Elevate AZ | September 2016

National Bank of Arizona®

Local radio station continues to expand its reach

COMMUNITY TREASURE

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TIMELESS TRADITION Arizona point of pride is more than just a game

CITY IN THE PINES Flagstaff emerges as a model for Arizona living

FALL 2016

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16 Timeless Tradition

Arizona point of pride is far more than just a game

DEPARTMENTS

22 City in the Pines

02 @NB | AZ What’s happening at National Bank of Arizona

Flagstaff emerges as a new model for Arizona living

05 AZ Works Biomedical Marvel

28 Community Treasure

Downtown Phoenix campus a hub of innovation

Longtime local radio station continues to expand its reach

06 Food & Drink Modern Meatery Arizona’s focus on locally raised cattle

08 Arts & Culture Center Stage Children’s theater ushers in new era of show business

10 trailblazers Living Stories Community project makes storytellers out of all of us

12 AZ nonprofit Empowering Youth Nonprofit draws on the arts to build a brighter future

The “red phone” in the KTAR newsroom symbolizes the station’s position as the source of information about public safety in Arizona.

PUBLISHER National Bank of Arizona EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jenavi Kasper, jenavi.kasper@nbarizona.com PROJECT EDITOR Rhonda Hoffman, rhonda.hoffman@nbarizona.com INTERACTIVE MARKETING MANAGER Molly Scott, molly.scott@nbarizona.com

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Michelle Jacoby, michelle@pb-jcreative.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Nathan Joseph, nathan@responsecreative.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Chris Adams, cwadams@me.com CONTRIBUTORS Sally J. Clasen, Bruce Farr, Leigh Farr, Debra Gelbart, Jake Poinier, Jill Richards PHOTOGRAPHER Mark Lipczynski, mark@marklipczynski.com

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. © 2016 ZB, N.A. All rights reserved.

A division of ZB, N.A. Member FDIC

NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA® Corporate Center 6001 N. 24th St. Phoenix, AZ 85016 602-235-6000

PB+J CREATIVE content + photography + design 602-821-9164 pb-jcreative.com

14 In the Spotlight NB|AZ showcases successful Arizona companies

32 Experience AZ A moment in Peoria

ON THE COVER

KTAR is the only broadcast outlet in greater Phoenix with over 95 years of service from the same place on the radio dial.

Find out more on page 28.

Photo by Mark Lipczynski

in this issue

FEATURES

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NB|AZ elevates opportunities for ASU law students

higher learning

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OR A COMMUNITY to thrive, it takes collaboration between businesses, organizations and institutions to create opportunities for the public.

Such is the case with National Bank of Arizona (NB|AZ) and the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, that recently made their partnership official in August, when the second floor lobby of the law school was named after NB|AZ. “That National Bank of Arizona has put its name on our second-floor lobby is wonderful.

That the bank is also funding a scholarship for ASU law students is amazing,” says Douglas Sylvester, dean of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. “We are proud to count NB|AZ as one of our community partners and we look forward to

continuing to work with them on future projects that will benefit our students and the community.”

The lobby is located on the second floor of the Beus Center for Law & Society, which is home to the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, the McCain Institute for International Leadership, the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute, and Arizona Voice for Crime Victims.

As part of the relationship, an annual National Bank of Arizona Scholars program is being created.

“National Bank of Arizona’s generosity not only provides our students with additional scholarship opportunities,” says Janet Perez, director of communications for the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, “it also allows us to partner with a corporation that has such deep ties to the state of Arizona.”

Michelle Jacoby

COMMUNITY

employee giving SINCE LAUNCHING NBAZ CHARITIES in April 2015, National Bank of Arizona has made serving and supporting the community a significant part of its company culture, where employees play a major role through volunteer efforts, financial donations and the Employee Giving Fund.

“The fund started as a result of NBAZ Charities and gives employees the opportunity to be involved in choosing organizations the bank awards grants to,” says Joy Antolini, NB|AZ executive vice president/director of human resources. “We have an employee advisory group comprised of all levels across the state. They make a collective decision on the nonprofits that receive a NBAZ Charities grant.

It’s such an amazing process to be involved with.”

NBAZ Charities received roughly 300 applications in its first grant cycle, which opened in January. The advisory group reviewed the applications and selected the following nonprofits to receive funding by the end of July 2016: Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts

Show Low Library Friends, Inc.

Lake Valley PTA

Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse

Paz de Cristo Community Center

El Rio Community Health Center

Camp Soaring Eagle Foundation Labor’s Community Service Agency

Native American Advancement Foundation

Kids Need to Read

Elevate Phoenix

Upward Foundation

Assistance League of Phoenix

NB|AZ employees volunteer at Victory House, an affordable housing complex for local veterans.

Western Arizona Community Alliance Interagency Council

DON’T MISS

WINE & DINE ON OCT. 13, NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA will host its 10th annual Taste of the Biltmore event at the NB|AZ Corporate Center located at 6001 N. 24th Street in Phoenix. The bank’s signature food-and-wine event kicks off the social season featuring some of the top restaurants in the Valley.

This year’s lineup of Valley eateries include: Blanco Tacos + Tequila

The Herb Box

True Food Kitchen

Hopdoddy Burger Bar O.H.S.O. Eatery + nanoBrewery

Bluewater Grill Seafood Restaurant & Market

Frost Gelato at the Biltmore

Benedict’s Catering

Whole Foods Market

Seasons 52

Bruce Brown Catering

Wildflower Bread Company

The Adobe Restaurant

Nekter Juice Bar

Nothing Bundt Cakes

The Fractured Prune Doughnut

Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar

Sip Coffee & Beer Garage

For ticket information and event details, visit tasteofthebiltmore.com.

Admission includes complimentary valet parking.

Fall 2016 | ElevateAZ.com

The Gladly

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biomedical marvel

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UCKED AMIDST THE bustling shops, restaurants, entertainment venues and sports arenas in downtown Phoenix is the home to one of Arizona’s most significant and impactful resources—not only for the state, but for the world.

