract the best recruitsesports means. that will perpetuate its you’re a college boost their bottom line?to success.team, Plus, it will get aIfreally cool trophyfootball for in Ranking Arizona being No. 1 means the school is going to its trophy case.

By MICHAEL GOSSIE the best recruits that will perpetuate its boost their bottom line? attract success. Plus, it will get a really cool trophy for

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

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AB | March - April 2017

its trophy case.

But what about business? Does being No. 1 mean anything?

Studies say “yes.” According to research by Hendricks & Singhal of the University of Western Ontario and Georgia Institute of Technology, companies that earn honors and awards have 37 percent higher sales growth and 44 percent higher stock price return than their peers.

“Similar to receiving positive news stories, earning awards and receiving recognition from third-party sources gives your company credibility and validity,” says Josh Weiss, president of 10 to 1 Public Relations. “Awards make it easier for potential customers to trust you and reinforces to your current customers that they made the right choice in hiring you.”

Impact of Ranking Most business owners agree that positive word of mouth can boost a business. Nowhere are those customers’ words heard louder than in Ranking Arizona, which is celebrating its 20th year as the state’s biggest and most comprehensive business opinion poll. Ranking Arizona is based purely on opinion and ranks companies based how voters answer this simple question: with whom would you recommend doing business?

“Ranking Arizona is important to Wood/Patel because Arizona is a growth state and as such attracts new businesses, which need a proven resource to represent their engineering needs and advance their goals,” says Michael Young, principal

THE IMPACT OF RANKING ARIZONA • “We love Ranking Arizona because we have acquired new clients from the free exposure it provides. Being listed within the top firms in our category has given us credibility with business owners and their professional advisors. It works.”

Jim Afinowich, principal, IBG Fox & Fin Financial Group

• Ranking Arizona helps in our recruitment of employees and is an important component in creating positive morale. In addition, it adds credibility with everyone we do business with— including clients, prospective clients, vendor partners and even family members of our staff.”

Bill Lavidge, CEO, Lavidge

• “Ranking Arizona has encouraged creativity, collaboration and added a fun element to our branding and marketing program. The positive internal impact, a shared sense of pride, is demonstrated repeatedly in our day-to-day work and translates outwardly through our staff’s commitment to customer service and quality.”

Gregg Creaser, president, Speedie & Associates

• “The exposure in Ranking Arizona promotes who we are and what we do in the marketplace as validated by the customer experience. That is a very powerful tool for us. We incorporate the Ranking results in our marketing collateral and that helps validate Mytek as a real player in the Arizona market.”

Brian Blakley, president and CEO, Mytek“

• “The Ranking Arizona recognition has led to multiple project awards, peer recognition and, most importantly, the recognition affords each member of the Team an unparalleled sense of pride and the organization as a whole enjoys a stronger morale.”

John Brunia, president, Spectra Electrical Services

• “It has been both an honor, and a humbling experience for Daniel’s Moving & Storage to be recognized as the No. 1 mover in Arizona. When we share our ranking with consumers, it is often the ‘decision maker’ for wanting to do business with the best of the best.”

Daniel Ozbun, owner, Daniels Moving & Storage AB | March - April 2017 21

MARKETING

Ranking Arizona. “We believe ranking No. 1 shows that we live our values of integrity, trust, innovation, teamwork, quality and passion every day, allowing us to continue to grow and provide outstanding service to our customers.”

McClure says the rankings solidify a company’s commitment to serving Arizona.

“Businesses, like people, are judged by the company they keep,” says Bill Lavidge, CEO of Lavidge, the top-ranked advertising agency in Ranking Arizona. “Being included in Ranking Arizona is a real plus for any organization.”

Culture club

and president of Wood/Patel, which has been the top-ranked civil engineering company in Ranking Arizona for 14 straight years. “Ranking Arizona provides a historical overview of our community by ranking the best of the best. Th is ranking opens doors and allows business matters to develop more quickly, thus adding value to our economy.”

Business leaders agree with Young that earning a spot in Ranking Arizona opens doors and offers instant credibility to every company that makes a list.

“How the market perceives us and our reputation are paramount to our existence,” says Wes McClure, president of Wilson Electric, the No. 1 ranked commercial electrical contractor and No. 1 ranked commercial solar installer in

While it may not directly impact a company’s bottom line, being ranked in Ranking Arizona gives employees a morale boost that can improve workplace culture.

“The recognition of being ranked No. 1 by clients has truly benefitted our business and nowhere is the pride stronger than in our employees,” Young says. “Our employees are passionate about serving our clients.

Ranking Arizona strengthens that commitment.”

Joe DiGiovanni, executive vice president at Corporate Job Bank, says being ranked No. 1 by Ranking Arizona for the past 17 years has made a significant impact on Corporate Job Bank’s workplace culture.

“Most candidates that we interview have either heard of our No. 1 ranking or have seen an advertisement of it,” DiGiovanni says.

“All of our internal staff have used that ranking to attract the top candidates, as well as to market to new potential clients.”

According to Lee Vikre, an employer branding and talent acquisition professional for BestCompaniesAZ, the value of

THE IMPACT OF RANKING ARIZONA • “We subtlety promote our ranking in our marketing materials. Because it is the voice of our customers, we feel it carries weight. I know when I’m looking for someone to do business with, I appreciate knowing the experience other customers have had and Ranking Arizona gives potential customers a great barometer for analyzing the customer experience.”

Robert Anderson, CEO, Prisma • “Ranking Arizona truly helps us. Being ranked No. 1 for the past 17 years has made a significant impact on our success and has enabled us to attract the top candidates and 22

AB | March - April 2017

clients throughout Arizona. We have used our No. 1 ranking status in virtually all of our marketing materials to help us legitimize our brand.”

Paul Boca, president and CEO, Corporate Job Bank • “Ranking Arizona provides a historical overview of our community by ranking the best of the best. The recognition of being ranked No. 1 by clients has truly benefitted our business and nowhere is the pride stronger than in our employees.”

Darrel Wood, principal and senior vice president, Wood, Patel & Associates Inc.

• “The Ranking Arizona recognition is shared with our employees as acknowledgement of the incredible impact they are making in the lives of our customers, as well as in business proposals and marketing collateral. It is a great addition to our overall value proposition as an awardwinning and trusted healthcare partner.”

David A. Dexter, president and CEO, Sonora Quest Laboratories • “The exposure from being listed in Ranking Arizona over the past several years has offered many benefits for our firm. Gensler’s name published at the top of the list has provided

Lee Vikre

Josh Weiss

Michael Young

Kristin Boston

earning a spot in Ranking Arizona cannot be measured in dollars and cents.

“Workplace awards are rocket fuel for employer brands,” Vikre says. “Not only does recognition give employees bragging rights, it increases engagement. Increases in employee engagement correlate with increases in customer satisfaction. Plus, workplace awards help organizations attract talent and give a company an opportunity to differentiate itself from competitors.”

Vikre says it’s important to recognize and capitalize on the opportunity that earning a spot in Ranking Arizona presents companies who make the cut.

“Th row a party for employees, including customers or vendors if it’s appropriate,” Vikre says. “Use the Ranking Arizona logo on banners, T-shirts and your website. Th ank all those you reached out to. Gaining a presence in Ranking Arizona brings numerous opportunities to tell a good story that can draw in prospective staff and customers.”

Capitalizing on success Earning a spot in Ranking Arizona is no easy task. There are more than 20,000 companies that earn votes every year. Of those 20,000, only about 2,500 companies earn a coveted Top 10 spot in Ranking Arizona.

tangible dividends such as unsolicited calls for new business opportunities, as well as the attraction of top new talent to our firm.”

Beth Harmon-Vaughan, managing director, Gensler • “How the market perceives us and our reputation are paramount to our existence.

We believe ranking No. 1 shows we live our values of integrity, trust, collaboration, respect, teamwork, quality and passion every day, allowing us to continue to grow and provide outstanding service to our customers.”

Lisa McFate, employee-owner, Wilson Electric

Joe DiGiovanni

Bill Lavidge

Wes McClure

So what should a company that has earned a ranking do to leverage its presence in Ranking Arizona and boost its bottom line?

“It’s not bragging if you can back it up,” says Weiss, whose own company is ranked among the best public relations companies in Arizona. “The award is proof that you deserve your success, so don’t hide it. Put out a press release right away, but also showcase it all year on your website, newsletters and marketing materials.

Also, display the Ranking Arizona plaque in your office. You’ll be surprised how many comments you get.”

And what if you’re an up-and-coming company looking to make a splash or an established business that wants to remind people how skilled it is at its craft? What should they do to earn a spot in Ranking Arizona?

“You know that old adage that silence is golden? Forget that in this case,” says Kristin Boston, marketing director for Pathtap, which specializes in direct response marketing. “Devise a strategy and multiple methods — personal emails, newsletter stories, social media posts, notes on agendas — to clearly communicate to all company stakeholders, vendors, partners and fans that the honor is an important one for your team.

Then, make it as easy as possible for people to vote for you – go through the process yourself so you can communicate how to best vote. And fi nally, ask for votes. And ask more than once.

Don’t be scared.” ❚

• “Ranking Arizona has been a tremendous tool for us that has given our institution immediate credibility as a small local community bank in Arizona. We utilize the recognition with both new and existing clients to strengthen our relationships.”

Mike Thorell, president and CEO, Pinnacle Bank

• “Ranking Arizona has helped our company by bringing in more new patients to our practice.

We have patients from all over Phoenix coming to see us and have had people reach out to us to become a patient of our practice because they have seen us in Ranking Arizona.”

Melissa “Mini” Waxman, practice administrator, Douglas Family Dentistry

• “Being ranked in Ranking Arizona over the years has raised awareness and credibility of my company. I am pleased with the positive results it has provided Wist Business Supplies & Equipment.”

Ian Wist, general manager and owner, Wist Office Products

• “Being ranked is a significant reminder that thousands of people in the community differentiate us as a credible and reliable concrete company, which generates a huge amount of pride within our organization and respect within the industry.”

Derek Wright, president, Suntec Concrete

AB | March - April 2017 23

REAL ESTATE

No one’s hotter than Phoenix Residential real estate rebounds in a big way as optimism fuels industry

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AB | March - April 2017

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

“Y

ou can never have too much of a good thing,” or so the saying goes.

But that’s not true when it comes to residential real estate in Metro Phoenix.

“Arizona continues to have a shortage of listing inventory, especially less than $300,000,” says Trudy Moore, designated broker at HomeSmart. “First-time home buyers make up a large sector of the market and there are just not enough listings to fulfill the need. If a property is listed under $300,000 and it is in good condition, it will probably have multiple offers within a few days.”

Phoenix isn’t just hot, it’s sizzling when it comes to residential real estate.

Realtor.com named Metro Phoenix the No. 1 residential real estate market in the country, predicting Valley home prices will jump 5.9 percent and the number of sales will jump by 7.2 percent this year.

And while the luxury market — those homes priced over $750,000 — picked up substantially in the second half of 2016, it’s the lower-priced homes that experts say will drive a healthy housing industry over the next year.

Everything’s new again

“Opening price-point homes in the high $100,000s and low $200,000s will

become plentiful in the outlying areas of Metro Phoenix,” says Doug Fulton, CEO of Fulton Homes.

According to Ken Peterson, Shea Homes Arizona’s vice president of sales and marketing, the Valley has only about a 2.4-months supply of resale home inventory, which is down significantly since the downturn of the market.

“Rising resale prices make new homes more attractive to many potential buyers,” Peterson says.

Fulton says some of the areas that will capitalize on the demand for sub$300,000 new homes are Maricopa, Buckeye, Laveen, Goodyear, San Tan Valley and Casa Grande.

“These homes will be pre-built speculation inventory and will bode well for the first-time or finally-back-in-themarket homebuyers,” Fulton says.

The impact of this trend, Fulton says, is that sales of these homes will push the “new home vs. resale” closing ratios in Metro Phoenix from 14 percent closer to 20 percent of all home closings.

“Our projection is for 16 percent more new home demand in 2017 and significant appreciation — 7 percent

Buying vs. renting

W

hy do mortgage payments always appear so much more than rent payments? According to Brandon Durham of Homeowners Financial Group, if you break it down into pieces, the net monthly cost shows the value of homeownership.

Mortgage rates can fluctuate so let’s focus on the main factor: payment. $1,428 monthly payment: Principal, interest, taxes and insurance on a $250,000 fixed 30-year loan at 4.5%* Subtract $294 in principal paid: Principal is not an actual cost since it is reducing the loan balance Subtract $279 in tax savings: Itemizers can usually deduct the taxes and interest portions (based on 28% tax rate) Subtract $625 in appreciation: At a conservative 3% appreciation rate, each year the home value increase offsets this portion Total: $230 is the net monthly cost

Note: This is not realized until the sale and the net monthly cost is considerably lower and should be the focal point in any interest rate market. *Sample based on APR of 4.584% and rates as of 01/27/2017 and may vary based on individual borrower’s situation.

AB | March - April 2017 25

REAL ESTATE

Jim Belfiore

Tom Davis

Doug Fulton

Trudy Moore

Ken Peterson

to 9 percent,” says Jim Belfiore, owner of Belfiore Real Estate Consulting. “The rise in demand is already underway. The appreciation is due to inflation, and while we project this growth in home prices, the question is whether or not it will actually take hold?”

residential real estate in Arizona will be Millennials. According to the National Association of Realtors, 2016 marked the third straight year that Millennials made up the largest group of homebuyers at 35 percent. Generation X accounted for 26 percent of sales.

Higher costs

Hottest ’hoods

What is more clear, Belfiore says, is that builders need appreciation to cover the cost of new land, lots and higher building costs.

“Over the last two years, construction costs have climbed 25 percent to 30 percent for production homes and 30 percent to 35 percent for multifamily,” Belfiore says. “The result has been downward pressure on homebuilder balance sheets. The response, we believe, will be a strong move towards greater profitability in 2017 and 2018. Builders are likely to push prices upward.”

