National Bank of Arizona
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The ‘art’ of downtown Phoenix’s revitalization Incubators help businesses take flight Arizona’s burgeoning biotech industry Coffee industry jolts state’s economy
SEPTEMBER 2014
National Bank of Arizona to Host Eighth Annual Taste of the Biltmore Thursday, October 2, 2014
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ATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA (NB|AZ) is excited to announce its eighth annual Taste of the Biltmore event, which is scheduled for Thursday, October 2nd from 6 to 9 p.m. at the NB|AZ Biltmore Corporate Center. This highly anticipated kick-off to the fall social season will bring the best of the Biltmore community together to enjoy unlimited food and wine tastes from over 20 local restaurants. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Act One Foundation (AOF), an organization that provides educational field trips to visual and performing arts centers for Arizona students. AOF provides transportation and resources to underserved public school children so that they can experience art and culture within their communities. In its inaugural year, AOF benefitted more than 6,000 K-12 public schoolchildren in Maricopa County. “NB|AZ Taste of the Biltmore is the perfect way to bring the community together to enjoy delicious cuisine, while giving back to the community,” said Jathan Segur, executive vice president of wealth strategies for NB|AZ. “Each year, the attendance grows allowing us to offer tremendous support to our designated beneficiary, and we are thrilled to contribute to the Act One Foundation for a second year.” Participating restaurants include some of the Valley’s most recognized names: Blanco Tacos, Central Bistro, Del Frisco’s, The Capital Grille, True Food Kitchen, Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar, amongst many others. Purchase your tickets in advance for $45 online or $60 at the door. To purchase tickets or to find out more about the event, including a full list of participating restaurants, please visit tasteofthebiltmore.com.
Buy tickets at tasteofthebiltmore.com
The NB|AZ Corporate Headquarters is located at 6001 N 24th St in Phoenix. Admission includes complimentary valet parking.
Never miss an issue Go to ElevateAZ.com to add your name to the subscription list.
PUBLISHER National Bank of Arizona
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PB+J CREATIVE Pamela Norman, pnormandesigns@me.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Vance, mark.vance@nbarizona.com
PRODUCTION MANAGER Chris Adams, cwadams@me.com
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Michelle Jacoby, michelle@pb-jcreative.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bruce Farr, Angela Muñiz
MANAGING EDITOR Jenavi Kasper, jenavi.kasper@nbarizona.com
PHOTOGRAPHER Mark Lipczynski, mark@marklipczynski.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, NB | AZ Nick Bradshaw, nick.bradshaw@nbarizona.com
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Grace Stufkosky
Elevate AZ magazine may contain trademarks or trade names owned by parties who are not affiliated with National Bank of Arizona, Zions Bancorporation, or its affiliates. Use of such marks does not imply any sponsorship by or affiliation with third parties, and National Bank of Arizona does not claim any ownership of or make representations about products and services offered under or associated with such marks. Articles are offered for informational purposes only and should not be construed as tax, legal, financial or business advice. Please contact a professional about your specific needs and advice. © 2014 National Bank of Arizona.® All rights reserved.
NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA Corporate Center 6001 N. 24th St. Phoenix, AZ 85016 602-235-6000
ON THE COVER
PB+J CREATIVE content + photography + design 2040 S. Alma School Road, Suite 1-312 Chandler, AZ 85286 602-821-9164
Tapping into one of Arizona’s richest resources, Page Springs Cellars uses authentic Arizona oak to make its wine barrels. To read more about this innovative winery in the Verde Valley, go to page 8. Photo by Grace Stufkosky.
welcome
NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA has always known one very simple truth: It’s not so much what you do, but how you do it that matters. Since our founding nearly 30 years ago, NB|AZ has been determined to do things differently. When thinking about ways to deepen our connections with our clients we were resolved to produce a piece worthy of your time. We felt it should foster a sense of community and celebrate what’s right with Arizona. ElevateAZ tells the stories of passionate people across the state who are making it a great place to live, work and dream. We are proud to count many of these trailblazers as clients and are honored to share their stories. Stories like Eric Glomski’s, the subject of our feature article and the owner and wine master of Page Springs Cellars. Eric believes that wine is a direct reflection of the terrain in which it grows. “People, like grapes,” he says, “are shaped by their environment.” We couldn’t agree more. Our roots grow deep and stretch across the state. We are proud and privileged to serve the financial needs of the people and businesses of Arizona. We work with so many inspiring Arizonans every day and hope that as you experience ElevateAZ, you will feel as we do…Elevated!
