National Bank of ArizonaÂŽ
Modernizing Mesa
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HOPE & HEALING
Ongoing development makes for a more dynamic city
Arizona treatment centers give promise of a new life
LEADING WITH HEART Nonprofit alliance maximizes good works
WINTER 2018
THANK YOU
for making National Bank of Arizona®
ARIZONA’S NO. 1 BANK for 15 years.
NBAZ.COM | A division of ZB, N.A. Member FDIC
in this issue
Historic combat planes are housed in the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum in Mesa, where visitors can view or take flight in one.
DEPARTMENTS 02 @NB|AZ What’s happening at National Bank of Arizona
04 AZ WORKS Sheer Genius Local startups get a unique chance to learn from business experts
06 FOOD & DRINK [Not Your] Garden Variety Glendale couple look to sow the seeds of change in urban farming
08 ARTS & CULTURE Art Detour In the southwestern town of Tubac, history and art intersect
FEATURES
14 Hope and Healing
10 TRAILBLAZERS All Smiles
Arizona treatment centers give promise of a new life
Small business pioneer encourages women to pursue their career dreams
20 Modernizing Mesa
12 AZ NONPROFIT Feeding Matters
Guided by a top-notch development plan, Mesa is more dynamic than ever
Nonprofit offers support for families struggling with feeding disorders
26 Leading with Heart
A moment in Parker
The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits helps organizations maximize their good works
PUBLISHER National Bank of Arizona EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jenavi Kasper, jenavi.kasper@nbarizona.com PROJECT EDITOR Michelle Hamel, michelle.hamel@nbarizona.com MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER Ali Adib, ali.adib@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 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. © 2018 ZB, N.A. All rights reserved. A division of ZB, N.A. Member FDIC
32 EXPERIENCE AZ
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ON THE COVER Thanks to new and ongoing development, Mesa is poised for the future. Find out more about the city's plans and projects in “Modernizng Mesa” on page 20. Photo by Mark Lipczynski The mural outside of the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum is titled, Desert Rose (Nuevas Generaciones), 2016. The artist is El Mac.
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Star Employees ACROSS THE STATE, NB|AZ associates live the bank’s core values every day. From interactions with clients to the day-to-day working relationships with coworkers, they are an important part of what make NB|AZ a community bank. In recognition of embodying the core values, NB|AZ awarded the following employees with Volunteer of the Quarter awards in 2017.
Q1: Carolina Mardueño Project Manager in Technology & Channel Delivery
Q2: El Ndoye Branch Manager, Oro Valley
Q3: Jennifer Scott Retail Operations Supervisor, Payson
NB|AZ prides itself on being a community bank, and Carolina Mardueño is no stranger to her own community. Recognized for her selfless displays of volunteerism, Mardueño has worked with such groups as Junior Achievement of Arizona, Association of Financial Professionals of Arizona, Phoenix Community Emergency Response Team, and her church. “Because NB|AZ values volunteerism, I feel this recognition means something special,” says Mardueño, who has been with the bank for 18 years. “I know the company really means it when they talk about being a community bank.” Of her willingness to volunteer her time and efforts, Mardueño says, “It gives me a greater sense of purpose [and] adds value to my life. Everyone has a baseline by which they operate— you work so you can have money to live. But beyond that, it’s really great to have something extra.” Being the eternal optimist that she is, Mardueño believes every single person can find a cause. “There are plenty of excuses: ‘I’m not prepared,’ ‘It’s just not inside of me,’ or ‘I don’t have time,’ ” she says. “But just try it. Look within your community, and don’t be scared. Even if you find one, singular cause or group, it still matters and makes a difference.”
Ever the busy volunteer, El Ndoye has been working to help resettle refugees in the Oro Valley and Tucson areas. “We try to help them get set up,” he says. “Really just trying to be a resource for them in any way possible.” Inspired by his work with refugees, Ndoye founded his own charitable foundation in 2010. The Forgotten Children seeks to provide necessities like clothing, food and school supplies to underprivileged children in Senegal, Africa. “I was born and raised in Senegal, and I was drawn to the kids there,” he says. “I visited once and saw many of them had very little, so I wanted to help.” Today, Ndoye and The Forgotten Children have not only helped provide the basics to many of the children in Senegal, but are also in the process of constructing a boarding school for the kids. “I was taught as a child to help those in need, no matter what,” he says. As winner of the Volunteer of the Quarter, NB|AZ will donate $250 to the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which provides scholarships to help local youth afford a college education.
A dedicated volunteer with the Salvation Army, Jennifer Scott has been a lead volunteer with the Payson unit for 18 years. In that time, she has worked on a number of projects, including the Angel Tree program, and initiatives focused on helping families and children in need. But one volunteer effort stands out in Scott’s mind as having a significant impact. The Payson Salvation Army and its volunteers were called to assist tenants of a senior apartment complex damaged from a fire caused by a burning candle. More than 40 tenants were displaced and had to find temporary housing. “All the [local] nonprofits came to together to assist. The Salvation Army was able to assist during the emergency stage, right after it happened, by putting these tenants in hotels for the first seven days,” Scott says. “Many of the seniors were traumatized and just being able to offer some relief was very rewarding to me.” Scott says what drives her to volunteer and give back to her community is the joy she gets from meeting new people and building ongoing, trustworthy relationships with the people she meets. “I receive self-satisfaction and pride knowing I’ve made a difference in someone’s life,” she says.