But the bright outlook for new homes sales comes with concerns.

“If we see a sudden increase in sales activity, we’re concerned that the current labor force may not be able to adequately meet the demand,” Peterson says.

But some homebuilders see a solution in sight for the labor crisis.

“If President Trump builds the wall that he promised during his campaign and gives a path to citizenship to those willing to abide by the law and immigrate legally, the building industry’s labor issues will get resolved very quickly and jobs will be created to help support the Arizona economy,” Fulton says.

The flies in the ointment of getting a handle on the outlook for

“Millennials will play a big role in generating hot neighborhoods,” says Tom Davis, vice president of Pioneer Title Agency. “Areas that are close to the light rail and hip local eateries and clubs, as well as proximity to downtown, will push that demand.”

That Millennial mindset is why many experts say that while the outlying neighborhoods may be hot for new homes, Central Phoenix will see the highest appreciation in values.

“Arcadia is still likely the most desirable neighborhood, but it continues to get pricier,” says Christopher Sailus, vice president and NorthEast Arizona Division manager for Washington Federal. “For a good investment, I think the Central Phoenix neighborhoods where culture and gentrification of more historical housing neighborhoods is happening is likely best spot for (a higher) percentage return (on investment) as prices increase there.”

All that said, experts agree that the outlook for residential real estate is as bright as the Arizona sunshine.

“Given the health and affordability of our current market, we have nothing but optimism for the residential real estate market here in Arizona for 2017,” says Rich Simon, owner of Huzing.com.

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AB | March - April 2017

Christopher Sailus

Rich Simon

6 trends to watch Jim Belfiore, owner, Belfiore Real Estate Consulting: “Rising mortgage interest rates. Initially, rising rates will continue to spur additional demand; indecisive home shoppers will make the decision to purchase sooner if they believe their monthly payment will be higher if they wait.”

Tom Davis, vice president, Pioneer Title Agency: “Availability of housing inventory will have a major impact on the residential market.”

Ken Peterson, vice president of sales and marketing, Shea Homes Arizona: “Rising land prices. Higher land costs drive up the final purchase price of a new home, increasing the affordability index.”

Christopher Sailus, vice president and NorthEast Arizona Division manager, Washington Federal: “The economy.

Cross-border trade, local job creation, how strongly people feel about their job prospects and the impact from any administration action on Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the FHA.” Rich Simon, owner, Huzing.com: “A trend we are already seeing is the emergence of exclusive listings within broker offices or agent teams. These are listing that are never publicly listed on a Multiple Listing Service or sites like Zillow, Trulia or Realtor.com.”

Steve Soriano, executive vice president, Robson Resort Communities: “Labor and inventory. We are short on both.”

TECHNOLOGY

Protecting trade secrets As the Phoenix startup scene heats up, how do you keep your IP from melting?

T

he Phoenix startup scene is hot right now, and not just from our months of 100-degree days. According to the founders of Tuft & Needle, who chose Phoenix over Silicon Valley for their startup mattress company, Phoenix is “unusually attractive— and more than a little underrated” for startups due to low costs, access to investors, and, of course, the weather. Not coincidentally, local startup incubators, accelerators, and funding facilitators like CO+HOOTS, Seed Spot and Tallwave have emerged to ensure Phoenix continues to put the heat on Silicon Valley for attracting the next Facebook (or here, the next GoDaddy).

Startups are all about the next big idea, so they should be aware of the law that protects those Jonathon A. Talcott ideas, called intellectual property Technology (IP). IP grants exclusive rights to ideas and other intangibles that prevent competitors from using them. IP can be the primary lure for a startup’s investors, can form collateral for loans and can be monetized through licensing.

But as important as IP is, its costs and complexity present unique challenges to startups which, by definition, have few resources to spare. This article explains how a startup can identify its IP and take basic, affordable steps to protect it before the startup’s next plunge into the investor shark tank.

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Identifying your startup’s IP The first step is to have at least a general sense of what IP is and what it does. The four main types of IP are trademarks, copyrights, patents and trade secrets.

Trademarks protect brand recognition for business identifiers, like names, logos, slogans and even sounds (think NBC’s threetone chime). Trademarks are limited to the goods or services on which they are used, and generally cannot cover something that describes or generically identifies that product or service (“Apple” is a trademark for computers, but not for selling apples).

Copyrights protect original works of authorship that are fixed in a tangible medium, such as unique literature, music, artwork, photos, website designs, and software code or graphical interfaces.

Similar, though rarer, design patents and trade dress protect distinctive ornamental aspects of businesses and their products.

Utility patents generally protect the structural and functional aspects of “inventions.” An invention can be any new and useful machine, apparatus, process, article of manufacture, or composition of matter—so long as it would not be “obvious” to ordinary workers in the industry. For example, GoPro patented its harness for cameras, and Facebook patented its news feed. Trade secrets, on the other hand, protects competitive information like customer lists, source code, know-how, recipes, and production methods—the startup’s “secret sauce.”

As if IP were not complicated enough, its various types often overlap within the same product or information. The key is to identify the ideas, products, or information that gives your business its competitive edge, which is where the IP likely resides.

You own copyrights and trade secrets essentially the moment they are created.

Protecting your startup’s IP The next step is to weigh how best to secure your startup’s IP, and how to avoid losing it to competitors (or, worse, to the public!). Some IP exists on its own upon creation, while other IP is secured only after obtaining approval from a government agency.

And each provides slightly different exclusive rights for different lengths of time.

You own copyrights and trade secrets essentially the moment they are created. There are, however, certain procedural benefits for labeling copyrights with “©” and registering them with the Copyright Office. Trade secrets must be kept secret, so your startup should have a basic protocol for keeping information confidential and restricted, like through encryption or passwords.

Trade secrets last as long as they are kept secret and give a competitive advantage (Coca-Cola’s formula is over 100 years old), and copyrights are good for the author’s life plus 70 years.

Patents and trademarks are a different story. While you have limited rights (and can display “™”) once you use a trademark in commerce, federal registration based on “interstate commerce” can give you priority throughout the country (and the right to display “®”). For registration, you submit an application to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) with usage information and a description of goods or services. For patent rights, you file an application with the USPTO with figures, a written disclosure, and claims to the invention. Bear in mind that you can also lose patent rights when making certain pre-filing public disclosures or sales.

These application processes are wrought with pitfalls where you can narrow, if not lose, your rights, and it is critical to file as soon

as possible. Patents last for 20 years and give the right to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing the invention, and trademarks give you exclusive use of the mark on your goods or services as long as it is used in commerce.

What startups should do now So now what? All startups should consider investing in a trademark application. The costs, roughly a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, pale compared to the headache of another business adopting the same name. For more costly IP, like patents, startups should at least take simple measures to avoid abandonment. The key to that is getting solid contracts in place that govern your startup’s relationship with its customers, vendors, employees, contractors, investors and other third parties.

These include non-disclosure agreements, protocols for keeping information secret and restricted, non-compete agreements, and “work-for-hire” provisions that ensure IP ownership retention.

Unfortunately, many startups choose shortcuts like downloading online forms or enlisting self-help online “lawyer-ish” services. While this can be shortsighted for any type of legal work, it is especially dangerous for IP due to its complexities and what is at stake. Startups should invest in at least a few hours of an IP attorney’s time to tailor form documents, advise on applications, and identify anything you may have missed.

The Phoenix startup scene is heating up. Keep your IP from melting.

Jonathon A. Talcott is a litigator with Ballard Spahr who has experience representing clients in complex patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and related commercial litigation.

AB | March - April 2017 29

DINING

Garden party Gertrude’s offers well-crafted cuisine in a breathtaking setting

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

I

t’s not often that one gets to experience several ecosystems and an amazing collection of agave and cacti in one leisurely stroll.

It’s even more rare to sit in the middle of the world’s finest collection of arid-land plants from deserts around the world, surrounded by gorgeous vegetation, watching quail walking through the flowerbeds just inches away and enjoy a feast fit for a foodie. Gertrude’s at the Desert Botanical Garden allows diners to do just that.

Gertrude’s utilizes a space that was originally a greenhouse and has reimagined and repurposed an area that once held the plant and gift shops and transformed it into a full-service restaurant with indoor and patio seating for 170, an exhibition kitchen, a private 12-seat chef’s table and expansive bar.

As you might expect from a restaurant that sits in the middle of Arizona’s most iconic garden, Gertrude’s utilizes fresh ingredients that come from artisans and farmers from around Arizona and the Southwest. The culinary team also utilizes herbs and vegetables grown on the restaurant’s patio and in the Desert Botanical Garden’s Community Garden. But Gertrude’s takes its super-fresh ingredients to a new level, serving dishes that are perfectly prepared and impeccably presented in an atmosphere that is both romantic and serene.

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AB | March - April 2017

A few dishes that stand out and come highly recommended: • For an appetizer, don’t miss the Littleneck Clams ($15) with ham-hock broth, charred tomatoes and grilled bread. You’ll be fighting over who gets to dip the last piece of bread into the broth that is pure deliciousness.

• The Arugula Salad ($13) with pomegranate seeds, candied pecans, blue cheese and agave vinaigrette is so fresh, vibrant and flavorful that you’ll consider ordering a second. But don’t, because the entrees are out of this world. You’ll want to leave room.

• Don’t visit Gertrude’s without trying the Korean Fried Chicken Thighs ($26), which comes with brussels sprouts, kimchi vinaigrette and yogurt.

While this might be a bit spicy for some palates, it might also be the most inventive, innovative and best dish being served in Phoenix right now.

• Giving the Korean Fried Chicken Thighs a run for its money when it comes to thinking outside the box is the Niman Ranch Top Sirloin ($34) with fried green chili macaroni and cheese and chipotle jus. The fried green chili macaroni alone is worth the price of admission.

Gertrude’s offers great service, a great venue and a breathtaking setting. The Desert Botanical Garden is one of the 33 Phoenix Points of Pride. Gertrude’s helps make the garden a point of perfection.

Who is Gertrude?

G

ertrude Devine Webster was a wealthy socialite who was an environmentalist ahead of her time.

As she became heavily involved with the Arizona Cactus and Native Flora Society in the 1930s, Webster prided herself in defying class and gender stereotypes. Webster, whose home encompassed all of what is today the neighborhood of Arcadia, offered her encouragement, connections and financial support to establish a botanical garden in Papago Park and in 1939, she helped create Desert Botanical Garden. Gertrude’s at the Desert Botanical Garden and the National Registered-listed Webster Auditorium are both named in her honor.

Gertrude’s

Where: 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy.

Phoenix, AZ 85008 Hours: Monday-Sunday from 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.

Weekend brunch from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Web: gertrudesrestaurant.net

Experience AZ is an exciting guide to Arizona lifestyle and adventures, offering readers the best advice on where to eat, stay and play.

Spring/Summer 2017 • Top 5 Lists • Staycations • Places to escape the heat

Make your reservation today!

call 602.277.6045 | azBIGmedia.com AB | March - April 2017 31

EMPLOYER BRANDING

Not a list, a purpose To celebrate its 15th anniversary, BestCompaniesAZ honors the 100 Best Companies in Arizona

I

t is our purpose, our calling – and has been for 15 years. We knew that better workplaces would create better lives, better communities, and more profitable businesses.

Although it wasn’t about the money, the financial success was Denise Gredler & Lee Vikre proven to be a benefit Employer branding for best companies.

Ten years ago, we were just starting the visionary business that excited about that. Now, we’re more created the first-ever “best companies” list to excited about how this movement has recognize top employers in the Phoenix area. become viral, and the overall effects Lee was the VP of Tremendous People for a beyond what we could see 15 years ago. The content marketing agency and was paving entire state has benefited as hundreds of the way to become No. 1 on the list. Both of employers have decided to build awesome us were deeply committed to the cause of cultures. Fifteen years ago, it was a vision creating best companies for the benefit of the and passion that wasn’t shared by the local economy, community, and workforce. mainstream. Wow, how far we’ve come.

Fifteen years later, the passion continues Now, organizations in general recognize to grow. Since our visionary 2003 inaugural the value of company culture, community “best list”, we’ve seen impressive evidence involvement, and employer branding. that creating stronger, trust-based In 2002, we were pursuing different ways workplace cultures leads to business to make our calling a reality. Denise was

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AB | March - April 2017

results. Despite the devastating Great Recession, almost all of the original list winners are still going strong, reaping the financial and intangible benefits of their efforts. These companies are committed to building awesome cultures, including projects that better the community and promote the Arizona economy.

BestCompaniesAZ has been involved in the development of the top four award programs in Arizona over the past 15 years: • The prestigious “Arizona’s Most Admired Companies” award, in partnership with AZ Business magazine • The inaugural “Best Places to Work in the Valley”, with the Phoenix Business Journal • “Top Companies to Work for in Arizona” with azcentral.com and Republic Media • 100 Best Arizona Companies”, BestCompaniesAZ 10th Anniversary Issue Besides these awards, BestCompaniesAZ has helped hundreds of companies develop great cultures. Through the efforts of our passionate people, the Best Companies movement has indeed become viral. Our purpose and calling has transformed Arizona by getting hundreds of employers involved in creating cultures and communities worthy of

being called “the best”.

• As we celebrate our 15th anniversary, we’re honored to recognize the 100 Best Arizona Companies. We chose this year’s winners using our research on awardwinning companies that spans back to 2002. To highlight the outstanding characteristics of these companies, we’ve divided them into six categories designed through research of behavioral scientist, Dr. William Glasser. We hope you are inspired by these companies and learn from them.

• Best of Trailblazers – Visionary companies that have pioneered and sustained their exceptional performance by all metrics over 15 years, representing the best of the best.

• Best of Cool – Top organizations with strong, unique workplace cultures, where they know how fun can help create the best work ever.

• Best of Wings - Innovation, empowerment, freedom, creativity, and sometimes disruption, shine at the forefront of these companies.

• Best of Heart – Through building relationships with employees, customers, and in the community, these companies show how much they care.