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LEADERSHIP
Seeing the future… …isn’t so difficult when you’re the one creating it
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N FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, the 2014 Arizona Leadership Forum—with the support of its founding sponsors National Bank of Arizona, the Phoenix Philanthropy Group and the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation—will convene to present, discuss and debate the critical issues facing Arizona. Corporate, nonprofit and government leaders from across our state will gather to review the progress that has been made in the last year, further clarify the challenges and present opportunities for citizens from every sector to get involved. In the words of 2013 keynote speaker Jim Collins, attendees will “seize the opportunity for Arizona to achieve greatness.” This year’s keynote speaker is Seth Godin, best-selling author and authority on marketing and transformational leadership. Godin and numerous respected community leaders will share their views on how to elevate Arizona, not by “rebranding” our state, but rather “reclaiming” the brand that is rightfully Arizona’s. Independent, entrepreneurial, caring and forward thinking are the characteristics of a strong Arizona. National Bank of Arizona is proud to be the founding partner of this movement and we encourage every Arizonan to get engaged and learn more. For more information, visit arizonaleadership.org.
JILL GREENBERG
The Arizona Leadership Forum welcomes keynote speaker Seth Godin, best-selling author and marketer.
Fresh Perspectives
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(born before 1946)
(born 1946 to 1964)
Traditionalists Baby Boomers
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Gen X
(1965 to 1976)
FOR THE FIRST TIME in our country’s history, the American workforce is made up of people from these five generations who are bringing their unique perspectives to the workplace. Like many other businesses, National Bank of Arizona faces this exciting challenge to effectively lead, motivate and communicate with this cross-generational mix. NBAZ president and CEO Keith Maio focuses on building multi-generational leaders within the
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Millennials (1977 to 1997)
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Gen 2020 (born after 1997)
organization who always bring a fresh point of view and embrace change. “Listening to perspectives from all generations is vital to building a successful organization,” he says. To learn more about Maio’s views on crossgenerational leadership, be sure to check out the September issue of AZ Business Magazine or visit azbigmedia.com/az-business.
Teeing Up Success According to Brad Wright, NBAZ commercial banker and former assistant golf professional at Pine Canyon in Flagstaff, all successful golfers share several characteristics with successful bankers. “To be successful in banking and golf, you need to have confidence in your ability to achieve your clients’ goals, the ability to focus on the specific objecBrad Wright tive at hand even when things are rough, a knack for creative thinking to find the right solution and a competitiveness that fuels your efforts,” he says. Wright brings these special traits to every client relationship he develops at NBAZ. To read more about one of those relationships, check out this month’s cover feature on his client Page Spring Cellars, one of the leaders of the Arizona wine industry. To learn more about our state’s growing reputation for wine visit arizonawine.org.
UPCOMING
Toast to friends Sample wine and cuisine from 20 local restaurants with your friends and neighbors at the eighth annual Taste of the Biltmore, held on Thurs., Oct. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the NBAZ Corporate Center, 6001 N. 24th St., Phoenix. “After a long hot summer, it’s great to be able to welcome so many friends, old and new, to our home and enjoy some great food, wine and each other’s company all while benefiting a great cause,” says Jathan Segur, NBAZ executive vice president of wealth strategies. Tickets can be purchased in advance online a tasteofthebiltmore. com or at the door for $60. Admission includes complimentary valet parking. All proceeds benefit the Act One Foundation, a statewide organization that provides performing arts field trips to underserved public schools. Find out more about Act One at act1az.org.
Hungry for more?