Located in the heart of downtown is the 30-acre Phoenix Biomedical Campus, home to the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).

Nearby, the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix operates on the campus at Seventh Street and Van Buren.

Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University also operate colleges there and more than a dozen other biomedical businesses have sprung from TGen’s work and discoveries.

The campus is expected to generate more than $1 billion in economic impact this year, says Christine Mackay, the community and economic development

Health Sciences Education Building at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus

director for the City of Phoenix.

In 2000, Mackay explains, Phoenix leaders began meeting with visionaries in science, medicine, government and business about establishing a new economy in the bioscience industry.

A site formerly identified for a professional football stadium was designated as the home of the Phoenix Biomedical Campus (PBC).

In May 2002, the International Genomics Consortium (IGC), a nonprofit medical research foundation established to expand on the discoveries of the Human Genome Project, chose Phoenix for its headquarters. A month later, TGen launched as a companion research institute to assemble its own genomics research platforms. The work being done there focuses on transforming genetic information from diseases into new diagnostic tests, and developing innovative therapies to treat cancer and

other life-threatening diseases.

A year-and-a-half after the groundbreaking in December 2004, TGen and IGC moved into new stateof-the-art quarters on the biomedical campus.

In 2005, Mackay says, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases leased space in the TGen/IGC building. The following year, the UofA College of Medicine-Phoenix opened and a year later, admitted its first class of 24 students.

Today’s tenants also include the University of Arizona Cancer Center at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center; UofA’s Colleges of Pharmacy, Nursing, Public Health and Management; ASU’s College of Health Solutions, School of Nutrition and Health Promotion and Department of Biomedical Informatics; NAU’s College of Health and Human Services

Downtown Phoenix campus a hub of research and economic development 1,400 jobs and a total economic impact of $174 million on Arizona.

“Despite the recent economic environment, government budget limitations and increased competition for research grants, TGen has managed to produce and grow a highly significant economic return for Arizona,” says TGen chief operating officer Tess Burleson.

Three years ago, TGen launched one of its most significant research projects, a first-of-its-kind online memory test to help better understand human cognition and how it might relate to Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders. Called MindCrowd, the study seeks to attract 1 million participants, ages 18 to 80, who will be asked to complete a 10-minute online memory test. To date, 69,000 people around the world have completed the test. Researchers will use the test results to build a database for further study on how cognition and memory

University of Arizona

and three allied health instruction programs; and Ashion Analytics, a TGen spinoff company that provides precision medicine testing and genomic interpretation services for cancer doctors.

Since 2005, the campus has pumped billions of dollars’ worth of jobs, services and products into communities throughout Arizona. The economic impact of the PBC documented in 2013 (the most recent year for which total figures have been compiled) was $1.3 billion, according to Tripp-Umbach, a Pittsburgh-based consulting firm.

More than 9,300 jobs were located on the campus in 2013. By 2025, those statistics are expected to more than double to $3.1 billion, while generating 22,000 jobs.

In 2014, TGen and 15 affiliated businesses it has generated in the past decade—including Ashion Analytics and Scottsdale-based Translational Drug Development—accounted for

change as people age.

TGen supports seven medical research divisions within its organization.

Early next year, the UofA’s Biosciences Partnership Building will open, becoming the largest building on the campus with 245,000 square feet devoted to developing partnerships between researchers, clinicians and industries. The facility is expected to create 360 bioscience jobs.

In 2018, the first phase of a partnership between ASU and the medical research firm Nantworks will begin operating in a 200,000-square-foot facility. Initially, the focus of that venture will be on advancing cancer detection and treatment.

Ultimately, more than 6 million square feet of biomedical-related research, academic and clinical facilities will comprise the campus. Debra Gelbart

Fall 2016 | ElevateAZ.com

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modern meatery

Arizona’s cattle industry steers toward locally raised, sustainable meat

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F YOU GREW UP in Arizona, you may remember being taught the “five Cs” of Arizona: cotton, copper, citrus, climate and cattle.

Although the cattle industry is only about half the size as it was at its peak, it’s still about a third of the state’s agricultural output.

In 2010, 391.2 million pounds of beef made a total economic impact of $3.2 billion on the state. What you probably don’t know is that the vast majority of Arizona beef—as well as pork, lamb and poultry—gets exported, only to be imported back in the restaurants and supermarkets.

Billing itself as an Arizona-raised meatery, Flagstaff-based Proper Meats + Provisions butcher shop is trying to change that dynamic.

“From an economic and sustainability standpoint, the current process doesn’t make

sense,” says Paul Moir, the shop’s founder.

“The concept [evolved from] 10 years of running local-food-based, sustainable restaurants. Like everyone else in the state, we were struggling to procure locally raised meats, especially with the volume you need in a restaurant.”

When a friend who raises cattle and sheep expressed a desire to have everything he raised stay in the local food market, Moir thought the mutually beneficial solution could lie in opening a retail butcher shop.

Inspiration became reality when Proper Meats opened in September 2013.

“As part of the concept, we developed a small deli menu to go with it, focused on nose-to-tail utilization,” Moir says. “Most people who walk into a meat shop want a New York strip, ribeye, pork chop, or rack of lamb. What people don’t

“None of us were butchers by trade.

We’re chefs, restaurant people and bartenders, so this was a divergence from what we’d done to this point.”

Paul Moir Proper Meats + Provisions

Proper Meats + Provisions in Flagstaff showcases Arizona’s farm-raised meats, poultry and cured products.

always realize is that there’s a lot of animal outside those retail cuts.”

In fact, Moir notes, the prime retail cuts are only about 10 percent of the whole animal— leaving a need for creative use of bones, stew meat and organ meats. Some of those end up being consumed in the restaurants, while others end up in a wide range of prepared foods in the deli, such as charcuterie, deli meats, Bolognese sauce, and sausages. (They’re currently working to get approval from the department of health for dry curing.)