• Best of Stars – At the height of their powerful success, these companies are masters of their fields, inspiring confidence in customers and employees alike.

• Best of Future – With great potential for growth and representing a new era of business in Arizona, these are the organizations we want to watch for the future.

The future In the past 15 years, Arizona’s business climate has experienced massive changes, but BestCompaniesAZ’s movement has grown and proven true over time. Now, as we look to the future, the explosion

of the Silicon Desert is creating new opportunities and greater challenges. Now more than ever, the best organizations need to maintain great workplaces, and tell their stories well. May you be inspired by their success and learn from them.

BestCompaniesAZ pioneered the intersection of recruiting, HR, marketing, and PR. We didn’t even have a name for it in 2002, but now employer branding is a major component of business strategy. There will likely be exciting growth in our own future, since as our clients grow, we’ll go where they need us. We’ve been honored to work alongside the best companies in Arizona – small and large, startup and established – for the past 15 years. Join us this year as we share the stories of the 100 Best Arizona Companies - BestCompaniesAZ.com/100Best.

Denise Gredler is founder and CEO of BestCompaniesAZ. Lee Vikre is managing partner of BestCompaniesAZ.

100 Best Companies in Arizona TRAILBLAZER American Express Charles Schwab Cox Communications Deloitte Dignity Health Discover Financial Services Edward Jones GoDaddy Goodmans Interior Structures Homeowners Financial Group Mayo Clinic Medtronic Quarles & Brady, LLP USAA Vanguard

COOL Carvana DriveTime Automotive Group GPS Insight Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Resort International Cruise & Excursions meltmedia Nextiva Quicken Loans Shutterfly Sitelock StormWind Studios

The Lavidge Company WebPT Workiva Yelp

WINGS

Axosoft FlexPrint Henry & Horne LLP Infusionsoft Kimpton Hotels Laser Spine Institute MassMutual Arizona McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. Ryan Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) UnitedHealthcare Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. Verizon Wireless Yodle Zocdoc

HEART

Aetna Arizona Charter Academy Arizona Diamondbacks Blood Systems CBRE Embry-Riddle Aeronautical

University Grand Canyon University Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona Hyatt Regency Phoenix Intuit J.P.Morgan Chase Lovitt & Touché Make-A-Wish Arizona National Bank of Arizona Orchard Medical Consulting PayPal Phoenix Children’s Hospital Progrexion St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance Y Scouts

STAR Better Business Bureau serving Greater Arizona Camden Property Trust CopperPoint Insurance Companies Cresa Fennemore Craig GEICO General Motors Company GM Financial Kitchell

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. Paychex PING, Inc. The Plaza Companies Pollack Investments Protiviti Sonora Quest Laboratories Stryker’s Sustainability Solutions Sundt Construction Synchrony Financial TASER | Axon

FUTURE Direct Energy DoubleDutch Endurance International Group Galvanize GlobalTranz Longboard Asset Management Markitors NextNet Partners Pinnacle Transplant Technologies QuickSpark Financial Remarkable Health Revature SenesTech Spear Education Tuft & Needle AB | March - April 2017 33

in Arizona

2017

What is an attorney-client relationship?

nderstanding the attorney-client relationship is vital to protecting yourself, especially in the corporate context. Certain communications during an attorney-client relationship are privileged and protected from disclosure. Understanding how this relationship forms, the benefits, and implications of attorney-client relationship is essential when engaging an attorney.

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How an attorney-client relationship forms An attorney-client relationship forms when there is an expressed verbal or written representation agreement. A casual conversation at a social event wouldn’t typically be included, but asking for help with a legal matter and seeking representation would. This agreement can take many forms – some examples include: • A verbal agreement regarding representation • A signed contract for representation • A retainer or payment made for the purpose of securing representation • An attorney-client relationship may also form if the client believes the attorney is representing him or her, asks for advice, or receives advice. Some examples of this type of relationship formation include: • The client furnishing information and seeking legal advice • Frequent contact regarding a legal matter • Statements made from either the attorney or client that there is a relationship • Past representation of the client by the attorney

Benefits of the attorney-client relationship The primary benefit of an attorney-client relationship is confidentiality of information. As part of his or her professional responsibility, an attorney cannot reveal information regarding the representation of a client unless that client gives informed consent, the sharing of information is implied as part of the representation, or as other specific situations may apply.

What do each of these three exceptions mean? First, informed consent means that the client must give consent for information to be released, and must be fully aware and informed of the Sarah O’Keefe agreement and the consequences Law it could have. This avoids confusion, misleading information, or simple ignorance.

Secondly, if the sharing of information is implied as part of the representation, then the attorney may share that information. This means discussing specific information, witnesses, evidence, and connections that will help you win your case. Sharing this type of information is essential for the attorney representing you.

Finally, there are specific other situations that may allow an attorney to share certain information. For example, an attorney may share information: • To prevent reasonably certain death or bodily harm • To prevent the client from committing a crime or fraud in the future that is reasonably certain to result in substantial damage to the interests of another • To prevent, rectify, or mitigate substantial damage to the interests of another that is reasonably certain to result from, or has resulted from, the client’s commission of a crime or fraud • To secure legal advice about the attorney’s compliance with confidentiality rules • To establish a claim or defense on behalf of the attorney in a legal dispute between the attorney and client

• To comply with another law or court order • To detect and resolve conflicts of interest that may arise from changes in the ownership of the law firm or changes in the attorney’s employment In general, this means that the attorney cannot share what a client tells him or her in confidence, including admissions of guilt and sharing details of a past crime. However, if the client tells or indicates to the attorney that he or she is planning to cause harm to someone or something else, then the attorney may share the information to prevent the future crime.

Implications of an attorney-client relationship There are many obligations you should understand that are involved in an attorney-client relationship, but two are essential.

The first is the prohibition of a conflict of interest, and the second are the attorney’s obligations to you once your case is complete.

Regarding conflicts of interest, an attorney cannot represent a client if the representation causes a conflict of interest. Generally a conflict of interest occurs when: 1. The representation of one client is directly adverse to the representation of another, for instance, the representation of both the accused and the victim regarding the same criminal matter.

Or: 2. There is a significant risk that representing one or more clients will materially limit the attorney’s duties to another client, a former client, another person, or a personal interest of the client. For example, a conflict exists when an attorney represents a victim of a company in which the attorney holds significant stock.

In essence, an attorney cannot take on a case that negatively impacts his or her ability to fully and competently represent existing clients.

As for duties to former clients, an attorney who has represented a client in a legal matter previously cannot later represent another person in the same or substantially related matter in which that new client’s interests are materially adverse to the interests of the former client, unless the former client gives informed consent confirmed in writing.

For example, an attorney cannot represent the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against a company and then later represent that company in combating the same or a similar charge, unless the prior plaintiffs provide informed consent in writing.

Understanding the full scope of an attorney-client relationship is vital to having a productive and successful relationship with your attorney. If you understand how an attorney-client relationship forms, the privileges of that relationship, and what duties the attorney has to you, then you are far better prepared to hire the right attorney, protect your legal rights in the process, and successfully assist your attorney in achieving a favorable result.

Sarah O’Keefe joined Burch & Cracchiolo in 2013 after completing an appellate clerkship for The Honorable Patricia K. Norris of Division One of the Arizona Court of Appeals. During her clerkship, O’Keefe researched and analyzed novel issues in many areas of law including civil, criminal, family, unemployment, workers compensation, and juvenile to advise and recommend the resolution of appellate cases to rotating three-judge panels. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Consult an attorney from your jurisdiction for questions or advice.

AB | March - April 2017 35

in Arizona 2017

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

E

ach year, Az Business magazine’s editorial team — in collaboration with industry experts — chooses the Top

100 Lawyers in Arizona from a pool of more than 1,000 of the most talented and successful attorneys from throughout the state.

Selections are based on each lawyer’s professional success, impact on his or her law firm, impact on the communities she/he serves and impact on the legal profession.

Do you know an attorney who should be considered for the 2018 list?

Email Editor in Chief Michael Gossie at michael.gossie@azbigmedia.com.

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AB | March - April 2017

in Arizona

2017

Brian Blaney Shareholder • Greenberg Traurig • gtlaw.com Practice areas: Corporate and securities law, mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments Background: Blaney has extensive experience in capital markets transactions, including public and private offerings of equity and debt securities.

Trend to watch: “The technology available to assist lawyers and clients continues to evolve very rapidly. For instance, artificial intelligence can now perform a number of lowervalue tasks that were previously performed by junior attorneys. As the cost of these systems declines and as their accuracy increases, there will be less need for lawyers to perform menial tasks. This will provide significant cost savings to clients, while enabling attorneys to focus on providing high value, strategic advice that clients desire.”

Source of pride: “It is especially gratifying when I help a closely held business achieve an exit or liquidity transaction, whether through an acquisition by a strategic or private equity acquirer or through a minority investment. This is often a major turning point in a client’s life, and I enjoy the trust they put in me to counsel them through the process.”

Andrew Abraham

Shareholder Burch & Cracchiolo • bcattorneys.com

Practice areas: Real estate, business and corporate law, commercial litigation

Shawn K. Aiken

Shareholder • Aiken Schenk Hawkins & Ricciardi • ashrlaw.com

Practice areas: Commercial litigation, mediation, arbitration

Hilary L. Barnes

Member • Allen Maguire & Barnes • ambazlaw.com

Practice areas: Commercial bankruptcy, creditors’ rights, bankruptcy litigation

Timothy W. Barton

Of counsel • Jennings Strouss • jsslaw.com

Practice areas: Title insurance, real estate litigation, commercial litigation

Steven N. Berger

Shareholder • Engelman Berger • eblawyers.com

Practice areas: Bankruptcy and reorganization, creditors’ rights, loan workouts, business restructurings, business and real estate disputes, business and real estate transactions, mediation

Maureen Beyers

Partner • Osborn Maledon • omlaw.com

Practice areas: Complex commercial litigation, arbitration and mediation

Marc D. Blonstein

Member • Berens Blonstein • berensblonstein.com

Practice areas: Real estate development and finance, business organizations

Mark S. Bosco

Shareholder • Tiffany & Bosco • tblaw.com

Practice areas: Banking, financial services/default servicing, foreclosure/trustee sales, real estate, bankruptcy, condemnation. forcible entry and detainer/eviction

Susan Boswell

Partner • Quarles & Brady • quarles.com

Practice areas: Bankruptcy, restructuring, creditors’ rights

in Arizona

2017 Kent Brockelman Managing partner • Coppersmith Brockelman • cblawyers.com

Practice areas: Labor and employment counseling, labor and employment litigation, commercial litigation

James E. Brophy, III Managing shareholder • Ryley Carlock & Applewhite • rcalaw.com

Practice areas: Business, employee benefits, banking and finance, corporate and securities, taxation, transportation, cyber security and data privacy

Tim Brown Shareholder • Gallagher & Kennedy • gknet.com

Practice areas: Tax law, sports law, business law and transactions

Robert J. Bruno Shareholder and director • Sanders & Parks. • sandersparks.com

Practice areas: Complex civil litigation, construction litigation, professional liability defense, products liability

Edwin C. Bull Shareholder • Burch & Cracchiolo • bcattorneys.com

Practice areas: Business and corporate law, real estate

Robin E. Burgess

Shareholder, officer and director • Sanders & Parks • sandersparks.com

Practice areas: Healthcare, medical malpractice, product liability, professional liability, municipal liability

Rebecca Lynne Burnham Shareholder • Greenberg Traurig • gtlaw.com

Practice areas: Real estate acquisition and development, sports facilities and entertainment venues, land development

Anne Chapman Attorney • Mitchell Stein Carey • mitchellsteincarey.com

Practice areas: Criminal defense, internal and governmental investigations

Robert M. Charles, Jr. Partner • Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie • lrrc.com

Practice areas: Business bankruptcy, commercial lawsuits, business transactions

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AB | March - April 2017

Flynn Carey Attorney • Mitchell Stein Carey • mitchellsteincarey.com Practice areas: Criminal defense, administrative law, school discipline, Title IX litigation Background: Carey defends clients throughout Arizona in violent crime and vehicular prosecutions, advocates for professionals in licensing investigations and in board proceedings, and assists companies and governmental entities in conducting internal investigations and litigating white collar and fraud cases.

Trend to watch: “Advances in technology will result in more potential clients — especially those who are not regular consumers of legal services — to rely on technology and Internetdriven tools to identify and select attorneys. Wordof-mouth and traditional marketing is an important part of a practitioner’s marketing strategy and can result in more personalized matches.

Technology, such as bidding for services in the market, will present challenges to more traditional modes of advertising.”

Source of pride: “My biggest point of pride is any opportunity I get to advocate for a client and ensure that he or she is given the full due process of the law. I am humbled each time a client chooses me as his or her advocate.”

in Arizona

2017 Paul Charlton

Partner • Steptoe & Johnson • steptoe.com

Practice areas: Complex litigation, internal investigations, white-collar criminal defense

George C. Chen

Partner • Bryan Cave • bryancave.com

Practice areas: Intellectual property, litigation, licensing, counseling, patent, trademark, copyright, cybersquatting

Joseph T. Clees Shareholder • Ogletree Deakins • ogletreedeakins.com

Practice areas: Labor relations, employment law, litigation

Vaughn A. Crawford Partner • Snell & Wilmer • swlaw.com

Practice areas: Product liability litigation

Thomas H. Curzon

Partner • Osborn Maledon • omlaw.com

Practice areas: Outside general counsel, venture capital, M&A, corporate and securities

Jaime Daddona

Partner • Squire Patton Boggs • squirepattonboggs.com

Practice areas: Corporate, domestic and international M&A, private equity investment, securities offerings and corporate governance

Barbara J. Dawson Partner • Snell & Wilmer • swlaw.com

Practice areas: Business litigation and internal investigations

Kimberly A. Demarchi Partner • Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie • lrrc.com

Practice areas: Civil appeals, litigation of complex matters

William M. Demlong Senior member • The Cavanagh Law Firm • cavanaghlaw.com

Practice areas: Litigation, insurance coverage, bad faith litigation, products liability, personal injury

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AB | March - April 2017

Jennifer Cranston Shareholder • Gallagher & Kennedy • gknet.com Practice areas: Condemnation and valuation, insurance, administrative law, real estate, public utilities, litigation Background: Over the past 15-plus years, Cranston has developed a unique practice, focusing on three distinct areas of the law: condemnation (aka eminent domain), insurance coverage/bad faith analysis and public utility regulation. She says the diverse nature of her practice forces her to be creative, efficient and flexible.