A Winning Combination National Bank of Arizona is proud and excited to announce that it is now the official bank of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. As part of a multi-year agreement, National Bank of Arizona will offer co-branded Phoenix Suns credit and debit cards as well as Phoenix Suns branded checks. “We are thrilled to partner with the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. We share so much in common with both organizations, particularly in terms of elevating the reputation of our state and celebrating a winning culture,” says Mark Vance, NBAZ vice president of marketing. In addition to the co-branded credit and checking products, NBAZ will work very closely with the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Suns Charities to provide support and recognize those individuals and organizations across the state that are helping build a better community. “We were proud to be named the Phoenix Suns Charities Corporate Partner of the Year for 2014 and we look forward to continuing that strong relationship,” says Vance. To learn more about Phoenix Suns Charities, visit nba.com/suns/suns-charities.
Sept. 30
Are You Ready for Gen Y? Debunk the myths of this demographic and learn how they can be an asset to your organization. 10:30 a.m. High Country Conference Center, 201 W. Butler Ave., Flagstaff. RSVP by Sept. 17 at events@nbarizona.com
Oct. 30
Fraud Detection and Protection Seminar Learn the ins and outs of fraud detection and protection. 11:15 a.m. National Bank of Arizona, Corporate Center, 6001 N. 24th St., Phoenix, AZ 85016, 602-235-6000
Elevate AZ | September 2014
PARTNERSHIP
Check out these NBAZ events:
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&CULTURE
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ARTS
As a dynamic agent of change, Wayne Rainey has found his ‘bona fides’
ROOSEVELT ROW ARTS DISTRICT Also known as RoRo, this creative district in downtown Phoenix is known for its arts and cultural events, restaurants, galleries and boutiques. Here are just a few stops along the way:
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The fresh ideas that Rainey and others were hatching swept through the downtown district like wildfire. “It happened literally in weeks,” Rainey says. “It was a sea change for Phoenix, the first time I think we ever felt we had a cultural walking district. It went from 10 or 15 people doing First Friday Artwalk, to what it is today—thousands of people coming down on a regular basis to enjoy the downtown area. It changed people’s perception of the city—entirely.” Roosevelt Row, or RoRo as the arts zone is called, is today a flourishing cultural oasis in the city’s urban core, a desirable stop on the Valley Metro light rail system where residents and visitors alike regularly flock to enjoy a fully walkable creative district with a national reputation for arts and cultural events, award-winning restaurants, galleries, boutiques and live music. “It’s changed the energy of this city,” Rainey says, “and brought a refreshing sense of promise to the downtown.” Bruce farr
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technology gurus and other visionary entrepreneurs could work individually or collectively in what might be described as a giant, arts-focused think tank. Rainey is quick to point out that he wasn’t driving his vision singlehandedly. “People like Local First Arizona founder Kimber Lanning; Greg Esser, co-founder of the Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation; Cindy Dach of Made Art Boutique; artist and entrepreneur Derick Suarez and a handful of others were instrumental in those early days,” he says. At the same time as he was getting monOrchid up and running, Rainey noticed that another building—a dilapidated 14-unit apartment complex across the street—was vacant and, in his words, was “a blight on the neighborhood.” He purchased that as well, named it Holgas and, in a deal with the city, converted two of the units into prime gallery space and the others into attractive, affordable housing, primarily intended for struggling artists.
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F EVER THERE was a moment in Phoenix’s recent history when a number of factors converged to help jumpstart the downtown’s revival as a hub for arts, hip retail and all things cultural, it certainly might have been in the fall of 1999 when an energized, young Arizona native named Wayne Rainey had an epiphany, of sorts. Rainey, who was then in his early 30s, had grown up in downtown Phoenix, where he nurtured a strong attachment to and love for the city. Like a lot of perceptive Phoenix business people at the time, Rainey, a professional photographer and artist, didn’t like what he saw happening to the Phoenix of his memory. As he and others observed it, the city seemed to be evolving into a colossal, overdeveloped suburb, leaving downtown somewhat empty and lifeless. “I was really frustrated that Phoenix seemed to have no urban heart,” Rainey says of that time. “We were bent on development and we didn’t do our homework—we didn’t do any of the infrastructure work that really builds communities and gives them their soul.” So he decided to do something about it. As a lifelong resident, he knew he had one significant advantage working in his favor. “The great thing about Phoenix,” Rainey says, “is that if you have the will and the patience, you can effect all the change you want. And you don’t have to be a multimillionaire to do it.” Rainey got the ball rolling by purchasing an old warehouse on Roosevelt Street to serve as his studio, in, as he describes, “one of the roughest neighborhoods in the city.” Dubbing it monOrchid, he transformed the warehouse into an arts collective of sorts, an arresting enclave of galleries and studio space where artists, musicians,
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For more of downtown’s art scene, check out these events *: ➺ First Fridays. Downtown
➺ Art Detour. A two-day
Phoenix’s signature art event includes art gallery tours, compelling exhibits, live entertainment and local vendors. Monthly.