AWARDS
NO. 1…AGAIN NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA has been named No. 1 Bank by Ranking Arizona, the largest business opinion poll in the state. It is the 15th time the bank has taken the top spot in the popular poll. Ranking Arizona participants vote for businesses based on the quality of product, service and who they would recommend doing business with in the state. Their responses are assembled and ranked according to their total number of votes. The opinion poll has grown in popularity over the years, with businesses across all sectors vying for the coveted No. 1 ranking. Banking customers have consistently and overwhelmingly cast their votes for NB|AZ. NB|AZ has been serving Arizona for more than 30 years and operates 59 branch locations in 44 communities. The bank has built its reputation on providing local expertise and delivering an unwavering commitment to exceptional service. The full-service community bank offers unique business and personal financial solutions that help customers manage and grow their bottom line. NB|AZ is also committed to serving nonprofit banking needs, helping support this vital sector of the Arizona community. As part of its commitment to customers, NB|AZ also works to tell client stories and celebrate client successes through its Elevate AZ magazine and “Arizona Business Today” TV and radio campaign. EVENTS
Celebrating Champions
DINE FOR A CAUSE ON A CRISP October evening, more than 1,100 people came out to enjoy delicious food, exceptional wines and rousing entertainment at the 11th annual Taste of the Biltmore. Each year, the bank’s signature food-and-wine event kicks off the Valley’s social season, and features the Valley’s top restaurants and chefs in support of local charities. This year’s lineup of restaurants included: 24 Carrots Frost Gelato Seasons 52 Whole Foods Bruce Brown Catering Kettle Heroes Benedict’s Catering Nektar Juice Bar Short Leash Hot Dogs Infusion Coffee & Tea Bluewater Grill Nothing Bundt Cakes The Herb Box Catering + Events O.H.S.O. Even Stevens Sandwiches Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill Jo Malone Hopdoddy Burger Bar Pork on a Fork Over Easy Press Coffee Roasters Young’s Market (wine and beer) The Adobe Restaurant As guests wined, dined and enjoyed music by local food truck and mobile radio station Soundbite, they also helped raise proceeds for Family Promise of Greater Phoenix, a nonprofit organization that provides emergency shelter and social services to help families move toward independent housing and self-sufficiency.
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
IN DECEMBER, the 47th Annual NB|AZ Fiesta Bowl Parade helped kick off the Valley’s new year celebrations in grand style. Stretching two miles down Central Avenue in Phoenix, the parade featured brilliantly colored floats, balloons, marching bands and local celebrities and entertainment. This is the fourth year NB|AZ has been the title sponsor of the parade. It is estimated that more than 100,000 residents and tourists were at the parade, making it the highestattended, single-day event in Arizona. “We are thrilled to be back as title partner for the National Bank of Arizona Fiesta Bowl Parade,” said Curt Hansen, executive vice president and chief operating officer, in an interview with the Arizona Office of Tourism. “Building community is a primary focus for NB|AZ and by continuing to partner with the Fiesta Bowl in this Valley tradition, we are supporting the thousands of volunteers, participants, organizations and fans that make this event so special.” The Honorary Car featured Tony Banegas, executive director of Children First Foundation, and Pam Keefe, vice president, nonprofit relationship manager at NB|AZ. In addition, Arizona Coyotes legend Shane Doan was the grand marshal of the parade, which paid tribute to the Valley of the Sun through the “Champions of the Community” theme.
GIVING BACK
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W Local startups get a unique chance to learn from business experts
Sheer Genius
HILE ENTREPRENEURSHIP can be exciting, the startup days can be challenging. House of Genius, which launched its Phoenix chapter in 2014, helps early-stage companies to stay enthusiastic amidst the obstacles of entrepreneurship. But, if you think this is a run-of-the-mill networking event, think again. Held monthly, House of Genius meetings kick off with a keynote presentation about anything from leadership, to motivation, to the entrepreneurial journey. The heart of the session, though, is when two different companies each make five-minute presentations to a group of about 15 to 20 panelists from a variety of backgrounds. “Instead of a pitch where they’re looking for money, our presenters come to the table with a specific question about their business or a problem to solve to help the panelists guide their feedback,” says Caitlin Waters, House of Genius city director. “Some are in the idea or startup stage, while
others are in an early funding round, or even an established company changing direction.” A Q&A session is followed by one-by-one feedback from around the table. “Panelists provide guidance, as well as recommend organizations or make introductions that might help,” Waters says. “We ask panelists to keep it really strategic, and we have a note taker so the presenters can focus on just listening and being present.” The more than 60 presenters to date have run the gamut from apps, tech and software companies, to nonprofits and brick-and-mortar businesses—including one business owner who had an idea to start a cereal bar. Based on the same model used at 33 House of Genius chapters around the world, some intentional mystery fosters the free sharing of ideas and feedback: Keynote topics and presentations are kept secret until the day of the event, and
The House of Genius Phoenix chapter team includes (left to right) Kimberly Roland, Nima Jacob Najoumi, JP Taxman, Caitlin Waters and Matthew Roldan
names of the panelists are kept anonymous until the end. “At least one or two people will have industry-specific experience, but you might be sitting next to a seasoned entrepreneur, lawyer, or high school student,” says Waters. “One of the new things we’re doing is reserving one seat a month for an Arizona State University or other college student. We want to make sure we have the most diverse panel possible.” Chapter founder Nima Jacob Nojoumi’s experience as a panelist at the Santa Monica chapter inspired him to launch in Phoenix to support the burgeoning entrepreneurial community. “I was blown away by the community-driven format, selflessness of the panelists, and the value that was captured for founders that were presenting,” he says. “My ‘aha! moment’ was during the reveal, when I realized I was collaborating with none other than Mark Suster of Upfront Ventures. The anonymity is an equalizer that creates a safe environment for ideas and feedback to flow freely.” At the time, Nojoumi had just completed a seven-year stint at GoDaddy, which led him to anticipate that the next wave of startup unicorns would likely come from employees at GoDaddy, Infusionsoft, and other Valley companies on the rise. “I wanted to help people make the leap from employee to founder,” he says. “I was also encouraged by Rep. David Schweikert to ‘be the bridge’ at a congressional field hearing in Scottsdale, where I testified on behalf of entrepreneurs regarding access to capital in high-growth industries.” John Bevell, co-founder of Gigapult, a year-old company that helps high school students get work experience through gigs at full-fledged organizations, can attest to the benefits of presenting to the House of Genius panel. “It’s really good practice for any startup to pitch their ideas in a limited time Caitlin Waters frame,” he says. “I liked House of Genius city director how the panel could give feedback at various points after you give your pitch, so you could just listen and absorb their first impressions. And it was cool that one of the folks in attendance at my session reached out three or four weeks afterwards with a follow-up idea.” Waters says one of her favorite things about House of Genius is exposing lesser-known companies to the community and watching them take off. “It also sparks something in the panelists after they leave, whether they’re thinking about building their own company or getting involved more in the entrepreneurial community in Phoenix,” she continues. “Even if you’ve never been involved with a startup before, everyone has something to share.”