Trend to watch: “The Great Recession forced many clients to make legal decisions based on economic factors, including limiting the use of counsel or selecting the lowest cost legal assistance available.

As the economy recovers, that trend should fade.

I think the next five years will see a return of clients who value quality legal assistance.

While they will continue to be budget conscious, they will understand the benefit of good counsel.”

Source of pride: “I’m an advocate, so I love to feel like I am on the ‘right’ side of an issue.

But, as a professional in a service industry, my greatest source of pride comes from learning that I have provided meaningful assistance to my clients.”

We are proud to salute our attorneys named to the Top Lawyers list by Az Business magazine Winn Sammons Garrick Gallagher Robin Burgess Mark Worischeck Robert Bruno

Civil Litigation Intellectual Property  Personal Injury and Wrongful Death  Business, Construction and Commercial Law  Professional Liability Litigation  Insurance Law and Litigation  

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in Arizona

2017 Pat Derdenger Partner • Steptoe & Johnson • steptoe.com

Practice areas: Federal, state and local tax

John E. DeWulf Partner • Coppersmith Brockelman PLC • cblawyers.com

Practice areas: Commercial litigation

Karen Dickinson Shareholder • Polsinelli • polsinelli.com

Practice areas: Technology, data privacy, intellectual property, international law

John Alan Doran Member • Sherman & Howard • shermanhoward.com

Practice areas: Labor and employment, litigation, trials, appeals

Daniel G. Dowd Partner and president • Cohen Dowd Quigley • cdqlaw.com

Practice areas: Business litigation

Paul F. Eckstein Partner • Perkins Coie • perkinscoie.com

Practice areas: Litigation, appellate, antitrust and unfair competition litigation, political law

Booker T. Evans Partner • Ballard Spahr • ballardspahr.com

Practice areas: Litigation, white collar defense/ internal investigations, commercial litigation, political and election law

James A. Fassold Shareholder • Tiffany & Bosco • tblaw.com

Practice areas: Probate and trust litigation, elder law, guardianship and conservatorships, estate administration

Patrick X. Fowler Partner • Snell & Wilmer • swlaw.com

Practice areas: Product liability litigation

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AB | March - April 2017

William W. Drury, Jr. Senior shareholder • Renaud Cook Drury Mesaros rcdmlaw.com Practice areas: Commercial and business litigation, medical malpractice and healthcare litigation, professional liability litigation Background: Drury is an experienced trial attorney who has practiced law in Arizona for more than 30 years. He has tried more than 100 jury cases to verdict, including multiple high exposure cases annually.

Trend to watch: “Methods of alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation and arbitration, are dramatically reducing the number of cases that go to trial. As a result, the number of trial lawyers with deep courtroom experience will continue to rapidly decline.”

Source of pride: “Throughout my career I have had the privilege of serving clients in many high-profile civil cases. Successfully defending my clients in trial continues to be a significantly rewarding experience, but I’m also very proud of the charitable endeavors in which I have played a leading role. I am an original co-founder of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which over the past 35-plus years, has grown into one of the world’s most recognizable organizations, helping tens of thousands of families each year.”

in Arizona

2017 Leah S. Freed

Office managing shareholder • Ogletree, Deakins • ogletreedeakins.com

Practice areas: Employment law, litigation, healthcare, defense contracting industry

Susan M. Freeman Partner • Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie • lrrlaw.com

Practice areas: Appeals, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, distressed real estate acquisition and management

Jonathan Frutkin Principal • Radix Law • radixlaw.com

Practice areas: Business law, commercial litigation

Martin R. Galbut Managing partner • Galbut & Galbut • galbutlaw.com

Practice areas: Commercial litigation, complex litigation, antitrust litigation, real rstate litigation, employment litigation

Garrick L. Gallagher Owner and director • Sanders & Parks • sandersandparks.com

Practice areas: Complex civil litigation, insurance bad faith, insurance coverage, insurance coverage litigation

Yale F. Goldberg Co-founding partner • Frazer Ryan Goldberg & Arnold • frgalaw.com

Practice areas: Tax controversy, employment taxes, tax litigation

Stacey F. Gottlieb Of counsel • Cohen Dowd Quigley • cdqlaw.com

Practice areas: Complex commercial litigation, white collar criminal defense

Andrew F. Halaby Partner • Snell & Wilmer • swlaw.com

Practice areas: Intellectual property and technology litigation

Michael J. Holden Managing member • Holden Willits • holdenwillits.com

Practice areas: Construction law, construction litigation and commercial litigation

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AB | March - April 2017

Diane M. Haller Partner • Quarles & Brady • quarles.com Practice areas: Real estate, highly complex transactions, land development deals, portfolio transactions Background: As national chair of Quarles & Brady’s Real Estate Practice Group, Haller’s practice includes acquisitions and dispositions, real estate development, leasing, borrower representation and portfolio transactions. She is a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.

Trend to watch: “Within the real estate practice, we can expect a change in the focus of new growth in the next five years, mostly because of the number of retiring Baby Boomers. Mixed-use developments with a blend of urban and suburban amenities, along with an increase in continuum care senior living facilities, will be required to address the needs of this growing population.

The legal community will be presented with a new set of challenges as they work with buyers, sellers and investors.”

Source of pride: “Doing pro bono work, primarily for Habitat for Humanity, where I served for many years on the board of directors, Executive Committee and Advisory Council. Our firm has a strong commitment to providing pro bono legal services in all of our offices.”

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in Arizona

2017 Timothy R. Hyland Senior member • The Cavanagh Law Firm • cavanaghlaw.com

Practice areas: Appellate, insurance coverage, bad faith litigation

Donald G. Isaacson Member • Isaacson & Walsh • iwlawfirm.com

Practice areas: Legislative representation and administrative law matter

Stephen E. Jackson

President • Warner Angle Hallam Jackson & Formanek • warnerangle.com

Practice areas: Construction law, civil litigation, mediation, arbitration, real estate and business transactions

Carolyn J. Johnsen Member • Dickinson Wright • dickinson-wright.com

Practice areas: Bankruptcy restructuring insolvency, bankruptcy litigation, commercial transactions, corporate, mergers and acquisitions

Michael Kennedy Co-founding partner, shareholder • Gallagher & Kennedy • gknet.com

Practice areas: Civil litigation, sports law

Dana M. Levy Member • Dickinson Wright • dickinson-wright.com

Practice areas: Family law, divorce, legal separation, paternity

Amy L. Lieberman

Executive director • Insight Employment Mediation and Insight Mediation Group • insightemployment.com

Practice areas: Alternative dispute resolution (mediation and arbitration)

John F. Lomax, Jr. Partner • Snell & Wilmer • swlaw.com

Practice areas: Labor and employment

Patricio P. Lopez III Senior partner • Rusing Lopez & Lizardi • rllaz.com

Practice areas: Contracts, business formation and corporate governance, acquisition and disposition, commercial property and real estate development, finance, real estate and construction litigation 46

AB | March - April 2017

Jay Kramer Director • Fennemore Craig • fclaw.com Practice areas: Real estate transactions and finance, which includes acquisition, infrastructure financing, entitlements, development and sale, as well as loan workouts, restructuring and enforcement Background: Kramer chairs Fennemore Craig’s Commercial Transactions section. He represents a wide variety of national and local homebuilders, planned community developers, commercial and industrial developers and financial institutions.

Trend to watch: “Technology. Law firms and lawyers that are early adopters and adapt the changes in the marketplace, new technologies, and new practice areas will thrive in this fast-moving environment and will be the industry leaders.

Law firms and lawyers that cannot adapt quickly will lose market share and talent. For example, cybersecurity is a huge business expense for law firms, but is also a new high value practice area for lawyers because of the potential legal exposure to companies and the impact of a cybersecurity breach on a company’s brand. Another example is artificial intelligence.

Law firms that are able to harness the power of AI for legal research, big case litigation, and legal documents will be able to provide superior service, increase productivity, and reduce costs.”

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in Arizona

2017 Partner • Snell & Wilmer • swlaw.com

Mark Ogden

Practice areas: Corporate and securities

Shareholder • Littler Mendelson • littler.com

Daniel M. Mahoney

Jay M. Mann Attorney • Jennings, Strouss & Salmon • jsslaw.com

Practice areas: Construction law, surety law, commercial litigation, arbitration and mediation

Andrea L. Marconi Partner • Thorpe Shwer • thorpeshwer.com

Practice areas: Commercial litigation, business and personal injury tort defense, franchise litigation

Margaret T. McCarthy Managing partner • Renaud Cook Drury Mesaros • rcdmlaw.com

Practice areas: Litigation, insurance, healthcare and medical malpractice

Mark A. McGinnis Member • Salmon, Lewis & Weldon • slwplc.com

Practice areas: Water law, natural resources law, energy and public utility law, environmental litigation

Michael McGrath Shareholder • Mesch Clark Rothschild • mcrazlaw.com

Practice areas: Bankruptcy law, debtor and creditor rights, commercial and real estate litigation and transactions

Patrick J. McGroder, III Shareholder • Gallagher & Kennedy • gknet.com

Practice areas: Plaintiff’s personal injury and wrongful death, professional liability

Phoebe Moffatt Attorney • Sacks Tierney • sackstierney.com

Practice areas: Estate planning, probate and trust administration, guardianship and conservatorship, beneficiary/heir representation, estate and gift tax returns

Pamela Overton Risoleo Shareholder • Greenberg Traurig • gtlaw.com

Practice areas: Commercial litigation, class action defense, cyber and data breach litigation

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AB | March - April 2017

Practice areas: Wage and hour, class actions, discrimination and harassment, litigation and trials, performance management and termination Background: Ogden has litigated more than 600 employment lawsuits to conclusion, including 27 jury trials to verdict. He founded Littler’s Phoenix office in 1996 and served as the office managing partner for 15 years. He was also a member of Littler’s board of directors.

Trend to watch: “In much the same way that they predominate the healthcare industry, insurancerelated issues will become increasingly more common in virtually all areas of employment law litigation in the near future.

In addition, a larger percentage of employment lawsuits will be removed from state and federal courts and resolved by private arbitration.”

Source of pride: “I am most proud of the team that has been built here in the Phoenix office.

Through a careful process of vetting and hiring, the practice has grown from one lawyer into a thriving, successful team of dedicated attorneys. With extensive expertise and experience in employment and labor law, we have some of the best lawyers in Arizona.”

Congratulations to our partner, Andrea Marconi Recognized as one of Arizona’s Top 100 Lawyers

by Az Business magazine Appellate Litigation Business & Commercial Litigation Employment Litigation Financial Services Franchising Litigation Tort Defense Transportation Law

602.682.6100

.

thorpeshwer.com

AB | March - April 2017 49

in Arizona

2017 Rodolfo Parga, Jr. Shareholder • Ryley Carlock & Applewhite • rcalaw.com

Practice areas: Complex commercial litigation and employment litigation

Elizabeth A. Parsons Partner • Farhang & Medcoff • fmazlaw.com

Practice areas: Corporate, finance, private placements, mergers & acquisitions, equity compensation, restructuring

Martha C. Patrick Shareholder • Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A. • bcattorneys.com

Practice areas: Taxation, state and local tax controversy, litigation

Steven Plitt Senior member • The Cavanagh Law Firm • cavanaghlaw.com

Practice areas: Professional liability, litigation, insurance defense, insurance coverage, insurance bad faith

Stephanie Quincy Partner • Quarles & Brady • quarles.com

Practice areas: Labor and employment, trade secrets and unfair competition, financial institutions litigation, trade secrets

Cathy L. Reece Director • Fennemore Craig • fclaw.com

Practice areas: Bankruptcy, creditors’ rights and restructuring; aviation, aerospace and autonomous systems; business litigation, real estate finance and lending

Kristen B. Rosati Partner • Coppersmith Brockelman • cblawyers.com

Practice areas: Health information privacy and security, including HIPAA compliance; health information exchange and data sharing for research and clinical integration initiatives; biobanking and genomic privacy

David B. Rosenbaum Partner • Osborn Maledon • omlaw.com

Practice areas: Complex commercial litigation, securities litigation and intellectual property litigation

Lawrence J. Rosenfeld Senior counsel • Squire Patton Boggs • squirepattonboggs.com

Practice areas: Employment law, litigation, health law and administrative law

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AB | March - April 2017

Cynthia A. Ricketts Co-founding partner • Sacks Ricketts & Case • srclaw.com Practice areas: Complex consumer and employment class action defense, complex commercial litigation matters, arbitration Background: Prior to founding Sacks, Ricketts & Case LLP, Ricketts was the most senior woman partner in the Phoenix office of DLA Piper, the largest global law firm.

Trend to watch: “The emphasis on greater diversity in the workplace (thus on the outside counsel retained) is likely to be such an issue. Companies will focus on the positive impact that diversity in race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, and life experiences can have on the business environment and creative solutions to complex problems. Clients will demand diversity in outside counsel retained by modifying their selection and retention. Relationships may matter less as CEOs, general counsels, and legal departments attempt to keep this significant initiative in the forefront to keep their respective boards and/or executive management teams satisfied.”

Source of pride: “Leaving ‘big law’ and, with two other women partners, starting Sacks, Ricketts & Case. It has been a challenge and a true adventure, but an extremely rewarding experience as our vision has become a reality.”

Littler would like to congratulate, Shareholder

Mark Ogden Named one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona.