event featuring studio tours, pop-up galleries and exhibits, bike and walking tours, kids activities and local food trucks. Spring 2015.
➺ Third Fridays. Like its
➺ Art d’Core Gala.
older sibling, Third Fridays is focused more on the artsfocused crowd, including collectors and art aficionados. Monthly.
Annual formal affair filled with music, dancing, food and drink, as well as a virtual tour of downtown art spaces. Spring 2015.
* Events subject to change.
Business incubation in Arizona is growing as fast as the businesses it helps take wing
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VER THE PAST few decades, the
proliferation of small business startups in Arizona has occurred at a startling pace. In fact, just a few years ago, CNN’s Money magazine called Arizona “a sizzling spot for startups,” and listed it among the top 10 most entrepreneurial states. Part of Arizona’s success in fostering new business has to do with a slew of business incubators that have sprung up throughout the state, with the express purpose of helping grow startups in a variety of ways. As a metaphor for what they do, the term “incubator” couldn’t be more appropriate. Like a climate-controlled environment designed to nurture and protect newly-hatched chicks, business incubators have created facilities that take fledgling businesses under their protective wing, supporting them in their early growth stages. The incubation takes many forms, among them subsidized rental space, business and management counseling, shared office space and even access to capital. “When incubators succeed, the results can be spectacular,” notes Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council. “Arizona has many innovation programs that have served as strong catalysts for our local startups, and two of the most successful ones come out of our universities.” As Zylstra explains, the Arizona Center for Innovation from the University of Arizona has helped emerging companies such as DemeteRx Pharmaceuticals develop novel therapeutics to sensitize tumors. And Arizona State University’s Venture Catalyst incubator has been ranked as one of the best university incubators in the world, having launched Jobing.com and other notable companies. “The really good news is that there’s a lot of collaboration in Arizona’s innovation ecosystem as a
whole,” Zylstra adds. “Collectively, they have set a clear mandate to be on the forefront of creating new wealth in our state and building a sustainable economy with high paying jobs.” A few years ago, as the incubators’ success rate accelerated, the state created an association to help balance and support the services they provide. The Arizona Business Incubation Association (AzBIA) was founded in 2011 as a way to help share information and services among the growing crop of Arizona incubators. The association currently boasts more than 20 members all over the state, from NACET, the Northern Arizona Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology in Flagstaff, to the Arizona Center for Innovation in Tucson. While AzBIA members all share one overarching goal, they’re widely diverse in their particular missions. Phoenix-based TechBA Arizona, for instance, is a business accelerator program designed to support technology-focused Mexican businesses as they attempt to enter global markets. Another member, Seed Spot, is a nonprofit incubator located in downtown Phoenix focused on helping local entrepreneurs turn their ideas into successful ventures—a format like many incubators, but with a twist. “Seed Spot is focused exclusively on social entrepreneurs: those launching products or technologies that improve people’s lives or communities,” says co-founder and CEO Courtney Klein. “We do not take equity in the ventures we work with—entrepreneurs leave owning the same percentage they came with.” As for what the incubator explosion means for Arizona, Klein says the creativity and innovation is just what our economy needs. “We need more innovation, creativity, art, dreams, design and impact to really put [Arizona] on the map,” she says. “Entrepreneurs gather around other entrepreneurs, creatives go where creativity breeds, and investors flock in that direction.” Bruce farr
A SAMPLING OF AZ'S HATCHERIES
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Innovations Science and Technology. Businesses: Amkor, Fairchild Semiconductor.
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TechBA Arizona. Businesses: Technology-focused startups in Mexico.
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BioAccel. Businesses: Stimwave Technologies, Yolia Health.