“ Instead of a pitch where they’re looking for money, our presenters come to the table with a specific question about their business or a problem to solve.”
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
Jake Poinier
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RIAN AND HEATHER SZYMURA are proof that you never know when a hobby might turn into a business. About 12 years ago, they began urban farming—partly to help alleviate Brian’s ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis that affects the spine, by growing food for medicine. The new “hobby” was guided by Heather, who took a naturopathic program in botanical medicine, and Brian’s experience as a master grower. The side benefit? Fostering a lifestyle that’s helped Brian lose about half his body weight in the past five years. In May 2015, the couple’s side interest in harvesting their own food grew into something much bigger when they purchased a Freight Farms hydroponic farm-in-a-box:
lets us support a local business and gives us peace of mind knowing they test their water on a weekly basis. The trick to getting help with carrying the 5-gallon jugs is to tell our friends we’re going to get ice cream!” The farm’s LED lights decrease energy use and help keep the environment cooler during the hotter months. “In container farming, every environment is different,” Brian says. “We’re the first in Arizona, but most of these farms are on the East Coast or in Colorado at high elevation. They’re constantly dealing with freezing temperatures and we’re the exact opposite.” Early on, the farm proved to be a perfect environment for lettuce and kale. But the couple experimented with a wide
[not your] garden variety Glendale couple look to sow the seeds of change in urban farming a 40-foot insulated shipping container (formerly used to transport meat) retrofitted with air conditioning, LED lights, and 7-foot vertical growing towers. Today, their Glendale-based entrepreneurial backyard venture, Twisted Infusions, produces greens, vegetables and edible flowers that are incorporated into menus by top-name chefs around the Valley. “We thought it would be more of a part-time situation, but it didn’t turn out that way,” Heather says. “It actually needed more than just 20 hours a week of work. We also had to answer the question, ‘What do you do with all this lettuce?’” Although the Szymuras had initial interest from distributors, they didn’t want to focus on a single type of crop. “We looked at it from a perspective of what we wanted to plant and who we wanted to sell to, and that’s where partnering with chefs really came in,” Heather says. “The chefs who care about farm-to-table are looking for something that’s high quality and knowing exactly where it’s sourced.” By maintaining a constant temperature of 63 degrees year-round in an enclosed space, the farm eliminates issues with Arizona’s weather and airborne dust, as well as insects. Clean water, of course, is a key component in hydroponics. “Even with the equivalent of nearly two acres, we only use 15 gallons of water a day, so it’s not cost-effective to put in a $15,000 system,” Brian says. “Using Glendale Water ‘n Ice
range of items, including edible flowers, red-veined sorrel, bok choy, a Japanese herb called shiso, as well as beets and celery, which are used for its leaves. Outdoor hydroponics towers and small earth gardens provide additional options for vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers that can’t be grown in the container. Matthew Eck at the Mission Kierland, Cory Oppold at Atlas Bistro, and Christopher Brugman at Hearth ’61 are among the chefs using Twisted Infusions’ unique offerings. “I discovered them on Instagram and reached out to see what they had to offer,” says Eck, a sous chef at the Mission, who uses the farm’s greens and produce at the restaurant, and at pop-up and private dinners. “They were doing something original and cool, providing chefs and local foodies with things you can’t usually get here in the desert or anywhere else. For example, I love their wasabi arugula, glacier lettuce, and an edible flower called buzz button that makes your tongue tingle like it’s being tased. It’s fun to mess with!” Creating those types of unique gastronomic experiences is equally rewarding for the Szymuras. “It’s great when a chef asks me to grow something specific or new for them for an event or special menu item,” Heather says. “They care about where their food comes from and how they present it. It’s that kind of a partnership and relationship we’re looking for.” Jake Poinier
Twisted Infusions owners Heather and Brian Szymura grow a variety of produce, such as lettuce and kale, in an insulated shipping container retrofitted with air conditioning, LED lights, and vertical growing towers.
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
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T WASN’T BY DESIGN, but the village of Tubac (pop. 1,000) in southwestern Arizona seemed destined to become an arts town. Located 45 minutes south of Tucson in Santa Cruz County, Tubac is known as a place “where history meets art.” Home to five known distinct cultures, Tubac is the oldest European settlement in Arizona. It was established in 1752 by Spanish colonists who built San Ignacio de Tubac, a postmilitary presidio to keep local rebels at bay. While remnants of the fort have been preserved as part of the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, Tubac has let its guard down considerably over the years. Now a thriving arts community with hidden courtyards and sparkling fountains, Tubac is still a tiny enclave, but it welcomes the masses.
An art school founded in 1948 by rural landscape painter Dale Nichols, a major figure of the Regionalist movement, is believed to have set the tone for the modern-day art scene in Tubac. Today, the village includes a walkable footprint with more than 100 galleries, art studios and shops showcasing the diverse works of painters, photographers, sculptors, jewelers, furniture makers, potters and mixed media artists. Tubac’s evolution as an arts town isn’t all that surprising given its cultural and historical roots, a vivid backstory that lends itself to artistic exploration and discovery, according to Angela Kirkner, executive director of the Tubac Chamber of Commerce. “Artists are naturally drawn to and tend to flock to towns with historical zones,” she says. “Tubac has a past that artists can draw on for inspiration.” It’s distinct geography also has endeared Tubac to many artists, like-minded residents and visitors who admire its picturesque, non-urban setting. Situated at the base of the Santa Rita Mountains along the cottonwood-lined Santa Cruz
art detour
In the southwestern town of Tubac, history and art intersect
“Tubac has a past that artists can draw on for inspiration.”