We are proud to call you one of our own.

Mark Ogden

Shareholder 602.474.3601 | mogden@littler.com Camelback Esplanade 2425 East Camelback Road | Suite 900 Phoenix, AZ 85016

littler.com

SAME FIRM, NEW NAME. THE FRUTKIN LAW FIRM IS NOW RADIX LAW.

The word Radix in Latin means “root”: the root of a tree, the root of knowledge, or the root of a number.

Our new name reflects our values. We are a business law firm that knows the law, helps our clients pursue opportunities and deal with challenges, and we are rooted right here in Arizona.

15205 N. Kierland Blvd., Suite 200 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Phone: (602) 606-9300 radixlaw.com

AB | March - April 2017 51

in Arizona

2017 Robert A. Royal Shareholder • Tiffany & Bosco • tblaw.com

Practice areas: Business divorce, business solutions, civil and commercial litigation, director and officer liability, insurance law, intra-company disputes, product liability

Winn L. Sammons Shareholder and director • Sanders & Parks • sandersparks.com

Practice areas: Alternative dispute resolution (mediation and arbitration)

Brian J. Schulman Shareholder • Greenberg Traurig • gtlaw.com

Practice areas: Litigation, securities litigation and regulation, financial services litigation, financial regulatory and compliance, mediation

Nicole Stanton Phoenix office managing partner • Quarles & Brady • quarles.com

Practice areas: Litigation and dispute resolution, franchise and distribution, professional malpractice, higher education, appellate

Christopher D. Thomas Partner • Perkins Coie • perkinscoie.com

Practice areas: Environmental litigation and environmental counseling

David C. Tierney Partner • Sacks Tierney • sackstierney.com

Practice areas: Civil litigation, construction law, arbitration and mediation

Jeffrey H. Verbin Shareholder • Greenberg Traurig • gtlaw.com

Practice areas: Real estate, commercial lending and workouts, financial institutions, sports and entertainment

Debora L. Verdier

Partner • Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester • manningllp.com

Practice areas: Employment law, professional liability

E. Jeffrey Walsh Shareholder • Greenberg Traurig • gtlaw.com

Practice areas: Commercial and business litigation. construction law

52

AB | March - April 2017

Wendi A. Sorensen Shareholder • Burch & Cracchiolo • bcattorneys.com Practice areas: Litigation, insurance, catastrophic injury Background: Sorensen is a senior member of the firm’s litigation division. Certified as a personal injury and wrongful death specialist by the State Bar of Arizona, her practice includes the defense of catastrophic injury and death cases. She has been recognized among Arizona’s Finest Lawyers, Southwest Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, and has been selected as one of the Top 25 women attorneys in Arizona three times in the last four years.

Trend to watch: “Effectiveness and economy in the practice of law is the most important trend in our area of practice.

We believe our best service to our client is to get to the heart of the critical issues of disagreement immediately and identify the most expeditious route to resolution.”

Source of pride: “I feel a great deal of pride that my colleagues in the legal profession know they can take me at my word and can trust that I will work toward the resolution of the litigation in a gentlemanly manner.”

Burch & Cracchiolo 2017 Top 100 Lawyers honorees

Ed Bull

Land Use & Zoning

Wendi Sorensen Personal Injury & Wrongful Death Law

Andy Abraham Real Estate Law & Litigation

Martha Patrick Tax Controversy

Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A. 702 E. Osborn Rd., Suite 200 Phoenix, AZ 85014 602.274.7611

in Arizona

2017

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AB | March - April 2017 53

in Arizona

2017 Paul M. Weiser

Shareholder • Buchalter Nemer • buchalter.com

Practice areas: Real estate purchases and sales, receiverships

Scott K. Weiss

Attorney • Weiss Brown • weissbrown.com

Practice areas: Corporate, securities, financing, mergers & acquisitions, venture capital, start-up and emerging businesses

Nancy L. White

Partner • Steptoe & Johnson • steptoe.com

Practice areas: Corporate, securities and finance, property

Donald Wilson, Jr.

Shareholder • Broening Oberg Woods & Wilson • bowwlaw.com

Practice areas: Legal malpractice defense and respondent’s disciplinary defense

Lori Winkelman

Partner • Quarles & Brady • quarles.com

Practice areas: Bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors’ rights; jet fuel consortiums; banking and financial institutions; tribal law

Susan M. Wissink

Director • Fennemore Craig • fclaw.com

Practice areas: Business and finance, emerging business and technologies, government procurement

Terrence P. Woods

Shareholder • Broening, Oberg, Woods & Wilson • bowwlaw.com

Practice areas: Insurance, healthcare, professional liability, appellate, alternative dispute resolution, personal injury

Mark G. Worischeck

Managing shareholder • Sanders & Parks • sandersandparks.com

Practice areas: Insurance coverage, aviation, personal injury

Kurt M. Zitzer

Partner • Meagher & Geer • meagher.com

Practice areas: Insurance coverage, commercial litigation, professional liability

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AB | March - April 2017

Lawrence Wilk Shareholder • Jaburg & Wilk • jaburgwilk.com Practice areas: Bankruptcy, creditor’s rights, workouts, financial fraud, in-house counsel program, real estate, foreclosure, administrative law Background: For more than three decades, Wilk has practiced law in Arizona. He has expertise in receiverships, financial fraud, multi-level marketing, Ponzi schemes, bankruptcy litigation, workouts and commercial foreclosure. Wilk is an AV-rated attorney and been named a Super Lawyer and Best Lawyer in Bankruptcy and Creditor/ Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. He is an adjunct Professor at ASU Law School and on the board for Child Crisis Center.

Trend to watch: “The new administration in Washington.

We are anticipating significant changes in both laws and regulations over the next four years.”

Source of pride: “Building a successful law firm which has grown from a handful of attorneys to being the 25th largest firm in Phoenix. Our culture is unique. We provide outstanding legal service and provide both means and opportunity for all of our employees to give back to our community.”

Litigation is not simply a part of our practice.

Litigation is our practice. ________________________________________________

Renaud Cook Drury Mesaros congratulates William Drury and Margaret McCarthy, who were named among the Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona. ________________________________________________ William Drury

Margaret McCarthy, RN, JD

602.256.3012 wdrury@rcdmlaw.com

602.256.3013 mmccarthy@rcdmlaw.com

SHAREHOLDER

SHAREHOLDER

Renaud Cook Drury Mesaros is a litigation firm with more than 30 trial lawyers serving clients across the insurance, construction, healthcare, hospitality and transportation industries. Our attorneys have been committed to legal problem solving and excellence in litigation in state and federal courts for more than 60 years.

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AB | March - April 2017

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION - ARIZONA SUMMIT LAW SCHOOL - DESIGNED TO BE DIFFERENT DESIGNED FOR YOU - SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

A MISSION OF SOCIAL UTILITY

From Humble Beginnings Two decades ago, President Don Lively sought to create a law school centered upon practice-readiness and diversity.

Finding no university willing to support such a mission, he pooled his savings and some loans with a group of small investors to establish a fully accredited law school in Florida. This institution established the template for Summit which, contrary to many preconceived notions, was organized not on the basis of profit but purpose.

More Than Meets the Eye The concept for what became Arizona Summit Law School (Summit) originated

a leading role in diversifying the nation’s

a law school can do both. Another norm

least diverse white collar profession.

that we challenge is the prioritization

Summit’s mission is to establish a benchmark of inclusive excellence, providing opportunity for persons who, because of

background,

status,

or

historical

disadvantage may have limited access to legal education. Although organized on a proprietary basis, it is a sense of mission that brought Summit into existence. Its unusual birthing owes to the fact that originators of the model could not find a traditional university to support a mission of inclusiveness and opportunity that would take priority over rankings.

of law school rankings. An emphasis on rankings comes at the expense of diversity, faculty engagement with students, innovation and access for many students who have the potential to become successful lawyers. Given Summit’s mission, faculty engagement, accessibility and academic support are critical to student success. Toward these ends, the school offers a curriculum delivered by professors who include former judges and practicing lawyers. Consistent with an emphasis upon practice-readiness, Summit has an extensive array of clinics and externships.

with legal educators who saw the need

A common perspective in legal education

The curriculum and academic support

for a law school that would offer an

is that a law school should train students

programs are particular focal points for

educational experience aligned with a

to think like a lawyer rather than how to

continuous improvement.

rapidly changing legal profession and play

practice law. Summit’s philosophy is that

CSummit l a rAlumna issa Estrada Judicial Law Clerk Arizona Court of Appeals

“I chose Summit because of its student-focused mission pillars and the school’s dedication to equipping students with the ability to serve others. Summit has always strived to provide students with multiple resources. Success depends on how each student best utilizes those resources.

My experience at Summit was a great one.”

Awards for D i v e r s i t y & I n n o vat i o n

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION - ARIZONA SUMMIT LAW SCHOOL - DESIGNED TO BE DIFFERENT DESIGNED FOR YOU - SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Summit has earned awards for its diversity and innovation and has been named by one publication as the number one law school for diversity. Although its first-time bar pass rate has declined over the past two years, it has invested significant resources in strengthening its performance. For instance, those students who need more time to ready themselves for the bar examination, Summit has established a Legal

Residency

Model.

This

12-month

program, patterned after medical residency programs,

places

graduates

in

law

or

law-related jobs and affords them more time to prepare for the bar examination.

This year, Summit has subsidized these positions in the amount of $36,000 annually per student.

Henry Ramsey, Jr., former Dean at Howard Law School and a charter member of our

A Work in Progress

National Policy Board, made the point that

Summit is not without its critics and detractors.

law schools must operate more inclusively if

Much of the criticism has been a function

law is to become a more diverse profession.

of stereotyped perceptions of a proprietary

Dean Ramsey, who contributed to develop-

law school, which have been exacerbated by

ment of Summit’s educational model, noted

recent declines in the school’s bar examination

among other things the need for more flexible

performance. Generally, persons who have

admission standards due to group differences

an opportunity to view Summit close-up

in performance of standardized tests. At a time

leave with a positive sense of what we aim to

when the nation rapidly is becoming more

accomplish. Although acknowledging that its

diverse, little has changed in the legal profes-

recent bar examination performance has been

sion’s demographic composition. Summit itself

deficient, Summit has invested in people and

is in a state where 40% of its population but

programs to facilitate improvement. The school

only 8% of the legal profession are composed

has one of the lowest student loan default

of minorities. Within this context, schools like

rates in the country (1.2%) and, attesting to the

ours play a critical role of social utility.

quality of its program, Arizona State University last year accepted 22% of Summit’s first year

Into the Future

class as transfer students. Consistent with a

Notwithstanding these realities, Summit is

belief in transparency and informed judgment,

sensitive to the fact that many persons are

Summit is candid and upfront with prospective

uneasy with proprietary education. Because

students and others not only about the school’s

mission has primacy, the school is working to

strengths but about those areas that need

achieve not-for-profit status in partnership

improvements.

with a university and in accordance with all regulatory requirements. The plan is to make the school smaller and stronger. None of these changes will come at the expense of Summit’s founding purpose. Rather, they will position the school to be even more successful in pursuing its mission of relevance to today’s legal profession and effectiveness in helping to diversify the legal profession and providing opportunity.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION - ARIZONA SUMMIT LAW SCHOOL - DESIGNED TO BE DIFFERENT DESIGNED FOR YOU - SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Since 2012, Summit has provided over 87,000 pro bono hours to the community.

Summit’s mission of serving the under served extends beyond the classroom to our communities by providing legal services and support through pro bono and clinical programs. Since 2012, Summit has provided over 87,000 pro bono hours to the community.

Through these clinics, our students provide representation to clients under the supervision of a licensed attorney and have the opportunity to interview clients, conduct legal research, write memorandums, draft pleadings, assist clients with court forms and interview witnesses.

Summit offers 12 clinics o n a r o tat i n g b a s i s .

AMERICAN INDIAN WILLS CLINIC BANKRUPTCY CLINIC DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CLINIC MEDIATION CLINIC FAMILY LAW CLINIC HUMAN SERVICES CAMPUS/HOMELESSNESS CLINIC IMMIGRATION CLINIC INTERVIEWING AND COUNSELING CLINIC CONTRACTS II CLINIC & PRACTICUM POST-CONVICTION RELIEF CLINIC

Our legal clinics embrace the following

MISSION PILLARS

FIRST CHAIR ACCOUNTABILITY EMPOWERMENT VIA JUSTICE SERVING UNDERSERVED TEAMWORK INNOVATION PROBLEM SOLVING

VETERAN’S LEGAL CLINIC

SERVING THE NEEDS OF A DIVERSE COMMUNITY Summit Legal Clinic celebrates its community partners, with whom it collaborates to serve the community and address the access-to-justice gap. These partners include:

x Andre House Legal Assistance Program x Bureau of Indian Affairs x City of Chandler x City of Phoenix x Human Services Campus x Lodestar Day Resource Center x Maricopa County Justice Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Program x Wills For Heroes x Salvation Army Elim House Domestic Violence Shelter x Save the Family of Mesa, a program for the homeless

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION - ARIZONA SUMMIT LAW SCHOOL - DESIGNED TO BE DIFFERENT DESIGNED FOR YOU - SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Diversity 2017 Ranked #1 in Diversity by Pre-Law magazine

2016

Received the 2016 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine Ranked #11 on the list of Most Diverse Law Schools in the spring 2016 edition of Pre-Law magazine

2015

Received the 2015 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine

2016 FUN FACTS

Named to the 2015 Most Diverse Law School’s List with an A+ rating

by The National Jurist magazine

male vs. female YEAR 45% 55%

2012

In 2016,8 out of 10 students were full-time

Named to the 2012 Most Diverse & Most Innovative Law School’s List

2009

AGE range

2010-2011

Awarded Student Diversity Matters Award by Law School Admissions Council (LSAC)

Innovation Named to the 2013 Most Innovative Law School’s List by National Jurist magazine

2012

Awarded American School & University Educational Interiors Showcase Award for new facility design

2008-2009

E. Smythe Gambrell Award (General Practice Skills Course)

20-65

TOTAL Enrollment

386

FULL-TIME STUDENTS

291

PART-TIME DAY STUDENTS

2013

Received Bronze Key Award from American Bar Association

MALE/FEMALE RATIO

2016 ACADEMIC YearC

Most Diverse Faculty Award

by Princeton Review

American Bar Association 2015

AGE RANGE

PRO

95

applications

641

new students

88

BONO

Since 2012, Summit has provided over 87,000 pro bono hours to the community.