The shop even makes pet food, which Moir describes as a high-quality paté using offal, spent grain, and vegetable scraps.

“My dog and cat both go crazy for it,” he says.

“We sell a ton of it.”

The launch of Proper Meats coincided with a resurgence of interest in craft butchery, making the timing ideal. One of the first steps for the new enterprise was to join the Butcher’s Guild

based in California, started by two women who wanted to preserve the craft of whole-animal butchery. Training also included spending time at the beef processing plant in Perkinsville, Arizona, watching them cut and wrap for farmers who want to take product to market.

“None of us were butchers by trade,” says Moir. “We’re chefs, restaurant people and bartenders, so this was a divergence from what we’d done to this point. We started putting the pieces together—or actually taking them apart, as it were—and it kind of evolved.”

There’s no back room in the 1,500-square-foot shop, so customers get to see the craft in action.

“When we make a run to Perkinsville, we’ll get back into town at noon,” Moir says. “We give the people eating lunch a heads-up, and roll the cart right through the front door of the deli with a quarter of beef on it. No one freaks out—everyone is just blown away by it. It’s no joke when we say whole animal butcher.” Jake Poinier

Fall 2016 | ElevateAZ.com

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CENTER

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Theater for young audiences ushers in new era of innovative show biz

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ELEBRATING FOUR DECADES of refreshingly imaginative theater for young audiences, Tempe-based Childsplay sets to launch its 40th anniversary season with new artistic leadership. Having thrived under the dynamic direction of founder David Saar, who recently stepped down from his role as artistic director, the internationally renowned troupe prepares to carry out Saar’s unique vision while embracing today’s rapidly changing culture.

“We want to continue to develop and present strikingly original theater for our audiences,” says Dwayne Hartford, Childsplay’s new artistic director. “The world is changing so rapidly, and the lives of our audiences are changing so fast that we have to keep up and keep presenting plays that mean something to them.”

In keeping with Childsplay’s mission to educate as much as to entertain, the company continues to expand its community outreach programs.

“Education and learning is an important part of everything we do,” says Hartford. “Our education program has become a vital part of our company over the last 10 years.”

As part of its vast educational efforts, Childsplay offers enriching programs to children throughout Arizona. In addition to offering high-quality, professional productions at Tempe Center for the Arts featuring innovative adaptations of children’s classics and unique plays about relevant social issues, Childsplay performs in hundreds of Arizona schools annually. The ensemble hosts field trips, offers arts education programs in schools, and provides professional development for teachers.

For children who wish to pursue acting outside of school, the Childsplay Theater Academy offers theatrical training to more than 1,500 students each year. The program offers drama classes for preschool students as well as a multi-tiered conservatory program for students seeking advanced training.

“Childsplay’s mission says we create strikingly original theater that is arrived at the intersection of artistry and learning,” says managing director

Steve Martin. “When we look at doing a play, we ask ourselves a lot of questions. What are the communities we’re going to serve with this piece of theater? What are the learning opportunities?”

For example, says Martin, when Childsplay performs a play about food insecurity among families, the ensemble partners with food banks or other organizations to ensure there are resources available to audience members who wish to learn more. Performing a play centered on the theme of teen depression and suicide might involve engaging the help of a mental health association to offer audiences additional information and resources.

“We make sure that every play that we do has some sort of social service partnership or education partnership tied to it,” says Martin.

Each year, Childsplay entertains and educates 200,000 children and families in Arizona. Its high level of artistic quality and arts education programs have been supported by local and national sponsors including the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Hearst Foundation, the Shubert Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Recently, the United States Department of Education awarded a $1 million grant to the company to provide drama tools for teachers to promote literacy.

Childsplay has also received Governor’s Arts Awards for Education and has been recognized by the Tempe Chamber of Commerce for its business acumen. Just last year, David Saar received the coveted Shelley Award for his contributions to advancing the arts in the state of Arizona.

“When David created this company many years ago, he had this vision of an ensemble working together towards this mission of bringing the best exciting theater to kids,” says Hartford. “We’re all very excited to carry on his vision into the future.” Leigh Farr

STAGE

Fall 2016 | ElevateAZ.com

After 40 years, Childsplay founder David Saar (center) hands the torch over to new Artistic Director Dwayne Hartford (right) with Managing Director Steve Martin (left).

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Community project makes storytellers out of all of us

Living Stories Megan Finnerty, founder of the Arizona Storytellers Project

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workshop process to help shape their story and put a fine point on the performance, which lasts roughly 8 to 10 minutes.

“It’s pernicious to believe everyone is a natural storyteller. By workshopping, we refine the narrative and help with stage presence,” says Finnerty. “Plus, sometimes the subject matter is really heavy and we want to make certain the storytellers, most of whom are not professional storytellers, are ready to tell their stories and feel safe in a public arena.”

Stories produce a gamut of emotions, from laughter to tears and inspiration— but the ticket price always guarantees an authentic evening of entertainment where storytellers get real Megan Finnerty and personal.

Arizona Storytellers Yet, while the mission of Project Arizona Storytellers is dedicated to storytelling and journalism that serve and reflect the community while fostering empathy among those people, it’s not a therapy session, according to Finnerty.

“We help storytellers describe their catharsis but the goal of the project is not to help them achieve it,” says Finnerty, who is particularly proud of how the project consistently captures a cross-section of human experiences with a diverse lineup of storytellers including artists, notable leaders and regular folks. Since 2011, more than 600 people have shared stories in 100 nights of storytelling.

Finnerty will use the trademark success and best practices developed by the Arizona Storytellers Project to inspire a larger storytelling audience in an additional role as director of the Storytellers Brand Studio, a new business vertical for USA TODAY Network, which is owned

by The Arizona Republic’s parent company, Gannett. The studio initiative will expand the live, community storytelling format with a digital content experience facilitated by newsrooms across the country.