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
River, the valley has unobstructed, The historical arts colony is a scenic high-desert vistas that magnet not only for artists, but provide a stunning creative canvas art lovers, as well. Each February, for the imagination. thousands descend on the town Angela Kirkner One local artist taken by Tubac’s for the Tubac Festival of the Arts, a natural beauty and historical showcase for hundreds of visiting Executive Director, Tubac Chamber of Commerce prominence is Roberta Rogers, artists from across the country a third-generation landscape and Canada who exhibit their work watercolorist who, along with her husband, packed up and along the village streets. moved to Tubac 12 years ago after living in Flagstaff for more The fine art celebration attracts between 8,000 to 10,000 than 30 years. people daily during the five-day juried event. Internationally “Tubac is visually interesting from 360 degrees. The adobes, acclaimed, the Tubac Festival of the Arts is the longest the cottonwoods, the mountain shapes, the lighting, the clear running outdoor arts gathering if its kind in Arizona and will air, the riparian habitats, the monsoons, and sunrises and mark its 59th anniversary in 2018. sunsets—all of it attracted me to Tubac,” says Rogers, whose Not only does Tubac spotlight a range of art through work appears in the Purcell Gallery of Fine Art. “Historical gallery representation and festivals—a smaller show featuring architecture always has intrigued me, too. The Southwest has handmade arts and crafts was added last fall to the village’s many different variations and represents many metaphors for event lineup—it also is a community genuinely invested in the people who live here.” development of the arts. Undoubtedly, at the heart of that commitment is the Tubac Center of the Arts (TCA), a nonprofit arts facility that opened in 1972 through the fundraising efforts of the Santa Cruz Valley Art Association, a group of local artists who organized in the early ’60s to help foster education, artconsciousness and an art-consuming public in the area. As the core of arts in Tubac, TCA sponsors a variety of member artist, regional and national exhibits; a performing arts series; art and cultural workshops and programming for adults and children including the Summer Arts Program for Children; a literary review group; an arts lecture series; and cultural travel services. The TCA also features the Master Artist Gallery, a permanent collection of work that honors those instrumental in helping shape the early Tubac arts scene, including artists such as Nichols, Ross Stefan, Jean Wilson and Mortimer Wilson. In 2017, devoted students of another master artist, Lou Maestas, created the Tubac School of Fine Art, a working artist haven located in the El Presidito, the entrance to Old Town Tubac, which offers art education in a number of mediums to both locals and visitors, from beginners to professionals. On the surface, Tubac is a quintessential Arizona town, but its appreciation for art and the diversity of creative styles is so much more than that, says Rogers. “The galleries don’t just feature Southwest art. You can see a range of art that appeals to a wide audience, from traditional to contemporary and abstract mediums. And that’s the beauty of Tubac. It has something for everyone.” Sally J. Clasen
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all smiles Small business pioneer encourages women to pursue their dream careers
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S THE FIRST WOMAN to open a dental office in Tempe, Dr. Nancy Robinson knows what it’s like to be a pioneer in her field. When she launched her practice 30 years ago, she was one of only a few female dentists practicing in the Valley. Now, she mentors and encourages women striving to achieve their career goals. “Girls can do anything they want to do in life. It’s a different time than when I grew up, but I try to encourage girls and young women who I come across to prepare
As owner of the first female-owned dental practice in Tempe, Dr. Nancy Robinson is dedicated to mentoring women striving to achieve their career goals.
themselves with education so they can support themselves and their kids,” says the 63-year-old mother of two. “I’ve had a few female patients go on to become physicians, so I know I really impacted the direction they took.” Growing up in Tempe, Robinson always dreamed of being in dentistry. In middle school, she was determined to become a dental hygienist. After high school, she applied to Phoenix College and upon speaking with the dean of admission, discovered that with the right amount of education, she could become a dentist. “I asked myself why should I go to dental school for two years to clean teeth when I could go for four years and be the boss?” she says.
“I asked myself why should I go to dental school for two years to clean teeth when I could go for four years and be the boss?” Dr. Nancy Robinson
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
Robinson enrolled in a program at the Washington University School of Dental Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated and moved to Champaign, Illinois, where she practiced dentistry for three years and found few women were in the field of dentistry. “In the ’80s and ’90s, I would go to meetings and male dentists assumed I was a hygienist because, at that point in time, there were just so few women,” Robinson recalls. “Now, there’s a huge percentage of women getting out of dental school, close to 40 to 50 percent.” These days, Robinson has five full-time employees and a successful business that is well-established in the community. Looking back to when she launched her career, she says she
had to start small. But through perseverance and the right business strategy, she grew her practice to what it is today. “When I opened my own practice, it was a little scary because I had borrowed $50,000 and I spent $30,000 of it buying equipment. I took pictures off of my wall at home and my mom and I painted the whole office. It was on a shoestring,” Robinson says. “I started out really small just working out of two rooms with my mom as my receptionist.” Despite her high level of education and years of taking care of patients, Robinson remembers how she felt when she first walked into a bank to discuss loan options. “I was really nervous and self-doubting about going into a bank and talking about different loans and forms of assistance that I could get because I didn’t have any confidence about my financial savvy,” she says. Fortunately, she received the guidance she needed to get started and now encourages women to feel financially empowered. “I tell women, ‘Don’t underestimate yourself financially. Have the guts to walk into a bank—even if you feel like you don’t have anything—and talk to them about your options. There are so many financial products in the ways of small business loans you can get when you’re starting a business or are in the middle of it and need to regroup.” For Erin Mendenhall, growing up with Robinson as her older sister and mentor significantly boosted her confidence level when it came to pursuing her career goals. A member of the Salt Lake City Council, she cites Robinson’s guidance over the years as a major factor in her career success. “Nancy is the person in our family who showed me I can go get whatever I want to do in this world and make it happen,” says the mother of two. “She knows how to make things happen. For a woman starting a business on her own, she forged out into a man’s world and made a life that is beautiful and purposeful.” Mendenhall especially appreciates Robinson’s honesty when offering guidance over the years. “There’s something really valuable about someone you look up to who’s willing to speak truth to the choices you make in your life and the things you consider,” Mendenhall says. “Someone in a role model position might not want to jeopardize their image to people they mentor by challenging them, but Nancy has never been afraid to be honest.” Having recently been re-elected as a council member in her city, Mendenhall is proud to have Robinson as her sister and role model. “I grew up watching Nancy build a business and succeed, provide for her family, and have a community support her,” Mendenhall says. “She is built into the core of how I see a woman’s ability to take on the world.” Leigh Farr
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Feeding Matters
Nonprofit offers support for families struggling with feeding disorders
Feeding Matters founder Shannon Goldwater (center) started the organization following struggles with her triplets' infant feeding disorders. Now in their teens, they are doing well and thriving.