48,900 Externship Hours

HANDS ON PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

(2015-2016)

EAST VALLEY UPDATE

Rising in the East Technology drives economy and thrives in Phoenix’s East Valley

A

who had the vision to make an rizona’s early commitment to building a technology sector is on technology-centric community. the rise and has been When people talk about recognized on a national Arizona’s technology sector, big-name players like Apple, level for its rapid Intel, Amkor, Air Products, growth. More and more technology companies Microchip, Honeywell, Orbital are locating to the Valley ATK and Boeing are often like never before and mentioned. These companies others are being launched Steven G. Zylstra and others chose to locate here, seemingly every in the East Valley, in part, Technology because of the economic week. A big contributor landscape created there, and much of it to this growth is the emergence of the East Valley of Phoenix’s Metropolitan area began because of the early formation of the as a host/technology hub. Credit for this East Valley Partnership. transformation is due to East Valley leaders The East Valley Partnership is a coalition

of civic, business, educational and political leaders from Apache Junction, Chandler, Florence, Fountain Hills, Gila River Indian Community, Gilbert, Mesa, Queen Creek, Salt River Pima- Maricopa Indian Community, Scottsdale, Tempe and Pinal County dedicated to the economic development and promotion of the East Valley of Greater Phoenix.

Some of the cities that are part of that partnership worked with East Valley’s technology entrepreneurs to bring some of the first co-working spaces to Arizona.

These innovative initiatives sprung from the desire to help startups utilize shared resources and grow their businesses together. Organizations such as Chandler’s AB | March - April 2017 65

EAST VALLEY UPDATE Gangplank and Innovations Incubator, Mac6 in Tempe, and THINKspot in Mesa became a major factor in supporting the growth of a strong technology community and helped establish Arizona’s more than 20 co-working spaces available in Greater Phoenix today.

The East Valley has also enjoyed a plethora of leaders who have supported the growth of the technology community. Roc Arnett, who retired in 2015 after 13 years with the East Valley partnership, oversaw a spectacular transformation of the area into an economic powerhouse. This included a rebranding campaign aimed at attracting new industry projects that will positively affect the growth of communities for years to come. John Lewis, former mayor of Gilbert, left his post as mayor to take over for Arnett in 2015 as the CEO and President of the East Valley Partnership.

Lewis has continued Arnett’s work of focusing on technology, education, and a positive brand for the East Valley.

Community leaders like Scott Smith and Christine Mackay also helped pave the way for a thriving technology community. Smith, the former mayor of Mesa, introduced the HEAT (Healthcare, Education, Aerospace, Tourism, and Technology) initiative. HEAT formed the foundation for several economic successes, including Mesa’s tremendous success in aerospace. Smith was also a pivotal figure in bringing Wilkes University, Benedictine University, Upper Iowa University and Albright College to Mesa.

Christine Mackay, City of Phoenix

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AB | March - April 2017

community and economic development director, was a pivotal figure in the East Valley’s technology sector when she served as the City of Chandler Economic development director. During her time in Chandler, more than 150 businesses expanded or located to Chandler, representing more than $6 billion in capital investment and 22,000 new jobs for the East Valley city. Mackay also opened and managed the “Innovations Technology” incubator, which is home to many early stage companies.

Arizona State University (ASU) headquartered in Tempe, has been a major source for educating and building a strong entrepreneurial atmosphere for students and young professionals. Its programs and infrastructure such as the ASU-Draper University Entrepreneurship Incubator Program, InnovationSpace, ASU School of Innovation in Society, and more have helped to cultivate a strong entrepreneurial spirit in its students.

Tempe is also home to the University of Advancing Technology (UAT), a school at the forefront of developing academic programs in important fields such as network security, robotics, embedded systems and game development. Many of their students have gone on to start their own companies or be recruited by some of the top technology firms in the Valley.

The wealth of East Valley technologyconscious leaders and organizations has led to a strong atmosphere of innovation, prosperity, and a common goal. In addition to some of the world’s largest technology

giants, the East Valley has attracted numerous data centers like CyrusOne and Digital Realty. Their presence adds to the region’s already diversified technology sectors that includes software, semiconductors and electronics, aerospace, aviation, and defense.

Today, the East Valley has the infrastructure to support increased growth, an incredibly skilled pool of talent to fuel new technology jobs and great educational institutions. Schools ranging from K-12 and post-secondary institutions such as the Self Development Academy and the East Valley Institute of Technology in Mesa, Basis Chandler in Chandler, Gilbert Classical Academy in Gilbert, and ASU and UAT in Tempe will continue to fill the pipeline of talent for years to come. To keep young talent living in the East Valley long after graduation, the region also offers a wonderful work/life balance with appealing property values and great recreation.

With its continued focus on building the technology community, the East Valley is well-equipped to continue bringing in large technology companies. But the most exciting prospect for this region is to see what our native Arizonan entrepreneurs will accomplish with their own startups. One thing is certain: the East Valley is a technology hub built on the strength of leaders working together for the prosperity of all.

Steven G. Zylstra is president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, where he is responsible for strategy, operations, and accomplishment of policy development.

INTEL INSIDE AMAZING EXPERIENCES OUTSIDE Intel is proud to support the Arizona Technology Council in driving the advancement of the technology industry statewide.

Intel has invested more than $20 billion in high-tech manufacturing capacity in Arizona. Currently, Arizona is playing a critical role in Intel’s autonomous vehicles strategy positioning the state as a leader in this new emerging industry. Intel is committed to applying technology and the talents of our employees to improve our local community. Together we can inspire the next generation of innovators.

To learn more about Intel’s impact in Arizona visit: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/corporate-responsbility/ intel-in-arizona.html

Copyright © 2017 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

EAST VALLEY UPDATE

Road to success The evolution of transportation in the PHX East Valley has helped drive the region

By BAYNE FRONEY

I

n the past, Valley residents would drive their own personal vehicles on the very limited number of freeways available to them.

Now, anyone can get anywhere quickly with the enhancements of freeways, bus systems, on-demand services, the light rail and much more.

The evolution of transportation in the PHX East Valley has helped drive the region. Over the past 10 years, bus systems have grown and the creation of the light rail system has connected Phoenix to the East Valley, allowing for more movement and growth.

The opening of the light rail, bike lanes and bus systems has also catered to different modes of transportation. According to Ram Pendyala, a professor at the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University, different forms of transportation —

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AB | March - April 2017

such as public transit, biking, on-demand services and walking — has been greatly impacted by the younger generation.

When Mike Hutchinson, senior business advisor for East Valley Partnership, moved to Mesa 40 years ago, “the cities were all growing.” There was a need for more freeways and ways of transporting the mass amount of people moving into the Valley.

In 1985, the freeways were funded and expanded, allowing for large businesses to rise and build.

“When you look at the surface streets of the freeway, they bring connectivity,” says John Lewis, president and CEO of East Valley Partnership. “And connectivity brings business and the ability to interact with others and then to have workers.”

Transportation has improved drastically in the past 30 years in the Valley, but there are even more possibilities for the future.

What’s coming?

“In the east part of the East Valley where there is vacant land, there are plans of putting in major corridors of roadway that will also allow future residents and businesses to come into that area,” Lewis says.

With a growing population, transportation has to keep up in order to allow for more business and people to help the economy thrive.

The one issue facing all transportation plans is safety. The majority of fatal car accidents are from human error, according to Jack Sellers, former facilities manager for the General Motors Desert Proving Ground in Mesa who was appointed in 2014 by Gov. Jan Brewer to a six-year term on the Arizona State Transportation Board. Sellers says self-driving cars have been a hot topic for years and may be closer than we think. What impact will they have on safety?

“Self-driving vehicles and intelligent traffic management is going to make a huge difference in the way we handle traffic,” Sellers says. “We should be able to handle a lot more capacity on our road system with intelligent vehicles or intelligent traffic management systems.”

Not only are self-driven vehicles a possibility in the near future, but so are electric vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles. Pendyala believes that environmentally friendly cars will continue to make progress.

“The market adaptation of these vehicles will only increase as the price barrier as the cost to own and operate these vehicles continues to fall,” Pendyala says. “As the options available in the market expand. I think we are also seeing a greater, perhaps inclination,

towards using alternative modes of transportation especially amongst the younger generation.”

Building on success Even with new technologies, improvement of what is already in use will also develop and improve.

According to Hutchinson, there will be more improvements to the freeways, investment in the bus system and expansion to the light rail corridors within the next 10 years.

A rail from Phoenix to Tucson has been in the process of planning, according to Laura Douglas, community relations project manager at the Arizona Department of Transportation.

“The rail study is part of the department’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, which outlines transportation options that could help meet the demands for future growth and travel throughout Arizona,” Douglas says.

Any further movement of a rail connecting Phoenix to Tucson would need funding and support from policymakers and the public.

With constant growth of businesses and families, transportation needs to grow with it, especially in the technology-driven future. Yet it is a hard sell to convince people to spend money to develop and improve transportation. The future could contain self-driving cars, smoother roads and even drones, but the only way to maintain the growth of the Valley is to support transportation.

“The thing that I think people overlook is that infrastructure is really a major component in our economy for moving commerce,” Sellers says.

Laura Douglas

Ram Pendyala

Jack Sellers

Public transportation TEMPE

TEMPE

MESA

GILBERT

CHANDLER

P

ublic transportation in the PHX East Valley is provided by Valley Metro regional transit service, offering bus and light rail routes, as well as car and vanpool programs.

The light rail network, which began in 2008, now serves both Tempe and Mesa. Light rail ridership has been strong since its inception, demonstrating that the region is

receptive to alternate forms of transportation. Here is the percent of PHX East Valley population within walking distance (half-mile) to a public transit stop:

Tempe: 100 percent Mesa: 74 percent Chandler: 67 percent Gilbert: 49 percent

AB | March - April 2017 69

EAST VALLEY UPDATE

TOP OF THE

CLASS East Valley Partnership boosts business through education

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AB | March - April 2017

“What better way to invest in our community than through the education and partnership of local students who have the affinity and aptitude to positively impact our industry in the future. Training high-school students and then retaining our talented youth through exciting career opportunities and valuable mentorship is the right thing to do from a community and economic standpoint.”

Craig Krumwiede, CEO, Harvard Investments

By MADISON ARNOLD

B

y establishing a tangible link between business and education, the East Valley has continued to grow and improve its residents’ quality of life.

Leading the way has been East Valley Partnership, which is helping the region maximize every minute it has with students amid funding challenges. The group also hopes to change negative perceptions and build an attractive workforce for potential employers.

“The East Valley Partnership is a coalition of business, educational, civic and political leaders from the cities and towns within the East Valley,” says Michael Cowan, the superintendent of Mesa Public Schools and a member of the board of directors for East Valley Partnership. “The organization is committed to the development and promotion of the East Valley and advocate in areas like economic development, education, transportation and other important areas.”

East Valley Partnership’s efforts to improve education are split into two teams: • The East Valley Think Tank (EVTT), a tiered committee that includes both educators and business leaders who are interested in education topics and have a passion for continuing and expanding educational excellence in the region and state; • And the education business committee, which involves both education and business leaders working together to promote better education, because it helps deliver increased economic development and overall quality of life improvement.

“As such, a great deal of discussion and work is underway to ensure we have healthy and productive connections between our organizations, affording students clear and viable pathways to academic success and employment options and opportunities,” according to Marianne Rexer, a professor at Wilkes University and a member of the board of directors at East Valley Partnership. “This work, in turn, supports and advances the overall objectives of the East Valley Partnership.”

John Lewis has seen this impact of education on economic development from two sides — first as the mayor of Gilbert and now as president and CEO of East Valley Partnership.

“Part of our mission is, when appropriate, we are advocates,” Lewis says. “One of the best ways to drive a good business economy, where people love to come and live and plant seeds, is education.”

When trying to attract or grow business, East Valley Partnership emphasizes the quality of the school districts in the area.

“The East Valley hosts some of the highest performing and well-

regarded educational systems in the state,” Rexer says. “As such, we strive to build upon our strengths and create even stronger systems to better address the diverse learning needs of all the students we serve.”

The progress the East Valley has seen in educating students stems from the overriding goal to educate residents and leaders about issues that face the community and then talking with legislative and civic leaders about ways to solve the potential problems or issue.

“We try to be an advocate and then link people together who may want to work on an issue,” says Mike Hutchinson, senior business advisor for East Valley Partnership.

Government initiatives such as Gov. Doug Ducey’s Achieve 60 AZ set goals for the state. This initiative wants to see 60 percent of those ages 25 or older hold a bachelor’s degree or higher or a professional certificate by the year 2030. The East Valley is already on its way. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 36 percent of East Valley residents ages 25 or older heave earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, much higher than the national average of 29 percent. And to show the future looks bright, of the Top 21 high schools in Arizona, seven are in the PHX East Valley and one of the Top 15 most challenging high schools in the nation is in PHX East Valley.

“The governor’s office did reach out to East Valley Partnership, knowing we would be an organization that could help build momentum in the state,” Lewis says. “We have been actively involved in the Achieve 60 AZ initiative.”

The East Valley Partnership advocates for state programs and works with the community to achieve the goals outlined.

Lewis says that if East Valley Partnership takes a position on an issue or initiative that carries weight, it’s because there is a large group of people that have discussed the issue and have come to a conclusion that will benefit the East Valley.