Regardless of the story, location or delivery method, the goal remains the same: to offer engaging and artful storytelling to anyone—no matter their background or experience—who has a story to tell. Sally J. Clasen

“[We] want to make certain the storytellers… are ready to tell their stories and feel safe in a public arena.”

Fall 2016 | ElevateAZ.com

Jill Richards

EGAN FINNERTY LOVES two things: the spotlight and a good story.

And she’s able to pursue both passions as director and host of Arizona Storytellers Project, a live event program she founded in 2011.

At the time, Finnerty was an editor and reporter covering the nightlife beat at The Arizona Republic, which was experimenting with a new editorial direction to promote the stories of everyday people in conjunction with the state’s centennial celebration. The coverage consisted of some front-page features or videos of select subjects taped in libraries and similar locations.

Finnerty liked the idea but thought the scope was too limiting. So she suggested a new staging focus—hold storytelling events in bars and other social gathering places where people like herself actually hang out. The format, Finnerty believed, would attract a more diverse audience that represented the community at-large.

“I had all the resources at my fingertips to promote the events in the paper and knew what was happening socially in the city,” she says.

Once management gave the green light for the spin-off, Finnerty launched the Arizona Storytellers Project, which was styled after “The Moth,” a first-person, live storytelling platform.

“I was told to cover my costs, not miss a deadline or embarrass the paper,” she says.

At first, Finnerty scrambled to fill the speaking slots and seats in the house, even telling her own stories and recruiting friends as audience members. Now in its fifth season, Arizona Storytellers has exploded into an awardwinning journalistic model with an abundance of speakers and sell-out crowds that have topped out at 350.

Finnerty acts as emcee of the theme-based storytelling nights, which are held once a month in Valley bars, restaurants and other public spaces like concert venues and museums.

Unlike traditional open mic events where anyone is invited to the stage, Arizona Storytellers is a curated show in which community members apply and are approved to share their stories.

“No story is really off limits,” says Finnerty.

“We have about a 97 percent acceptance rate.”

Through a partnership with the South Mountain Community College’s Storytelling Institute, Finnerty and a handful of trained coaches help storytellers through a vigorous

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OR MORE THAN two decades, Release the Fear CEO and founder Robert Miley has helped high-risk youth and adults throughout Arizona become empowered to combat social pressures and make better life choices. Recognized by the Arizona Department of Education as a Character Education Provider, Miley and his team of trained facilitators provide workshops to youth in schools, juvenile detention centers and jails. The curriculum draws on art, music and communication to teach problemsolving skills and conflict resolution while fostering self-worth and a positive way of thinking.

“We believe there is no such thing as a bad kid,” says Miley, who was recently awarded the 2016 Governor’s Arts Award for Education. “They just haven’t found their gifts yet.”

So far, results of the program are promising. A recent threeyear longitudinal study of 928 youth, conducted by the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections, showed an 11 percent reduction in recidivism.

“We helped to do that,” says Miley, whose organization has

drawn the attention of the White House and the National Endowment for the Arts. “We get them to see things from a different perspective and communicate.”

Currently in Arizona, there are more than 100,000 youth who do not work or attend school.

Through Release the Fear, Miley hopes to help kids without hope or a sense of purpose achieve a brighter future.

“People ask me, ‘Why do you do this, when you can scribble on paper and people will buy it?’ ” says Miley. For him, the answer is clear. “You can’t buy this. There’s no money in the world that could buy this.”

He recalls a recent afternoon at the organization’s downtown Phoenix headquarters when he noticed a young man pacing in front of the window. The man explained to Miley that at age 15, he had attended Release the Fear workshops while incarcerated in the lower Buckeye jail. The skills he learned in the program helped him make positive changes in his life. Found innocent, he was released from probation a year early, had secured a job and looked forward to starting a family.

“He’s on the straight and narrow now. He realized for himself that the program helped him not listen to what other people wanted him to do,” says Miley. “We all want a purpose no matter how young or old you are. And if you don’t know your purpose or have guidance to find

a purpose, someone’s going to find it for you and you’re going to think that’s your only option in life.”

For Miley, teaching criticalthinking skills and empathy for others is most effective when students are proactive in the learning process and assume leadership roles.

“If we sat up there and just lectured, it would not stick,” he explains. “Asking why and getting them engaged in thinking stimulates cognitive thinking.

We have kids on opposing gangs and all of a sudden, they wind up being on the same team. It’s really amazing what they learn about each other.”

Miley recalls a special attendee who at first seemed reluctant to communicate. Several workshops later, she summoned the courage to share her story in front of an audience of 800 and is now studying to become a biophysicist.

“I never thought that I’d come this far,” she says. “I always thought that I’d be forever stuck in a downward spiral, trying to commit suicide, and being a brick wall. I finally came to Florence Crittenton, where I was helped by a Release the Fear program that showed me that I am much more than an individual. I am someone—I am great, powerful, loved, amazing, worthy, and a leader.”

“Those are the kinds of gifts we get weekly,” says Miley. “You cannot put a price tag on those kinds of gifts.” Leigh Farr

Jill Richards

empowering youth

Organization draws on the arts to help kids build a brighter future

“We believe there is no such thing as a bad kid. They just haven’t found their gifts yet.”

ROBERT MILEY

Release the Fear

A 24-foot-high sculpture made from melted weapons used in violent crimes stands at the corner of Roosevelt Street and Central Avenue.

“The sculpture is a tangible reminder that we can transform anything in our lives if we put our minds to it,” says Miley.

Fall 2016 | ElevateAZ.com

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in the spotlight NB |AZ’s multimedia campaign showcases successful Arizona companies

Jane Spicer, CEO of Daphne’s Headcovers, prepares to be interviewed in the NB|AZ studio for Arizona Business Today.