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Pediatric feeding disorders make it challenging for children to eat, drink or digest food, potentially delaying growth and development or causing health problems.
“At our last conference, there were 300 attendees in person and over 200 called in virtually, representing 43 states and 12 countries,” says Goldwater. “We’re truly the only organization of our kind in existence and we’re really uniting the field by inviting leading medical experts to help address the critical concerns and trying to effect systematic change for children suffering from pediatric feeding disorders.” These days, Mason is 6 and thriving. Having enrolled in a three-month feeding therapy program that addressed sensory and behavioral issues, Mason no longer needs to use a G-tube to get the nutrition he needs. “After the program, meal time was not as stressful as it had been for the prior four years,” says Wernsman. “It’s still something we work on, it’s still something he struggles with. But I think we can all handle it a little bit better now.” Mason loves to play soccer at school and at home, he plays with his sister Milana and builds with Legos. Now, the Wernsmans volunteer with Feeding Matters’ Power of Two program, parentto-parent coaching designed to provide support to other families. “While Mason was going through therapy and all of his tests and procedures, we came across so many volunteers who impacted us in such a positive way,” Wernsman says. “Volunteering is my way of giving back.” Leigh Farr
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
HE NEWS CAME when Sandra Wernsman and her husband Michael took their 3-month-old son, Mason, to a routine pediatric visit. They were shocked to discover Mason had stopped growing and his head circumference was smaller than normal. “I had been nursing him and everything seemed to be going well. So it was really scary when his height and head circumference stopped growing,” Sandra recalls. Mason was referred to a gastroenterologist who told the worried parents that their son simply wasn’t getting enough calories. Wernsman worked diligently to adjust Mason’s feeding schedule, offered various formulas, and tried bottles of varying shapes and sizes, but nothing worked. By the time Mason was 2, his gastroenterologist recommended having a gastrostomy tube, or G-tube, placed through Mason’s abdomen into the stomach to ensure proper nutrition. Without a diagnosis in sight, Mason lived with a feeding tube for the next three years. Seeing no major improvement in his growth, and feeling increasingly isolated and overwhelmed, his parents felt they had no one to turn to for support. One day, when Wernsman was with Mason at the doctor’s office, she asked if there were other families who were facing similar issues. The office staff referred her to Feeding Matters, a Scottsdale-based nonprofit that connects families coping with feeding disorders and provides education and resources. “I didn’t know it was such a widespread thing,” says Wernsman. “I kind of just thought it was me, so it was hard for me to reach out to anybody to talk about it. I went online and got the education and support that way.” Wernsman was encouraged by blogs written by parents coping with similar issues as her own. “To hear the real stories from the parents and their
true feelings about the situations they were going through, that’s what I could connect with,” she says. Currently, an estimated 1 million American children under the age of 5 have severe feeding problems. According to a report by Feeding Matters, pediatric feeding disorders make it challenging for children to eat, drink or digest food, potentially delaying growth and development or causing health problems. “When you’re going through this, you’re so overwhelmed and nothing makes sense. We empower parents with the right knowledge and information so they can be the best advocates for their children,” says Shannon Goldwater, founder and strategic advisor of Feeding Matters. Following her own personal struggle with her triplets’ feeding disorders, Goldwater wanted to create a support system for parents that would provide the solid foundation families need to navigate the medical, emotional, financial, educational and social issues they face. She also saw the need for early intervention, more research and the importance of collaborative care for children and their families. “Our goals are to further the field of pediatric eating disorders. That starts with tools for medical professionals to identify these kids sooner; unite families with a stand-alone diagnosis for the condition; further research to help advance the field so we can develop best practices; and to develop a reimbursement code for insurance,” says Goldwater. In partnership with Chris Linn, president and CEO of Feeding Matters, Goldwater launched the program in 2006. Currently, the organization helps 60,000 people learn how to navigate the complex healing journey associated with a pediatric feeding disorder. To further education and awareness of feeding disorders, Feeding Matters hosts a biennial Pediatric Feeding Conference where medical professionals from across the country share information and develop better diagnoses and treatment protocols.
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HOPE
HEALING With addiction, brain injury and mental health issues on the rise, a trio of Arizona agencies are doing their part to give families hope and help them heal STO R Y B R U C E F A R R
P H OTO G R AP H Y M A R K L I P C Z Y N S K I
H E L AT E S T N E W S
reporting the rise in substance addictions and mental health challenges, coupled with alarming revelations about the burden that head and brain injuries impose on victims and their families, is enough to make us all despair. But thankfully, a handful of Arizona-based state agencies and facilities are working 24/7 to provide ongoing assistance to the sufferers of these and other similar conditions. Here’s a look at three of these “angel organizations,� and the men and women who devote their lives and livelihoods to providing hope and healing.