“Part of being in a partnership is to advocate for all the education assets, including higher education,” Lewis says. “The partnership would be telling a story of all these educational assets and how they help through an improved quality of life in the East Valley and how they help impact economic development from outside Arizona. We try to bring to light all those assets and how valuable they are to this region.”

The assets that are driving educational excellence in the East Valley include Arizona State University, which tops the list of “most innovative schools” in a report released by U.S. News & World Report; the East Valley Institute of Technology; and the AB | March - April 2017 71

EAST VALLEY UPDATE region’s nationally ranked Maricopa County Community College District. In addition to institutions, innovative programs like the Students Participate in App Resources and Knowledge (SPARK App) League are building an educated workforce. The goal of SPARK App League is to give high school students the opportunity to develop mobile applications that incorporate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The program was created by the Town of Gilbert in partnership with ASU’s Ira A. Fulton

Michael Cowan

Doug Ducey

Mike Hutchinson

John Lewis

Marianne Rexer 72

“Boeing has a strategic community focus to increase teacher effectiveness in math and science and to attract more students into STEM-related careers Schools of Engineering and Google. Businesses are also creating innovative educational opportunities for students.

“Boeing has a strategic community focus to increase teacher effectiveness in math and science and to attract more students into STEM-related careers,” says Mary Baldwin, Arizona community investor for Boeing Global Corporate Citizenship. “The Engineering is Elementary program provides teachers and students a greater understanding of engineering and it accomplishes that in a fun, interactive way. Our goal is to interest students in engineering at an early age and increase the number of scientists and engineers for Arizona’s future workforce.”

Other high-tech companies have taken notice of the East Valley’s educated workforce. Two companies that are providing jobs to the workforce coming out of the East Valley are Orbital ATK and Intel. Orbital ATK is based in Chandler with operations in Gilbert and Mesa and Intel recently announced that it plans to bring 3,000 jobs to Chandler, according to Hutchinson.

“Businesses make location decisions based on a variety of factors, but one on the top of the list will be the ability of their employees to live in a good place with good schools,” says Hutchinson. “When businesses make that very important choice, education is at the top of the list.”

The East Valley Partnership pairs business with education, with the goal of not simply educating the youth to become more productive and influential members of society down the road, but by building a better education system to attract businesses to the region.

“The members of the East Valley Partnership understand that a better educated society can influence everyone’s lives,” Rexer says. “The leaders have worked hard to make sure every member is educated on the benefits of an educated society. It reduces poverty, increases income and boosts economic growth.”

AB | March - April 2017

BUSINESS BOOSTS EDUCATION Here are some of the ways businesses are boosting education in the PHX East Valley: • The Boeing Company funds Engineering is Elementary, benefiting 530 teachers, 66 schools and 16,875 students • APS donated $2.9 million to Arizona STEM education programs • Intel employees, Intel Foundation and Intel Corp. collectively donated $10.5 million in grants to Arizona Schools and clocked in more than 161,000 hours of volunteer efforts

2017

With so much to see and do in Glendale & Arizona’s West Valley, you might want to plan your vacation in

Alphabetical Order:

Antiquing

Brews & Brats

Chocolate

Dog Parks

Events & Festivals

Family Fun

Golfing

History-Sahuaro Ranch

In-flight

Jet Skiing

Kayaking

Lodging

Music & Concerts

Nightlife

Outstanding Culture

Poolside

Quiet Nights

Rugged Outdoors

Shopping

Theatre

Urban Excitement

Vivid Vistas

Waterpark

Xeriscape Garden

Yummy

Call or visit us online and we’ll help you plan the perfect vacation from

Zoo

Glendale Visitor Center 5800 W. Glenn Dr., Suite 140, Glendale, AZ 877. 800.2601 • 623.930.4500 visitglendale.com • #VisitGlendaleAZ

A Z to

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VISIT GLENDALE

impact Game-changing

History and progress put the West Valley at the top of the tourism trade

By ERIN THORBURN

I

f Glendale is going gangbusters (which it is), then the West Valley as a whole is even more gregarious in growth and opportunity. To what does our southwestern state owe for this westward expansion? It’s perhaps not so much “what” as “who.”

Say hello to Lorraine Zomok, director of Visit Glendale. Zomok doesn’t just promote Glendale; she lives, eats and breathes it.

As a 46-year resident, currently living in Glendale’s oldest historic home (built in 1918), Zomok has the happy responsibility and honor of perpetuating the promotion of Glendale and 14 neighboring cities that make up the West Valley. It’s a duty for which she takes great pride, and it shows.

Within the last three years, Glendale has been host to show-stoppers like the Super Bowl, the College Football Playoff National Championship and this year’s Final Four – and these are just the headliners.

Visit Glendale is largely responsible for solidifying these prestigious events, in addition to bringing in more and more visitors, conferences and overall hospitality and economic vitality to one of the most rapidly growing areas of Greater Phoenix.

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Az Business sat down with Zomok to discuss her passion, dedication and charisma in honoring and elevating a vision created by early West Valley pioneers and one that continues today.

Az Business: Glendale has hosted the three biggest events in sports over the last three years. What kind of impact has this had on the West Valley?

Lorraine Zomok: These large-scale events

not only impact Glendale, but the entire state.

The University of Phoenix Stadium has been a true host for Super Bowls, Fiesta Bowls and now the Final Four. It really changes and elevates the face of our city. Thinking about where the stadium is now was once farm fields is fascinating. We’ve seen amazing progress in witnessing a farming community continue to grow into a premiere sports and entertainment destination.

I’m proud to see how much we’ve grown, while still staying true to our roots. I take our 100 years of progress very seriously, continuing to perpetuate a vision that began with pioneers of this area in the late 19th Century. I see great things ahead for the West Valley.

Glendale is proud to usher 14 West Valley communities into the next century.

AB: The Cactus League has a strong presence in the West Valley. What are the scope of benefits this has and continues to bring to your industry?

LZ: Spring training is our version

of Super Bowl every March. It’s our favorite time of year. We host spring training teams for the entire Valley of the Sun. People come from all over the country to enjoy games, most all of which are west of 1-17, from here in Glendale, to Surprise, Peoria and Maryvale.

In Glendale, we roll out the red carpet for our spring training fans. We receive the most passionate visitors, who love nothing more than to cheer on their home teams.

As to how spring training affects tourism, we experience the highest occupancy for the month for March. It’s not surprising considering that there are 30-plus days of games. A game only lasts a few hours, which leaves a lot of time for visitors to take advantage of our cultural offerings, shops, restaurants, museums and historic downtown areas.

Of course, our residents take in a game or two, but we can always be prideful about showing off our state to visitors.

LORRAINE ZOMOK: “We showcase all 14 communities in the West Valley,” says the manager of Visit Glendale.

“The visitor coming in doesn’t know that one side of an avenue is Glendale and the other side is a different city. They are looking at us as a whole and we can sell the region as a package. Strength truly does come in numbers.”

PHOTO BY MIKE MERTES, AZ BIG MEDIA

AB: Have there been any recent tax initiatives specific to the West Valley to foster and encourage tourism?

LZ: In 2010, city hoteliers requested that

an additional bed tax be implemented for the City of Glendale. With 1.6 percent of all funds going directly to Visit Glendale, the tax became a complete change agent for us. It solidified our standing as a tourism entity.

Since 2012, we’ve adopted a more global focus. We have added a national sales division, hired an individual to completely oversee digital and social content and been able to target meeting planners and trade business.

As a result of the bed tax, we’ve seen nearly a 20 percent increase in gross hotel sales from 2014 to 2015. For us, it’s shown that investment in tourism absolutely pays off. It’s also reiterated the importance of partnership.

Through challenges in the economy, national disasters and legislation issues, partnership has made us a strong region. We roll up our sleeves as a West Valley community – what’s good for Glendale is good for Buckeye, Peoria and all of our other cities.

AB: What would you consider to be the West Valley’s best-kept secret?

LZ: Personally, I would say Sahuaro Ranch.

It’s one of our original ranches in Glendale and a national register building. As far as the

history, architecture and ambiance, there’s nothing like it in the world. It definitely feels like stepping back in time. Families often picnic there and it’s a popular destination for hosting weddings and events.

AB: What makes the West Valley unique in comparison with Metro Phoenix, the East Valley, etc.?

LZ: We are authentic and real . In the

morning, you can visit a historic downtown and in the afternoon be cheering with tens of thousands of sports fans, and by evening climb a mountain.

One thing unique to the West Valley is our historic downtowns. Downtown Peoria, for example, has beautiful churches and theaters and an overall historic ambiance that reflects authenticity and connectedness to our West Valley roots.

The same can be said for Wickenburg with its Old West feel, and Litchfield Park’s iconic Wigwam Resort that comes with 75plus years of history.

These are things you can’t replicate.

Time, care and attention come from local residents who value and support these downtown areas. Now, we can share them with worldwide audiences traveling to our area for special events.

AB: With three impressive mega events within three years, what’s next for Glendale?

LZ: For Visit Glendale, it’s growth, capitalizing

on the faith that West Valley tourism has put in us through funding and partnership.

In tourism, we’ll see a new hotel in Westgate (projected for March), while we continue to build the piece of our pie on the convention side. We’re upping our efforts to capture travel trade and to engage meeting planners to put us top of mind for major tourism and events.

One event we’re excited about: is the “Kiss Me I’m Irish Run.” It’s a half-marathon that will bring people in from all over. We added a kilt run on St. Patrick’s day in an effort to break the current Canadian-held world record of the most people wearing a kilt in a race.

We are also big on giving back, so we have several events with a charity component. Operation Woman Warriors, sponsored by the Soroptimist International of the Kachinas, collects supplies for female deployed military. Treats for Troops sends care packages to deployed military over the holidays. And Kurt Warner’s Treasure House helps individuals with special needs and much more.

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VISIT GLENDALE

TOP 15

attractions in the West Valley

By ERIN THORBURN

L

ooking for fun? The West Valley has no shortage of entertainment, activities and attractions for visitors and locals of all ages. Here are 25 of the West Valley’s must-see attractions: Arizona Broadway Theatre: Catch a live performance of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” “Camelot,” “Saturday Night Fever” or a live concert or special event at Peoria’s premiere performing arts destination. The ABT is also a big supporter and proponent of youth performance art programming. azbroadway.org 7701 W. Paradise Ln., Peoria

Arrowhead Towne Center: Apple, Disney, Forever 21, JCPenney,

Macy’s and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory make up a small glimpse of what this West Valley shopping mecca has to offer.

While locals and visitors shop, they can take advantage of several dining opportunities and events, such as live music and National Geographic-sponsored activities for kids.

arrowheadtowncenter.com 7700 W. Arrowhead Towne Center, Glendale

Brelby Theatre Company: Also known as the West Valley’s New Works

Incubator, the Brelby is truly that – an incubator for directors, writers, designers and actors to practice, refine and demonstrate their craft for local and visiting audiences. brelby.com 7154 N. 58th Dr., Glendale

Cerreta Candy Company: Chocolate-covered cherries, marshmallows

and pretzels are just a minor sampling of the delicious and delectable confections created at Glendale’s hometown candy company. Be sure to take a tour.

Lake Pleasant: With no shortage of sunshine, one of the Valley

of the Sun’s most coveted water wonders has plenty to offer.

Spend a day fishing, boating, scuba diving, hiking or stay for a camping trip to enjoy them all.

maricopacountyparks.net/park-locator/lake-pleasant-regional-park 41835 N. Castle Hot Springs Rd., Morristown

Phoenix International Raceway: This one-mile raceway has been host to motorsports since 1964, including the Verizon IndyCar Series and two NASCAR events each year. phoenixraceway.com 7602 S. Avondale Blvd., Avondale

Spring training ballparks: As one of Arizona’s main sources of pride and joy, five of the Cactus League’s spring training stadiums are located west of the I-17 in Glendale, Goodyear, Maryvale, Peoria and Surprise.

After catching a game, be sure to enjoy a meal at one of the West Valley’s hidden gems, like Ada’s Fish Fry in Goodyear. cactusleague.comc

University of Phoenix Stadium: Home to the Arizona Cardinals and

63,400 of their fans, the University of Phoenix Stadium has been host to the Super Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and National College Football Championship Game. Its retractable roof and event space for 72,800 people makes it the perfect location for anything from sporting events to corporate gatherings, trade shows and more.

universityofphoenixstadium.com 1 Cardinals Dr., Glendale

Challenger Space Center: One of 40 centers in the nation, the Challenger

Westgate Entertainment District and Tanger Outlets-Westgate: Catch a movie, grab a bite, play at Dave & Buster’s, listen to live music at Westgate’s Entertainment District and then pop over for a shopping fix from dozens of outlets like Tommy Hilfiger, Aeropostale, Coach, Reebok, PacSun and more.

Space Center is designed as a tribute to the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster and is an inspirational facet of learning for space enthusiasts of all ages.

White Tanks Mountain Regional Park: A perfect location for biking,

cerreta.com 5345 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale

azchallenger.org 21170 N. 83rd Ave., Peoria

Historic Downtown Glendale: History buffs will love the charm

of Glendale’s historic downtown, home to the Glendale Police Museum, local restaurants and shopping. Overnight visitors can stay at the historic Gas Light, with building origins dating back to 1926.

historic-glendale.com 5802 W. Palmaire Ave., Glendale

Historic Sahuaro Ranch Park: Host to weddings and events, with

picnic areas, playgrounds, a multi-sports complex and more, this historic park with roots dating back to 1886 is one of Glendale’s best-kept secrets. glendaleaz.com/parksandrecreation 5850 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale 78

AB | March - April 2017

westgateaz.com and tangeroutlet.com 6751 N. Sunset Blvd., Glendale

hiking and camping, the park is also home to the White Tanks Library and nature center, complete with a variety of desert creatures – snakes, reptiles and more.

maricopacountyparks.net/park-locator/white-tank-mountain-regional-park 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Rd., Waddell

Wigwam Resort: What began as a 24-room guest ranch has become

a 331-room resort oasis with golf courses, tennis courts, multiple swimming pools, a spa, and 45,000 square feet of meeting space.

wigwamarizona.com 300 E. Wigwam Blvd., Litchfield Park

Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park: You’ll feel like a jungle, desert

and world explorer and zoologist for a day when visiting the home of more than 600 exotic and endangered species and 6,000 animals.

wildlifeworld.com 16501 W. Northern Ave., Litchfield Park

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HOSPITALITY SALES & MARKETING ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL

Dorr to the future President of the Arizona Chapter of HSMAI says evolving technology is creating a better guest experience

By ERIN THORNBURN id you know that Erik Dorr, president of the Arizona Chapter of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) has a twin brother – a war hero in Fort Bragg? It’s a fact for which Intelity Corporation’s regional director of sales for the Western United States and Canada is most proud. Dorr is equally appreciative and humbled by the support his hospitality comrades continue to extend regarding his brother’s military accomplishments and efforts.