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ONNING HARD HATS on construction sites, sampling culinary fare at local diners, strolling among rows of luxury motorcycles—it’s all in a day’s work for the National Bank of Arizona media crew, who feature visionary Arizona companies in a multimedia campaign. Through TV, radio, social media and a comprehensive website, Arizona Business Today (ABT) highlights local enterprises that have achieved exceptional growth through their relationship with the bank.

“We’re a highly relationship-oriented bank, and when you read the articles and watch the videos on our website, you see the relationships our bankers have with their clients,” says Rhonda Hoffman, NB|AZ marketing project manager. “No other bank does this. We’re unique in this approach.”

Since 2013, ABT has promoted state-based companies, both large and small, that specialize in a wide array of services—from serving tea and crumpets, to building customized pools, to providing university-level education.

“We go everywhere, from construction sights and kitchens, to wineries and manufacturing

facilities,” says Hoffman. “Our crew from NB|AZ shows up with a multimedia producer, cameras and lighting, with scripts prepared, however sometimes you have to ad lib. Either way, it’s always intriguing to see how things really get done at various businesses.”

Three years ago, ABT was launched to help client companies promote their brand, strengthen alliances between the bank and its clients, create new business partnerships, and expand the bank’s brand as a world-class financial institution that values long-term collaborations with companies in the community.

“We’ve had great feedback from our clients, listeners and viewers,” says Hoffman.

This year, the bank featured seven clients and each was represented for a full week over multiple media outlets with radio spots on KTAR, videos on YouTube and a social media promotion.

Each client featured on ABT is chosen with great consideration. The bank features entrepreneurs who have been partners with NB|AZ for several years and have compelling stories to share. Stories focus on how and why each business got started, the growth they’ve enjoyed over the last few years, and how NB|AZ has contributed to their success.

“We are committed to elevating our clients, our communities and the state of Arizona,” says Hoffman. Leigh Farr

Bruce Farr Mark Lipczynski

s t o ry photography

TIMELESS TRADITION Beyond the allure and attraction of the game of football, what goes into evolving a state’s college bowl event to help it become a beloved tradition?

A view into the inner workings of Arizona’s annual Fiesta Bowl and Fiesta Bowl Parade offers some answers to that question.

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prominent business and community leaders—all of whom agreed that Arizona could benefit from having its own college bowl game— founded the Fiesta Bowl. Later dubbing themselves the “Yellow Jacket Committee” and overseeing the Bowl’s development, their ranks included such local luminaries as Bill Shover, Glenn Hawkins and Karl Eller.

What was fascinating to watch over the next several years was the Bowl’s rapid ascension—how it rose from a mid-tier, postseason college-football playoff game to become a member of the elite, four-member Bowl Championship Series (BCS), hosting its annual game and a national championship playoff every four years.

In the process, it went well beyond the status quo for how college bowl games progress through the ranks.

For many reasons, the Fiesta Bowl became a model for aspiring college football bowl candidates, showing them how to build a game and the vast, supporting infrastructure surrounding it. n 1971, a gr o up o f nine

Fall 2016 | ElevateAZ.com

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18 The early years

As might be expected, the process of establishing a major college bowl game in the state wasn’t without its challenges. In fact, behind the scenes of the early negotiations, some of the current Yellow Jacket Committee members freely admit there were a fair share of activity and challenges.

As former Fiesta Bowl executive director Bruce Skinner noted in an interview with the Chicago Tribune in 1989, “A lot of bowls are entrenched in tradition, mired in tradition.

We were the new kid on the block that wasn’t held back by tradition. We’ve been willing to take risks. We’re innovative. We’ve been on the cutting edge.”

Although the tradition Skinner spoke of has become a major component of the Fiesta Bowl brand, it hasn’t come at the expense of losing the risk-taking and cutting-edge spirit that was part and parcel of the Fiesta Bowl’s rise.

The Fiesta Bowl really began to make a name for itself in the 1980s when, freed from conference affiliations, its organizers were able to arrange attractive bowl matchups between major conference opponents. One of the most significant breakthroughs came in 1986, when the Fiesta Bowl convinced Miami and Penn State—then No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in conference play—to face each other in a national championship game. That nail-biting matchup set and, for many years, held the record for the most-watched college football game of all time.

In the 1990s, the Fiesta Bowl hosted the first BCS national championship game, and followed it up with three more. For the 2006 season, the Bowl moved from its former venue at Arizona State University in Tempe to the new University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, and staged the first BCS title game in the double-host format.

A thriving sense of purpose

Today, the Fiesta Bowl organization—which also oversees the Cactus Bowl and several other annual sporting events—operates like a welloiled machine. Two years ago, the Bowl’s board of directors hired Mike Nealy to helm a team of 30 consummate professionals at the Fiesta Bowl’s Scottsdale offices.

A longtime sports management executive with a flair for teambuilding, Nealy helped steer the Bowl’s course through a number of tricky structural changes in college football bowl play.

At the same time, he focused his efforts on creating a strong new culture in the Fiesta Bowl organization itself, with a renewed emphasis on community involvement that occurred on a number of different fronts.

“We have a great team here,” Nealy notes with pride. “A new team of strong people who are very good at what they do. But the one thing they all share in common is a sense of purpose—and that purpose is one of giving back to the community. Sure, we’re an event company that puts on a great football game and other attractions, but the driving force of what we’re doing is all about the good of the community. At the end of the day, the most successful we can be is when we can say we’ve given more back to the community.”

That principle of giving has the numbers to prove itself. Last year, the Fiesta Bowl made $1.5 million in charitable contributions within the state and, this year, it’s on track to donate $2 million. One of the many beneficiaries of its giving is the Boys & Girls Club of Tucson.

Elizabeth Bollinger, an executive with the club, says her organization relies on the Fiesta Bowl’s generosity each year.

“We cannot begin to express our appreciation,” she says. “They [Fiesta Bowl Charities] understand that the kids come first, and that has always been their focus. Going above and beyond to bring mascots, food and

“The driving force of what we’re doing is all about the good of the community.

At the end of the day, the most successful we can be is when we can say we’ve given more back to the community.”