Family lifeline
Randy Kinsel, founder, Red Mountain Behavioral Health Services
broken families, the couple leveraged their increasing experience to open Red Mountain Respite, a facility that offered weekend breaks for high-needs families. “In the beginning, our idea to strengthen families was simple,” Kinsel emphasizes. “It’s now our mission and it’s changed very little since then.” Kinsel says the focus of his therapeutic counseling at that time was on single parents, usually female, living below the poverty line with kids who were out of control. “It’s not a situation where the kids could ever be very successful,” he explains. The Respite provided a comfortable location where these children could spend a weekend away from their usual (and often toxic) environments, in an atmosphere focused on support and reinforcement.
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
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I T H A F O C U S O N T H E health and well-being of struggling Arizona families, Red Mountain Behavioral Health Services in Gilbert has proven to be a lifeline. Founded by a husband and wife, Randy and Robin Kinsel, more than 15 years ago, Red Mountain offers “communitybased, family-focused, and culturally sensitive” treatment services to Arizona families and individuals—most of them Native American tribal families. Red Mountain’s history, like many other helping organizations, is based in passionate commitment to a cause. When the Kinsels first moved to Arizona from Florida in 2000, Randy Kinsel began working at an orphanage, providing behavioral health services for the young residents. Through this work, and by observing a real need to help
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“We just wanted to give them a little bit of hope in their lives,” Kinsel says. Over the years, the Kinsels saw an overwhelming need for a continuation of clinical, wellness and other services for children in crisis who reached their late teens and were essentially “released cold turkey” into their communities. “You’re talking about kids that have no jobs, no families, no education or money—nothing,” he says. “A lot of them end up on street corners with a couple of plastic bags for their belongings. It’s a recipe for failure, so I asked myself, ‘What can I do to help keep families together?’” That early model for family and individual support has grown into Red Mountain Behavioral Health Services, a multifaceted, highly professional and streamlined facility with a
staff of 85 who provide a variety of therapeutic and wellness services for upwards of 380 families and 650 clients annually. The centerpiece of the Kinsels’ operation is their Building Healthy Families program, a unique, multi-phased approach that focuses on family preservation and reunification. “The program provides families the opportunity to work on their individual and family goals in a therapeutic, supportive environment,” says Kinsel. Many of the program participants spend a weekend or longer in a number of Red Mountain-owned and maintained residential “wellness homes” scattered throughout the community, where highly trained counselors and other mental health professionals work to offer a supportive environment that these family members need. Partly by virtue of Red Mountain’s location, much of the Kinsels’ work has almost exclusively been focused on Native American tribal families. “We work with three local Arizona tribes right now,” Kinsel says, adding that Native American families present a whole host of unique and highly sensitive cultural issues regarding their treatment. “The one thing we’re always conscious of is to keep our Native American families’ and clients’ ethnic and racial identities intact. We’re not trying to convert their cultural identities and turn them into something else—the goal here is to support them in their own societies—everyone should have the right to their own identities and their own pursuit of happiness.”
Sound minds
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O S AY T H AT T R AU M AT I C brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability among children and young adults in the U.S. is almost an understatement. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, each year an estimated 1.5 million Americans sustain a TBI, resulting in 50,000 deaths. But of those who survive their injuries, approximately 80,000 to 90,000 of them experience the onset of long-term disability. In fact, as the cumulative result of past traumatic brain injuries, an estimated 5.3 million men, women and children today are survivors, living with a permanent TBI-related disability in the U.S. One Arizona-based organization dedicated to helping those survivors is the Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona (BIAA). With executive director Carrie Collins-Fadell at the helm, the BIAA is headquartered in downtown Phoenix and serves the entire state. It was founded in 1983 as the Head Injury Association by a group of concerned parents whose children had suffered some form of brain injury. “They banded together and began networking to locate the best doctors, the best community resources, etc., to try and help each other live life as best they could following a brain injury in their families,” Collins-Fadell explains. Living well after a brain injury is the overarching goal of BIAA, which helps upwards of 3,000 victims of brain injury and their families every year, she explains.
Carrie CollinsFadell (center) and the team at the Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona do community outreach on brain injury treatment and resources.
“We’re also a resource for professionals— physical and occupational therapists, ER nurses and police officers—people who, in the course of their jobs, encounter individuals with brain injuries and want to know how best to help them,” she says. Because of changes in hospitalization time for head injury patients, CollinsFadell says the organization does things traditionally done in a hospital setting. “We have some clients right now who’ve had cranioplasties—wherein a part of their skull is literally cut away—and they’re sent home 24 to 48 hours after surgery,” she says. “Our medical system is completely different than it once was [regarding length of hospitalization], so we are doing things that would have been done in the hospital years ago, and, in many cases, we end up helping them for their entire lives.” Although the BIAA doesn’t provide direct treatment at their facility, Collins-Fadell says people are encouraged to walk in to discuss their health issues. “They can also go online or social media, call or reach out to us. We do referrals and we do some education programs,” she explains. “Let’s say you’re newly brain-injured and you need to find a specialist you’ve never even known about before. Say, for instance, a ‘bilingual neuro-ophthalmologist in Tucson.’ We have a vetted database we go through multiple times a year to make sure the contact is still a good one. We can get our clients to the right place in one phone call, and they aren’t lost in the system.” Collins-Fadell and her team also do outreach training in
the community, working with police and fire departments, and domestic violence centers to help keep those professionals up-to-date on behavioral methodologies and treatment resources. There’s a much greater awareness today of the importance of taking care of people’s brains, CollinsFadell says. “We’ve seen that just in the last two years, in fact. I still think we have a long way to go in our understanding and treatment of brain injuries, but public awareness is changing, and we’re making progress.” Collins-Fadell says that although BIAA serves just 3,000 people a year, they know at least 50,000 people a year go the ER to treat head injuries, and that includes an increasing number of our military veterans who’ve suffered some form of head or brain injury. “We’re just scratching the surface,” she says. “There’s a long way to go here in Arizona and everywhere else, for that matter.”