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Tallwave. Businesses: Sooh Media, Wholesalefund.
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Seed Spot, a nonprofit incubator in downtown Phoenix, is focused on helping social entrepreneurs turn ideas into successful ventures.
Seed Spot. Celebrate Autism, Box Play for Kids.
Elevate AZ | September 2014
the hatchery
azERS
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5 Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication
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azWorks
BIOSCIENCE BY THE NUMBERS
biotech boom
22 PERCENT
increase in employment in bioscience-related fields since 2007
23,545
employed in 1,300 bioscience firms in 2012
409 MILLION
dollars in bioscience-related R&D expenditures by state academic institutions in 2012
1,400
bioscience-related patents issued since 2009 Source: Arizona Bioindustry Organization
Nghia Millard, who works in TGen's Cancer and Cell Biology Division, performs a test to identify proteins in a brain cancer sample.
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IOSCIENCE AND biotechnology, two of
the fastest-growing health-related industries in the country, have a welcome—and expanding—presence in Arizona. More than 100,000 Arizonabased medical professionals in 850 facilities are using biotechnology to address innovative healthcare treatments for such diseases as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and autism. With targeted medicine-based research and diagnostic tools, they’re also helping to bring more advanced and affordable drugs to the medical marketplace. The list of Arizona-based bioscience researchers and practitioners is lengthy, but some of the most high profile include Barrow Neurological Institute, the Biodesign Institute at ASU, BIO5 at the University of Arizona, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, and the Arizona Cancer Center. They are joined by a cadre of clinical research partners, business incubators with bioscience-specific resources, patient advocacy groups and economic development partners. One key area of biotech research and diagnostics is genomics, the study of the human genome or genetic “map.” This exciting new field of research and practice is showing impressive results in the treatment of complex diseases.
Burgeoning biotech industry is putting Arizona on the medical map
Arizona-based TGen (short for the Translational Genomics Research Institute) is one of the most progressive facilities of its kind in the United States. Founded in 2002, the nonprofit facility is under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey M. Trent, an internationally recognized scientist seeking breakthroughs in genetic research that ultimately lead to advances in treatment of a variety of diseases. TGen’s $46 million state-of-the-art building forms the cornerstone of the Phoenix Biomedical Campus (PBC), a bioscience and medical research center that is home to TGen and other biomedical-related research, academic and clinical programs. TGen’s work has been dynamic, to say the very least. In January 2012, a skin cancer drug tested by TGen in partnership with Scottsdale Healthcare received full approval by the FDA. Vismodegib (marketed under the name Erivedge) is showing enormous potential in the treatment of inoperable basal cell carcinomas. TGen will also use its genomic expertise to aid the Neuroblastoma and Medulloblastoma Translational Research Consortium (NMTRC) in important clinical trials aimed at finding
treatment strategies for children with neuroblastoma, a rare pediatric cancer. In addition, patients at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare were among the nation’s first to participate in a study to determine the safety and effectiveness of drugs designed to treat advanced pancreatic cancer. This also resulted in FDA approval of Abraxane for advanced stages of this disease. As a part of its strategy, TGen is establishing critical partnerships with key representatives in academia, government agencies, and clinical and corporate entities in Arizona and around the world. For example, in cooperation with the University of Arizona, TGen’s MindCrowd.org is an interactive online study of Alzheimer’s disease, which has already drawn more than 32,000 participants from the U.S. and more than 100 countries. At the core of TGen’s work, however, is the increasing significance of the human genome, and its efficacy in furthering treatment and cures for diseases that were long considered nearly lost causes. “The human genome will be the textbook of medicine for the next 100 years,” says Trent.