M i k e n e a ly

Executive Director, Fiesta Bowl

other items for the kids has made this such a powerful partnership that we’ll forever cherish.”

Another key ingredient of the Fiesta Bowl’s popularity in Arizona is its annual parade.

Each year, 100,000-plus spectators crowd the sidewalks along the Fiesta Bowl Parade’s 2-mile route through central Phoenix. This is the third year National Bank of Arizona has been the title sponsor of the Fiesta Bowl Parade, which

Left to right: Michael Hecomovich, Chairman of the Board; Shannon Williams, Chief Marketing Officer; Jose Moreno, Director of Community Relations; Mike Nealy, Executive Director; Frank Divers, Committee Chairman

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The Ellie and Michael Ziegler Fiesta Bowl Museum contains memorabilia from Fiesta Bowl games and events, team helmets, college football awards and trophies.

has become one of the most visible symbols of spirit, fun, excitement and entertainment for families and visitors.

This time-honored Valley tradition, Arizona’s largest single-day spectator event, features a dazzling array of colorful floats and helium balloons, marching bands and horseback units. The parade also helps integrate the community into the workings of the Fiesta

“We’re a very volunteer-driven organization,” he says. “From a volunteer standpoint, we had over 16,500 volunteer hours last year.”

Despite the team’s small size, each month, as a group, they go out into the community to serve a wide array of causes, from hosting groups of single moms to lunch, to renting out movie theaters for cancer-stricken children, to rolling up their sleeves to build children’s playgrounds.

Bowl, giving local residents a chance to get involved. Through the years, just as they have for the Fiesta Bowl game itself, thousands of local volunteers have served the parade as marshals, balloon handlers, stagers, guest services workers, drivers and more.

“This past year, we fed over 25,000 kids in need through our food programs. We also support programs combatting children’s cancer, Fiesta Bowl Charities kitchens in various Arizona communities, and many other programs,” Moreno proudly says.

Giving back

Fiesta Bowl 46

Shannon Williams, chief marketing officer for the Fiesta Bowl organization, elaborates on Nealy’s summation of the Fiesta Bowl’s commitment to giving back to the community.

“It’s something that’s a part of the fabric of everyone who works here. Personally, as a fourth-generation Arizonan, it’s something that’s vitally important to me,” she says.

The spirit of charity—of giving—within the Fiesta Bowl organization goes much farther than the very public gesture of making monetary donations in the community.

Jose Moreno, the Fiesta Bowl’s director of community relations and charitable giving, is in charge of all the organization’s charitable outreach into the community, including that of its sizable foundation.

“As a whole, we’re a philanthropic organization, and it’s my job to relay that message to the community,” he says. As Moreno explains, however, it’s also a part of the organization’s vision and charter that staff members give of their own time and efforts.

With the 46th annual Fiesta Bowl set for Dec. 31, the Fiesta Bowl organization has been steadily picking up its work pace, setting into motion myriad preliminary activities that need to be operational before the game can actually begin. With an event this size, a mind-boggling array of details needs to be coordinated before the starter’s whistle can signal the initial kickoff.

There’s some comfort in realizing that it’s the work of a highly dedicated team and countless local volunteers who, year-after-year, steer it all to its happy conclusion.

“If you look at the big picture, we all want Arizona to be a better place to live, work and play,” Williams says about her organization’s charitable works. “And tying in the celebration of a college bowl game certainly builds excitement. All those years ago, planting the seeds of the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona really allowed our state to exist on a national stage— as a great place for sports—and to demonstrate that we can, in fact, organize and hold highcaliber sporting events.”

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Story

Bruce Farr Mark Lipczynski

Photography

‘ Ci

’ s e n i P e h t ty in Comes of Age

F

lagstaff, Arizona.

With its countless references found in song, folklore and literature, the popular northern Arizona destination has, over generations, become the stuff of American legend.

And no wonder why. The city—picturesquely nestled at the base of the majestic San Francisco Peaks amid deep Ponderosa pine forests and iconic natural canyons—invites the imagination.

Since it was founded in the late 1800s, Flagstaff has had many labels hung on it: farming and logging community, railroad and sheep-ranching town, movie set location, and even that of a center for astronomical exploration. But today, the city has emerged as a new model for easy, healthful living, working and recreation.

Like many Southwestern cities and towns, Flagstaff’s history as a settlement isn’t really that old. “Flag,” as it’s familiarly known to Arizonans, got its start in the mid 1870s as a small farming community founded by a group of hardy New Englanders smitten with the allure of the west.

Attracted by its cool climate, breathtaking scenery and abundant water, these early pioneers wasted no time hewing the plentiful local pine

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timber to cobble together a handful of buildings on a flat parcel of land that today serves as the city’s epicenter. The new settlers shared the rugged environment with its native inhabitants, members of the Navajo and Hopi tribes, who today remain a part of Flagstaff’s appeal as a center for Native American culture and history.

An influx of independently owned businesses and restaurants is creating a robust business climate in Flagstaff.

On ‘America’s highway’

Fast-forward a few decades to the 1920s, when Flagstaff’s history as a traveler’s weigh station was sealed in stone. More by happenstance than design, Flagstaff became one of the key points

of interest along the now legendary, 2,500-milelong strand of U.S. highway called Route 66.

In the early days of the automobile, Route 66 helped several quirky communities along its course to prosper, and Flagstaff was prominent among them. Downtown, which is flanked on one end by Route 66, was built as a network of walkable streets and avenues laid out in a satisfying grid pattern that invites easy, meandering exploration.

From that point forward, what seemed to percolate to Flagstaff’s surface was a bustling sense of manifest American destiny. Downtown embodied that same spirit of “upstart” progress that a handful of other western U.S. towns and cities did in that formative time.

Following on its steady growth through the 20th century, the city continued to evolve and flourish. In addition to its popularity as the nearest major city to the Grand Canyon and other northern attractions in the state, Flagstaff became permanently etched in the American consciousness when, in 1946, the planet Pluto was discovered from nearby Lowell Observatory.