T S H O U L D C O M E as no surprise that drug and alcohol addictions are reaching epidemic levels in the U.S., or that the need for effective treatment of these conditions grows ever more critical. That’s why, each year, for more than 400 individuals and families in the greater Tucson area, John Leggio’s programs have become a lifeline. Leggio, a licensed psychologist, founded The Mark Youth & Family Care Campus in 1987, with a mission to treat people of all ages who suffer from myriad of addictionrelated problems. “It’s a whole range of things,” Leggio says. “In addition to alcoholism and opiate addiction, it extends to stimulant dependence—including methamphetamine and Adderall among others—to cocaine dependence. We also treat cannabis dependence because, these days, marijuana is tremendously stronger than it was, say, in the 1960s or ’70s. If kids begin smoking the stuff that’s out there today when they’re really young, it doesn’t seem like they’re capable
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
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On the mark
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John Leggio, founder, The Mark Youth & Family Care Campus
18 any more of growing out of it—rather, they grow into it.” With drug and alcohol use on an alarming upswing, Leggio says, The Mark exists to provide support, education and family healing for people with addiction problems. Under his guidance, the facility provides intensive out-patient treatment in two distinct programs for adolescents and adults. His calling to this demanding line of work began more than 30 years ago, when he was first working as a psychologist. “What I saw when I first [began working in this field] were people getting out of treatment programs and relapsing like crazy,” Leggio says. “If they were treated intensively for, let’s say, three days, and they were stable when they were released from treatment, 98 percent of them went back to drinking or drug use.” It occurred to Leggio that the sufferers of these addictions and their families needed intensive and ongoing support to help get them reoriented into their communities. With its focus on Tucson and its near environs, The Mark, with a staff of just six or seven, works on several levels to aid in their clients’ recoveries. “In addition to direct programs, we do a lot of community education,” Leggio says. “I go to high schools and talk to the faculty, and I actually help train a lot of local physicians. Some
of these people in the community know about addiction, but most of them don’t.” Leggio is quick to point out that The Mark’s services aren’t focused exclusively on the drugs that people use and are addicted to; it’s also about other aspects of their lives. “It could be stress, bad relationships, a way of thinking that creates anxiety and depression. They’re all related and can lead to drug use and addiction. What it calls for is a combination of education and therapy,” he explains. The Mark’s nine-month program begins with an intensive phase, during which clients come in for therapy and treatment three times a week. That’s followed by an aftercare phase, where they come in less often for the remaining six months. “It’s difficult work and hard to keep up with the changes, both societally and with the nature of the addictive materials themselves—for example, opioids,” Leggio says. “But, we learn as we go. Times change and the whole family system changes with it. Once upon a time, it was more the case of the traditional family that we were dealing with, but that’s not too common any more. Divorced, blended, one-parent families…that’s the norm today and we’ve had to change with it.”
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Modernizing Mesa Guided by a top-notch development plan, Mesa is more dynamic than ever S T O R Y B Y B R U C E FA R R PHOTOS BY MARK LIPCZYNSKI
Mesa Arts Center
For a long time,
Mesa’s identity—its “brand,” if you will—was tied to its antiquity. Steeped in the city’s deeply rooted connection to the Native American tribes that occupied the area for many centuries, Mesa was primarily regarded for its history. The Hohokam tribe’s ceremonial earth mounds were major tourist destinations, their ancient artifacts the highlight of local museums. Even as the city grew, prospered and diversified, it was still seen as a somewhat sleepy suburb of Phoenix, its larger, more dynamic sister city to the west. Over the past few decades, however—with some critical strategic planning and the strong leadership to see it through—Mesa is finding its own identity and its own way, developing a singular reputation as a new, modern urban center worthy of every bit of praise it’s received as a great place to live, work and visit.
WATER AT ITS ROOTS
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
Like many thriving Southwestern cities of today, Mesa’s founding hinged, unsurprisingly, on its access to water. In 1878, the first Mesa settlers—Mormon pioneers from St. George, Utah—immediately began work clearing canals that had been engineered and used many centuries earlier by the Hohokam tribe. With the canals flowing once again, Mesa City, as it was then called, was registered as a community, its early boundaries tracing a single square mile from what is now Mesa Drive to Country Club, and University to Broadway. (That one square mile has, over the years, stretched to its current borders, encompassing nearly 139 square miles.) Even in its earliest annals, Mesa showed itself to be strategic in its plans to grow. One of its original settlers, Dr. A. J. Chandler (who would later go on to found the neighboring city
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Bill Jabjiniak, Economic Development Director, City of Mesa
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bearing his name) had an idea that, if it were widened, the Mesa Canal had enough flow to accommodate a power plant. Within a few years, that plant was put into operation and, later, it was incorporated into a utility company. Owned by the City of Mesa, the utility generated enough revenue to provide the city sufficient capital to pave its streets, and build a new hospital, town hall and library. In fact, the utility company continued to deliver a revenue stream to the city well into the 1960s. From more recent events, it’s apparent the city has never lost its sense of self-determination, the strategic acumen that has always seemed to help it grow as it has from its first census of roughly 300 residents to its current population of more than 1.5 million.