bruce farr
the
sixth“c”
How coffee will take its place among Arizona’s leading economic resources
the roasting and brewing process. In the passing six years, Press Coffee has moved from its original location to the Scottsdale Quarter and now leases a roasting facility in Phoenix. It is set to open a coffee shop in an innovative apartment complex and is helping a pair of new roasters start their own company. “It’s a natural process for Arizona to grow in coffee. Specialty coffee is being recognized more and more by the consumer, and there is a lot of information out there to learn,” Kraus says. In September, Press is planning to open a shop in the Skywater Luxury Apartments in Tempe as part of a number of amenities for the residents. The complex looks at a coffee shop as no different than a pool, says Kraus. It’s a concept that was unheard of just a few years ago. It’s also what makes Arizona’s coffee leaders like Kraus so open to helping new roasters into the industry. Press is leasing time on its roasting equipment to newcomers Nom de Plume Roasters. Owners Niko Kovacevic and Harlin Glovacki left their jobs as baristas to move into roasting because they wanted to share what they had learned. With costs of top-of-the-line
roasters and other equipment starting at $50,000, Glovacki sings the praises of coffee leaders like Press and Cartel Coffee, based in Tempe with locations in Scottsdale and Phoenix. “We couldn’t be in a position we were in without them,” he says. “A few years ago, you might have been able to get by on a lesser quality roaster,” says Kraus. “But now the demand is for quality. Harlin and Niko have a great business plan and model. They need to use a high-quality roaster.” Alex Mason, Press general manager, explains that where specialty coffee is now, new roasters in the market are not competition. “There is differentiation in the source of your coffee and your roast profile,” he says. “Also, every customer out here is creating a new base. More specialty shops will open more people’s eyes to what specialty coffee is.” Kraus’s eyes, on the other hand, are always on what’s next not only for coffee, but also for Press. He’s looking for locations for a flagship store and as is expanding both in Arizona and out of state. “There are markets that are still untapped,” he says. Angela Muñiz
Elevate AZ | September 2014
Harlin Glovacki (left) of Nom de Plume Roasters and Alex Mason of Press Coffee sample coffees at a cupping at Press’s roastery in Phoenix.
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ALF A DOZEN people are standing around a table slurping coffee from spoons. They’re at the Press Coffee Roasters roastery in Phoenix, sampling eight different bean varieties and roast profiles in a process called “cupping.” The noisy tasters are a seemingly random, yet telling, cross section of the state’s ever growing coffee industry, which is positioned to become the sixth “C” of Arizona’s five resources: copper, cattle, cotton, citrus and climate. They are: a local consumer looking to bring coffee to Arizona’s office break rooms, a new roaster who rents time on Press’s equipment, the Press Coffee roasting team, and Press owner Steve Kraus. Kraus was one of the first to bring the concept of “third wave” specialty coffee to Phoenix when he opened his first shop in 2008. At that time, national franchises had Arizonans in the habit of ordering a daily dose of customized coffee drinks. Third wave—a movement to produce high-quality coffee through improved growing, harvesting and processing techniques—was taking it to the next level, focusing on bringing out distinct flavors in coffees during
FOOD&DRINK
7 Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication
Eric Glomski is pouring a
glass of wine and talking about rocks. He started Page Springs Cellars 10 years ago the way most entrepreneurs do—with long hours, personal investment and sweat. For Glomski, that meant turning over stones as he tilled the historic land around the spring the winery is named for. ¶ As he relates these beginnings, we think of the Robert Frost poem at the same time: “Good fences make good neighbors.”
Story Angela Muñiz Photos Mark lipczynski
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10 For Glomski, this is not just a literary reference, but also a real parallel to his life and business. For him, the past decade has been about community and home, pride and passion. “What makes a place home is landscape and people,” he says. “A spiritual, emotional connection.”
Strong as oak
But there are two pieces yet to come. Glomski continues to turn ideas in his head like rocks on his land. He’s been slowly building a supply of oak barrels from Arizona’s one dozen species of oak. “Barrels are like skin,” he says. “Putting wine in barrels is about aging—breathing—not about oak flavor.” He continues with an example. “Aging a wine in a stainless steel barrel creates a tight, edgy, fruity wine. It’s young, like a teenager. An oak barrel creates a soft, balanced, wiser wine.” Glomski explains that an oak barrel is a conduit that enhances where a wine is from. Just another step in creating a distinctive Arizona terroir. A bright idea
Glomski is also putting one of Arizona’s brightest resources into action: solar power. The winery is building solar panels in its parking area that will generate 85 percent of the energy for the estate. This is a project he couldn’t have taken on without help, and he credits National Bank of Arizona for being a partner in his ideas while letting him maintain his business philosophies. “NB | AZ has been an amazing partner. They don’t beat us up when we want to do a cool project like solar,” Glomski say. “To buy this property, I sold my house and rented in Sedona. To grow to this size…” His voice trails off for a moment. “It’s amazing to grow horizontally without new business partners.”