The observatory sits on Mars Hill, just west of Flagstaff proper, and has become an important locus for astronomical observation and study.

T

here are a lot of really good things happening in the downtown area. Over the years, they’ve really worked to revitalize and make it the place to be in the city, and it’s really made a difference.” John Lewis, NB|AZ

Solid economic base

Diverse downtown

With 5 million visitors to downtown Flagstaff last year, the city’s economy is driven substantially by tourism, much of it lured there by the city’s proximity to the Grand Canyon and the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort.

“That traffic has resulted in a lot of smaller shops and restaurants in the downtown that have tended to thrive off of that tourism,” Lewis says.

One of those bustling businesses is Old Town Shops, a potpourri of restaurants, small boutiques and retail stores all housed in a single building that fronts historic Leroux Street. Old Town Shops’ owner, longtime Flagstaff resident and businessman John VanLandingham, has been a local force in helping revitalize the downtown to make it more attractive to visitors and local residents alike.

“Downtown is unique and remarkable in a lot of different ways,” VanLandingham points out. “With several eclectic retail shops,

John Lewis, Northern Commercial President, National Bank of Arizona

Fall 2016 | ElevateAZ.com

Today, while it is still a relatively small city at just under 70,000 residents, Flagstaff has become a great place to park one’s self for days on end to take in the surrounding wonders—its many notable geographic landmarks, its colorful cultural history, and its increasing reputation as a recreational paradise.

One of Flagstaff's high notes is that it happens to be a very walkable city, its tidy downtown still, in some respects, invitingly reminiscent of a 1950s-vintage American small town. And that, from a small-business perspective, is helping drive Flagstaff’s emergence from the economic downturn of 2008-2011, notes John Lewis, Northern Commercial President of National Bank of Arizona.

“I would say that, recently, our business climate is robust,” Lewis affirms. “There are a lot of really good things happening in the downtown area. Over the years, they’ve really worked to revitalize and make it the place to be in the city, and it’s really made a difference.”

It doesn’t hurt that Flagstaff is home to several large manufacturers and service organizations, Lewis points out, among them the medical equipment and fabric manufacturer, W.L. Gore & Associates, and the pet food giant, Nestlé-Purina. Also near

downtown, the sizable campus of Northern Arizona University has long added a distinctly educational/cultural vibe to the city’s identity.

“Northern Arizona Healthcare and all of its ancillary businesses are also important economic contributors,” Lewis notes.

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I

’m sure there’s some really intelligent, economic theory or rationale [on] why there’s such an increase in downtown retail. But what it boils down to is that people sense the vibrancy and just want to be a part of it.” John VanLandingham, small business owner

galleries and restaurants, the business climate is great. There’s a lot of excitement, energy and entrepreneurism. Especially in the last couple of years, [the local retail economy] is accelerating pretty rapidly.”

To accommodate that acceleration, the city’s Flagstaff Pulliam Airport serves one carrier, American Eagle, which has a multiple daily flight schedule to move passengers to and from Phoenix.

Economic aid

John VanLandingham, owner of Old Town Shops in downtown Flagstaff

John Saltonstall, the business retention and expansion manager for Flagstaff, works with primary sector industries, startups and entrepreneurs, helping them get their businesses off the ground.

“I think the city’s in a phenomenal place right now,” Saltonstall says. “Things are very productive…with a lot of partners who are banded together to help it grow.”

He explains that there are a number of

economic projects that have been in the works for a long time that are just coming into fruition.

“But whatever happens, we don’t want to lose the small-town identity and feel we’ve had,” Saltonstall continues. “This is still a very close-knit community and that’s something we want to maintain.”

Saltonstall also says that Flagstaff is fast becoming a “foodie town,” with a number of unique, high-quality independent restaurants opening up downtown. And hinging on the increasing downtown traffic, he notes that another project, a new Marriott hotel, will have a major impact in the city. The four-story, 109unit hostelry is underway “caddy-corner from City Hall,” Saltonstall says, adding that the city has eight microbreweries linked via a tour called the Ale Trail that’s proving enormously popular with the hops-oriented crowd.

“As you can tell, there are a lot of things that kind of run the spectrum of progress…there’s a lot going on here,” he says.

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Longtime local radio station continues to expand its reach

COMMUNITY story

Debra Gelbart

TREASURE photography

Mark Lipczynski

KTAR Radio is a broadcasting institution in Arizona, yet it’s nimble enough to still play a vital role in the lives of local residents and make a significant impact on the community every day. On the air continuously, it’s the only broadcast outlet in greater Phoenix with over 95 years of service from the same place on the radio dial.

Within the last decade, KTAR has tripled its influence. A trio of brands comprise the legendary local originator of news and talk.

KTAR, which moved to the FM band at 92.3 in 2006, features the tagline “The Voice of Arizona.” Local sports—including play-by-play for the Suns, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Coyotes and ASU teams—and sports talk are on KMVP, known as “Arizona Sports,” also on the FM band at 98.7. And national sports and talk, along with additional local sports match-ups, are on 620 on the AM band, now known as “ESPN Phoenix.”

The websites KTAR.com and ArizonaSports.com also keep the public informed up to the minute, as does the KTAR smartphone app.

Since 2004, Salt Lake City-based Bonneville International Corp. has owned the stations.

“We are privileged to be stewards of these brands,” says Ryan Hatch, vice president of news and sports content. “Talk radio in some markets has become so divisive. That’s just not what we do. We want our hosts to have opinions, but we like to say we’re ‘insightful,’ not ‘inciteful.’ ” When it began

The flagship of the three brands, KTAR debuted on the airwaves in June 1922. By 1928, it was located at 620 on the radio dial, and by 1930, it was affiliated with The Arizona Republic newspaper—hence the call letters KTAR. “We’ve always had the finest people in media working for us,” says Scott Sutherland, vice president/market manager for the three stations.