As for Dorr, his heroism manifests through accomplishments in hospitality.

For the last 20 years, Dorr has contributed his expertise to some of the most successful hospitality technology companies in the industry: GCommerce, iBAHN, INFOR, Newmaket and more.

Beyond his professional achievements Dorr shares his hospitality knowledge and experience with universities across the country and is involved in several local charities.

So how does this hospitality hero continue to practice technological prowess, encourage tomorrow’s hospitality leaders and embrace a new and evolving world of end-to-end platform technology? Az Business sat down with Dorr to talk about his industry.

Az Business: How is technology helping your industry accommodate a new generation of travelers?

Erik Dorr: It’s all about the experience

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of today’s traveler – how can hotels and resorts tell their story and help travelers fully experience what they want to experience? This is especially true for the Millennial generation. Hotels will need to support technology that is as good, or better, than what guests have at home. This is no longer something travelers consider as an amenity – it’s an expectation.

Technology is also something for which hotels and resorts need to be on point, from when the reservation is made, to pre-arrival, check-in and all throughout a guest’s stay.

We’re seeing a new chapter in hospitality technology. Standard software systems have moved locally to the Cloud and are stabilized and secured. We continue to ensure that the integration of technology is a special experience, without being “Big Brother.”

AB: Are travelers embracing technology like tablet check-ins and Blutetooth-activated door locks — or is there a population that’s still resistant to these protocols?

ED: There are security measures that

must be followed to keep client data safe.

This is an issue that hospitality takes seriously and handles with great sensitivity.

With that said, there are those, typically older generations who may initially experience concern. It’s similar to when banks started using ATM machines or airlines transitioned from printed tickets to digital. You will always have consumers who prefer traditional methods and there will always be options to accommodate them.

ERIK DORR: The current president of the Arizona Chapter of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) earned the 2015 HSMAI President’s Award.

PHOTO BY MIKE MERTES, AZ BIG MEDIA

AB | March - April 2017 81

HSMAI AB: Does Arizona’s hospitality industry need to improve its technological offerings?

ED: We will see more end-to-end

platforms that can handle everything from pre-arrival to when the guest is on property. A “singular” technological service like Bluetooth-activated door access may make sense in terms of saving money for the hotel, but does it make sense for the guest? Hotels need to look at the complete platform.

Do tablet check-ins enable addressing group business or bus tours?

They need to look at what the platform can do from end to end, rather than simply as a niche technology application. Intelity, for example, enables guests to submit housekeeping requests, check in and check out and order food all by tablet, all utilizing an end-to-end platform.

We’re also going to see hospitality in the early stages of adapting Beacon technology. Nodules are posted throughout the property with a mobile platform. When guests walk by, they can receive a personal message or information pertaining to their stay on property, like “Welcome, enjoy a complimentary glass of wine in our lobby this evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.”

The important thing to remember is that we’re not simply selling guest rooms anymore. We need to think about what we can provide guests once they arrive on property.

AB: You have spoken at hospitality schools such as UNLV, Arizona State University, Scottsdale Community College, Cornell University, Boston University and more. What do you share with higher-education audiences?

ED: This is an area I love. I just met

with Grand Canyon University. Students enjoy and benefit from meeting people in the industry with practical experience.

They like to hear about the different pathway I’ve taken, not having a traditional hospitality background.

My big takeaway to these vital future leaders is that you don’t have to work at a front desk forever. You can book online reservations or go into furniture lines and textiles. There are so many possibilities HSMAI has a tie-up that unified chapters at NAU, Scottsdale Community College, 82

AB | March - April 2017

Grand Canyon and ASU. How can we continue to unite these students together?

We want these future leaders to have the opportunity to network with present-day leaders from the Valley and beyond to encourage the facilitation of relationships and acquisition of internships.

AB: Compared with other markets, how progressive is Arizona hospitality in terms of technology?

ED: Arizona can be very proud. We

haven’t been afraid to take chances and there’s always room for more. We are a bubbling area in regard to technological services and our service levels are so high that we’ve become competitive.

One thing we can do to improve is to make sure hotels and resorts are walking through every step of the property, assessing it as a traveler would. This goes for our processes, too.

Hoteliers need to make sure their systems are secure and intentional. You don’t want to buy technology simply for the sake of buying technology. Is it impacting your bottom line? Is it environmentally friendly? Purchase and apply technology in ways that honor and improve your processes and profitability.

We also need to ask ourselves if we’re continuing to connect with guests. It’s crucial to maintain a conversation with a guest even after they’ve ended their stay.

AB: How has the Arizona Chapter

of HSMAI impacted members and our communities?

ED: I first got my HSMAI card in 1997

when I was living in New Hampshire.

The organization has been part of my career since I worked with Newmarket.

When I moved here, I challenged myself to ask if I really knew the leaders at local hotels and resorts.

HSMAI offers a side-by-side sales perspective, and since it’s a volunteer organization, we respect everyone’s participation and time.

HSMAI is also community oriented, partnering with “Kitchen on the Street” and “Neighbors helping Neighbors.”

In addition to winning several awards, we were named the 2015-2016 International “Chapter of the Year.” We are also the “Chapter of Champions,” which is also the 2017 slogan, for our high standards of excellence.

This is an organization that has always supported my family and me.

ABOUT HSMAI What it is: HSMAI is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners, and is the industry’s leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals and their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as the Adrian Awards, Digital Marketing Conference, Revenue Optimization Conference and ROCET Conferences. HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprised of more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at hsmai.org, Arizona chapter: Active since 1968, the Arizona Chapter is HSMAI’s 2nd largest chapter. Although the main core of membership is the hotel sales and marketing professional, the association serves supplier/partner members such as transportation companies, golf courses, restaurants, convention and visitors bureaus, entertainment companies, entertainment venues, photographers, public relations/marketing companies, as well as student and faculty from local colleges and universities. In addition, HSMAI is the only professional association for the hotel revenue management professional. The Arizona Chapter has been recognized as the most awardwinning HSMAI chapter of all time and was recognized as HSMAI’s 2015-16 “Chapter of the Year”. Our chapter offers members a variety of benefits including monthly education programs targeted specifically to the sales and marketing and revenue management professional, a variety of networking and fundraising events, leadership development training and community service volunteer opportunities.

The bottom line: HSMAI provides member companies with added and measurable value. For more information, contact Executive Director Joanne Winter, at 602-240-5552 or visit the chapter website athsmai-az.org.

Information: hsmai-az.org

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HSMAI

Back to the future

As digital marketing drives the hospitality industry, it’s still personal connections that boost the bottom line

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By ERIN THORBURN

I

n the second installment of the “Back to the Future” series, Marty, the unsuspecting time traveler, is propelled to the (then) futuristic year of 2015, where he encounters such advanced technology as holographic billboards and advertisements. Now, a couple of years later, holograms aren’t a steady component of digital marketing. However, we may not be too far off the mark.

Today’s hospitality digital marketing may not consist of a hologram of a Hilton rolling by on a hoverboard, but don’t scoff at the thought.

Today, the lodging and tourism industry is heavily relying upon concepts once considered futuristic, such as virtual reality marketing and more.

We can’t take you to the future in a DeLorean, but we do have the luxury of sharing the knowledge and experience of several Phoenix experts from the Arizona Chapter of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) who are familiar with the latest in hospitality digital marketing.

Digital voice of the

hospitality consumer There is an element dominating digital marketing in hospitality for which experts adamantly agree. It may not be as sexy as virtual reality, but it’s potent and powerful: usergenerated content (UGCs).

Research demonstrates that consumers spend an average of 5½ hours a day with UGCs – either listing their reviews or viewing those of others.

“As an agency trying to harness the power of the guest voice in purchasing decisions, our ability has been somewhat diminished in terms of advertising and marketing because of a reviewdriven market,” explains Richard Cassey, Commit Agency’s chief strategy officer.

This realm of digital marketing is so commanding that it’s reported more than 50 percent of U.S. consumers put their trust in UGCs over any other information on a company website.

According to Cassey, hoteliers need to be proactive in strategizing ways to incorporate UGCs as part of their digital marketing plans. The question is, how?

“Hotels must harvest past guest stories, reviews and content and repurpose it for potential guests,” says Dave Spector, partner for Tambourine.

Tambourine, for example, recently launched a new tool, “TOUT,” to accomplish this very task by enabling hotels to obtain usage rights for UGCs on social media and is available to all Tambourine clientele.

There is a major benefit for the hospitality

industry adopting UGCs into digital marketing algorithms.

“People trust user-generated content more than anything,” says Holly Zoba, vice president of sales and hospitality for Signature Worldwide. “For the hospitality industry, we invest so much for this type of digital marketing because of its measurability.”

Measurability indeed, and this is where social media makes its mark.

Social media and the 3 Ms Social media in hospitality is measurable, marketable and mastered by the Millennials.

Technically that’s four Ms, but more importantly, social media is as vital to hospitality digital marketing as “Doc” was to making the DeLorean time machine magical.

“If you ask hotels what social media channel produces the most profit, it’s Instagram,” Zoba says, who also chairs the HSMAI digital committee.

Zoba further explains that of all social media channels, Instagram has the most return on investment. Why? Because Instagram is driven by imagery, so it’s the perfect digital medium for hospitality properties to showcase product, services and experiences – through their own eyes, as well as UGCs. Pinterest, also driven by imagery, has been effective in hospitality digital marketing ROI. “Hotels can hook people in through images of what an ideal property, vacation or experience looks like,” explains Something New Media Partner James Lee. “Marriott has expertly utilized Pinterest to capitalize on exactly what consumers are looking for to build a vacation by making a vision board with some of the most sought-after images.”

Facebook, of course, continues to be a longstanding, steady social media stream and a fairly easy means of collecting consumer data analytics.

Back to the three Ms — we’ve got measurability, marketability – now what about those Millennials and their social media influence? Are they really that influential to the tourism industry? You bet your plutonium they are.

According to an article in Forbes, 94 percent of Millennial travelers use Facebook while traveling, and 71 percent use Instagram.

Additional statistics show that Millennial tourists generate more than $180 billion in tourism revenue annually.

What’s the best way to capture this integral digital marketing demographic through social media?

“Millennials love seeing transparency and a bit of messy,” Lee says. “As producers in hospitality, we’re taught that nothing is supposed to appear AB | March - April 2017 85

HSMAI

Richard Cassey

James Lee

Gerry Reed

Dave Spector

Holly Zoba 86

AB | March - April 2017

imperfect. We can get caught up in being a little too careful in marketing to Millennials.”

“Millennial and GenX consumers are especially good at sniffing out BS hyperbole,” Spector adds, “so keep it real; keep it authentic.”

It’s also wise for hoteliers to heed the warning of Gerry Reed, TravelClick, Inc., director of Southwest sales. “One social media channel does not fit all,” Reed says. “Each individual marketing campaign will have a different objective, which will ultimately affect which channel a hotel chooses to engage in.”

Something for which Lee agrees.

“It’s currently difficult to find a digital paradigm that will be consistent across all social media platforms. It’s important to be more mindful of the message being delivered rather than the means.”

One social media channel does not fit all...Each individual marketing campaign will have a different objective, which will ultimately affect which channel a hotel chooses to engage in

Now for the fun stuff Can you virtually visit London and skip over to Maui in 90 seconds?

According to Marriott, you can. And they aren’t the only hotelier to offer what they refer to as a 4D virtualreality experience (through Oculus).

“Virtual reality is one of the most compelling digital marketing tools,” Lee says, “because, through a virtual walk-through rather than a video with actors, the end game is making people believe they will love being at the destination they’re experiencing.”

Compelling as it may be, is virtual reality commonplace in hospitality digital marketing?

“Everyone is still in the phase of wondering where it will fit in,” Cassey says. “Best Western made a jump about a year ago, offering virtual tours for all hotels in their portfolio in the latter part of 2016. It’s clearly the technology of the future, but from a strategic standpoint, what’s the measurability of virtual reality?”

While hospitality digital marketing experts continue to pontificate virtual reality’s solubility, mobile platforms, video, and applications such as TravelClick’s newly re-launched iHotelier Booking Engine 4.0 that identify booking trends will shape target advertising and will reign supreme alongside social media and UGCs. What most marketers reiterate is that no matter what digital platform is being utilized, hoteliers cannot — under any circumstances — undervalue the importance of establishing personal real-time relationships with consumers.

“Digital media provides hotels with a unique opportunity to engage with the traveler every step of their journey – from initial research through shopping and finally booking,” Reed says. “Many independent hotels find themselves relying heavily on online travel agencies (OTAs) like Expedia and Booking.com to drive occupancy. This is an effective strategy in terms of putting heads in beds, but it comes at a higher cost per booking.”

Zoba agrees. “If hotels want to own loyal companies, they will have to be mindful about the types of incentives they offer for booking directly, rather than with an OTA – not simply applying discounts, but really engaging with customer to see what perks would benefit them for direct booking.”

Who knows what the future holds in terms of digital marketing technology advancements – whether holographic or virtual reality in nature. What we do know, is the customer is clearly the voice to follow and will be for the foreseeable future.

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