NB | AZ has worked with Page Spring Cellars since 2008. Commercial banker Brad Wright, who leads the account and has been working closely with Glomski, explains that for large-scale solar project, NB | AZ has a designated solar group that assists with tax credits and other financial needs. For small businesses, there is a leasing program. This is the partnership Page Springs and NB | AZ have for the cellar’s project. NB | AZ is financing 100 percent of the costs in an equipment lease-to-own loan with contractor Solar Equipment. In seven years, Page Springs will own the panels and take over managing and running them. Natural leader
Wright says it’s the perfect fit for Page Spring’s size and Glomski’s management style. “Eric likes to do things on his own, which is part of his success,” Wright explains. “Management is the key. Eric treats his employees so well. He can withstand different things, and is there 24/7. He lives across the street from the property and he’s right there picking grapes, crushing, doing it all.” The Arizona wine industry is young, but [Page Springs] is the best in class in what they do, Wright continues. “That’s why we’re comfortable in growing with them. They are a driving force in the Arizona wine industry and we’re looking forward to seeing what Arizona wineries do. Eric has put us on the map,” he says.
grape places
The wine he is pouring is an example of what he’s talking about. The Landscape is a blend of Petite Syrah, Syrah, and Mouvedre all grown on the estate. The deep, evolving flavors are a representation of the volcanic earth and waters that create the Page Springs terrain. This is Glomski’s driving passion for the winery. “Wines are about places and grapes,” he says. “Arizona became home when I felt connected to a place and grew as a human being.” That connection and growth meant moving impediments, from rocks to preconceptions. Glomski has been a leading force in putting Arizona and the Rim Country on the international wine map. As he’s strived to use Arizona’s natural resources, he’s created a range of partnerships with local farms and businesses to create award-winning vintages. The accolades have brought people from around the world to the small town of Cornville. This sleepy town was once on its own road less traveled, a detour on the drive to Sedona with its oasis-like beauty overshadowed by its neighbor’s famous red rock formations. Now, tour buses bring Sedona visitors down for daily tastings and Phoenicians make the trek up the rim for special releases or a break from the heat. Guests are invited to walk the property and wander through the vines, the herb garden and past the Page Spring. Most congregate on a large patio overlooking Oak Creek and the swimming hole where all of Glomski’s children learned to swim. It’s a sampling of all the ingredients Glomski works into his wines.
Grace Stufkosky
From the earth
Page Spring Cellars 1500 N. Page Springs Road, Cornville 928.639.3004 pagespringscellars.com Arizona is ripe with wineries and vineyards in the Sonoita, Willcox and Verde Valley wine trails. Here are just a few. For a complete list, visit arizonawine.org.
SONOITA/ELGIN Callaghan Vineyards, Elgin Dos Cabezas WineWorks, Sonoita Flying Leap Vineyards, Elgin
WILLCOX Pillsbury Wine Company Sand-Reckoner Vineyards Lawrence Dunham Vineyards
VERDE VALLEY Arizona Stronghold, Cottonwood Caduceus Cellars, Jerome Four Eight Wineworks, Clarkdale
Elevate AZ | September 2014
At Page Springs Cellars, owner Eric Glomski is committed to keeping things local. He uses Arizona's natural resources— such as wine barrels made from Arizona's dozen species of oak (below, right), and fresh ingredients from local farms for the winery's tasting room menu (below,left)—to not only to celebrate the state's highquality products, but also to support local businesses and boost Arizona's economy.
11 Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication
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Experience
Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication
Steeped in history, the Hotel Congress has become the foundation of downtown Tucson’s economic growth. In recent years, the area around the iconic landmark has seen an influx of arts, entertainment, retail and dining establishments, bringing a fresh, energetic vibe to one of Arizona’s most historic places. Photo by Mark Lipczynski
Elevate AZ | September 2014
Tucson, AZ HOTEL CONGRESS
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