Clockwise from top: Jayme West, co-host/anchor, Arizona's Morning News; Jason Graham, technical director, Arizona Morning News; Tiffany Omohundro, producer, Doug and Wolf Show

Fall 2016 | ElevateAZ.com

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“Ours is a heritage brand that has meant everything to this community for decades.”

In September 1973, KTAR-AM switched from an adult contemporary music format to an all-news format with local news anchors, even during the overnight hours. No other radio station in the Phoenix market had tried this format.

“We proved news was a workable format and that people in the Phoenix market were definitely interested during the morning and afternoon drives,” says Roger Downey, the former evening news anchor for KPHO-TV Channel 5 and the first news director hired by then-general manager of KTAR, Ralph Beaudin.

“I got the chance to work with some of the best radio newscasters in Arizona,” says Joe Anaya, one of the news professionals Downey hired. Anaya recently retired from Channel 5 after a 33-year career there. At KTAR, he says, news feeds from ABC Radio News enabled the team to add more dimension to its newscasts.

“Coupled with reporters assigned to cover the State Capitol, Phoenix City Hall, county government and the police department,” he says, “we generated a lot of news stories right from the beginning.”

Expanding the format

Local talk show hosts were added. By 1984, Arizona entertainment icon Pat McMahon, who played many memorable characters on the long-running local kids TV show “Wallace and Ladmo,” had become the centerpiece of the talk-show lineup. During his storied career, McMahon has interviewed many celebrated achievers from all walks of life, including Mother Theresa, John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali, Walter Cronkite, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and Joe Garigiola, just to name a few.

Today, McMahon’s contributions to KTAR’s programming include a daily commentary and weekly shows “The God Show,” a broad look at spiritual issues and “The McMahon Group,” a freewheeling discussion among guests representing various professions.

“KTAR is one of those organizations listeners just know they can depend on for accuracy,” McMahon says, “especially in a day and age when it’s kind of difficult to determine who’s telling the truth or who’s speaking from a personal or prejudicial perspective. We’re not telling you what to think, we’re simply telling you to think.”

“I take our responsibility to the community incredibly seriously. We’re that voice that says everything’s going to be OK.” Paul Ihander

KTAR News Director

News still the cornerstone

KTAR maintains the largest radio news team in the state.

“When the status of a news event is rapidly changing, we are at our best,” says news director Paul Ihander. The station is responsible for coordinating the broadcast of public information in an emergency situation among all other local radio stations, a designation colloquially known as “the red phone.” The symbolic red phone in the newsroom is the “representation of our position as the source for information about public safety,” Sutherland says.

The red phone concept is a combination of “talk, news and digital content and engineering that connects us to the emergency alert system,” Sutherland explains. All Amber (missing children) and Silver (missing older residents) alerts broadcast on local radio are coordinated

by KTAR, he says. “Whatever the emergency situation may be, other stations can either read a prepared script or broadcast our anchors’ voices.”

“We’re the calm in the storm,” says Ihander, who throughout his career has purposely chosen to work at heritage radio stations.

“I take our responsibility to the community incredibly seriously. We’re that voice that says everything’s going to be OK.” Philanthropic endeavors

As much as KTAR and its sister stations are known for keeping the community informed, they also are expanding their reach in championing important causes and partnering with organizations to raise money for populations that face ongoing challenges.

“We’re committed to doing well by doing good,” Sutherland says. “We know we can do

well with respect to our business by doing good work in the community.”

The stations’ largest annual fundraiser is the Give-a-Thon for Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

“Last year, we raised $1.5 million in 18 hours,” Sutherland says. Held in mid-August, “it has become the single largest hospital fundraiser in the country.”

KTAR also holds a radiothon every year called Action for Autism, benefitting the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center in Phoenix. The stations also hold fundraisers for first responders, Luke Air Force Base, and for charities that help patients with lymphoma and ALS, among other medical conditions. In September, the station celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with a multi-part series recognizing Latinos’ achievements and influence.

The newest community venture, promoted on Arizona Sports and on the station’s digital platforms, is called Big League Dads, intended to encourage fathers to get involved in their family’s life.

“We want to inspire and educate dads to take a more active, positive role in the lives of their families and communities,” Hatch says, adding that the spokesman for the effort is Christ Church of the Valley pastor Travis Brown.

In August, the initiative hosted an event at Cardinals Training Camp for 200 fathers.

Left top: Jim Sharpe, host, Arizona's Morning News.

Left bottom: Pat McMahon, longtime KTAR host and personality. Above: Bertrand Berry, host, Off the Edge. Below: Ryan Hatch, KTAR vice president of content and operations (left) and Scott Sutherland, KTAR vice president and market manager.

No shortage of awards

Fall 2016 | ElevateAZ.com

The stations’ excellence has been rewarded and recognized often. The National Association of Broadcasters bestows its annual Crystal Award to only 10 radio stations around the country in recognition of outstanding community service.

No station can win the award in consecutive years, but KTAR won it in 2014 and 2016 and a third time in the past six years. Arizona Sports has been nominated for the Crystal Award twice, Hatch says.

“I can’t remember another sports station even being nominated,” he says.

KTAR also has won the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for news broadcasting excellence multiple times over the years from the Radio Television Digital News Association.

Sutherland says KTAR, Arizona Sports and ESPN Phoenix will continue a tradition of dedication to the local community.

“The focus of everything we do is Greater Phoenix and Arizona and the impact we can have to uplift, educate and inspire.”

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Peoria, AZ

While Peoria may be known for sports and outdoor adventures, its support of the arts can be seen through a variety of public art pieces, including "The Family" at the Peoria Municipal Campus.

Created by artist E. Gyro Hollosay, the bronze sculpture depicts a father, mother and child. Find out more about this dynamic city in the next issue of Elevate AZ.

PHOTO Mark Lipczynski

Fall 2016 | ElevateAZ.com

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