THE MAN, THE PLAN, THE CITY In the 10 years since he’s been at the helm as Mesa’s economic development director, Bill Jabjiniak has helped usher in some notable changes in the city. That’s especially the case since Mesa has been focusing on what’s known as its “industries of opportunity,” a catchphrase for an emphasis on the city’s stake in advancing healthcare, education, aerospace and tourism—or HEAT, for short. According to Jabjiniak, the city’s planning has been very strategic, and HEAT has proven to be a solid basis for that strategy, with a few refinements as the “wins” began to accumulate. “With some of the successes the city has had as it’s pursued its HEAT strategy, the target industries have been refined somewhat to accommodate changes we anticipated,” Jabjiniak explains. “For example, with regard to aerospace, is it really the defense side we should be looking at right now, or is it more the commercial aviation side? These more nuanced enhancements are coming into play as we get farther along in our efforts.” Jabjiniak explains that Mesa has five major employment areas, each with its own strategic planning initiatives: Falcon Field, Gateway Airport, Fiesta Mall, Riverview and downtown. There are two “constants” that address all of the five city initiatives. “One is that we continue to invest in infrastructure and, secondly, [our focus on] entitlements. Because time is money, we always have in mind how we can make the process
easier on the development community to enable them to make things happen more quickly,” he says. When asked to outline some of Mesa’s major, ongoing development initiatives, Jabjiniak rattles them off like he’s reciting the alphabet, commenting knowledgeably on each:
Fiber optics “We have a program that is putting fiber conduit in the ground and making fiber available to independent providers, as needed, to ensure they have multiple options around town, especially in select areas where they want to encourage development. It means they don’t have to install it themselves—all they need to do is rent the conduit.”
Streetscape
Mesa has been focusing on what’s known as its “industries of opportunity,” a catchphrase for an emphasis on the city’s stake in advancing healthcare, education, aerospace and tourism.
“This is our investment in street upgrades and new road/byway development. These efforts are ongoing and will continue to be so in the near term. The Streetscape project transitioned Southern Avenue to four lanes—two in each direction—from west of Sycamore to Alma School Road. New street amenities include benches, street and pedestrian lighting, bike racks, colored paving enhancements at various intersections, vibrant monument entry signs, wider sidewalks, epoxycoated confetti concrete and new landscaping.”
Light rail “We’re actually in Phase II of our light rail masterplan. We have had three miles completed now for quite a while, and
Falcon Field
Employment
we’re well on our way to completing the next phase in the next year or so, which will run an additional two miles to the east. That’s really creating a much different dynamic for Main Street, as [the rail line] goes through the heart of downtown and continues eastbound. The light rail provides options for people and creates great transportation opportunities to get all over the Valley.”
“Jobs in general are up. Our unemployment rate was 3.7 percent as of October. What’s driving our jobs growth is a very pro-business environment right now. Investments we previously made in infrastructure and entitlements have helped create employment corridors within the city. Elliot Road is one, with Apple anchoring that corridor. Another, Niagara Bottling, has created a 450,000-square-foot facility. And several technology companies have purchased property there, as well, and will be starting the first phases of construction in 2018. There’s also a new, 92,000 square-foot hospital at Elliott and Ellsworth roads. You’re starting to see that level of change, especially as we continue to invest in road infrastructure, and you’ll see that it has more of a sense of place that will feed some of that technology growth, as we continue to brand the area.”
Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport
Pecos Advanced Manufacturing Zone
“This project has grown dramatically on the passenger side, and will add to additional development on the south side of the airport. We’re now at around 1.3 million passengers annually. And while we’ve enjoyed this growth on the passenger side, we just had an announcement recently with a developer called SkyBridge. It’s about 350 acres on the south side of the airport that, when completed, will accommodate cargo transfer to Mexico. When that’s in place, you’ll actually be able to clear customs here, and go anywhere in Mexico to transport goods and materials. This will open up several new Mexican markets in addition to Mexico City, a big expansion of that market for us.”
“South of Gateway Airport, along Pecos Road, we’re focused on advanced manufacturing. This will be the next push for us as we continue to diversify the economy.”
Higher education
“Several years ago, we did a Falcon Field economy activity plan. We wanted to answer the question: How do we diversify from simply aviation? We're seeing a lot of demand for office and industrial buildings with large square footage on each floor of the building. Currently, we don't have that type of product, but we're starting to see those constructed right across from Boeing. We also have three or four projects underway, which will help feed some of the large square footage building demand we're experiencing."
MACRO TO MICRO With all of the large-scale development plans Jabjiniak describes as being underway, it begs the question of what their impact has been on the community itself; how have they helped small businesses? Young Mesa entrepreneurs like Kelsey and Jim Bob Strothers offer evidence of how some new, aspirational businesses are emerging in the wake of the city’s economic development, and how their owners are helping to reshape Mesa’s identity from that of a slower-paced, traditional Southwestern community into a more dynamic, contemporary one.
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
“We’ve been successful in bringing five higher education institutions to downtown Mesa. When we step back and look strategically at the education initiative, Arizona’s been dominated by the big public universities. They bring a lot of value and many other great things. But here in Mesa, we felt offering liberal arts and nonprofit-type institutions as an alternative creates a far different higher education dynamic and fills a need that wasn’t being met. Benedictine University, a Catholic school, is really the star of the show. It’s grown to nearly 500 students in just over five years. Their brand is all over downtown, and I expect they’ll continue to grow as we move our development agenda forward.”
Falcon Field
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Kelsey and Jim Bob Strothers, owners, Worth Takeaway
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“We intentionally chose downtown Mesa to locate our business because it was a part of our strategy to help create a culture within our local community.” KELSEY STROTHERS, WORTH TAKEAWAY
The Strotherses’ business, a small boutique sandwich shop called Worth Takeaway, began its life a couple of years ago in a 900-square-foot storefront on West Main Street in downtown Mesa. Though it may be tiny, Worth Takeaway is just as growth-centric and strategic as the city it inhabits. In fact, with respect to its thoughtful planning, the business can be regarded as a microcosm of Mesa development itself. “We intentionally chose downtown Mesa to locate our business because it was a part of our strategy to help create a culture within our local community,” Kelsey explains. “Downtown has had a really big need for food and dining establishments with consistent, reliable hours, so, for us, Worth Takeaway has become an ‘agreement’ of sorts with our community, a promise to our customers that they will have a place to go to get something to eat, even if it’s at nine in the evening.”
FRESH AIR The Strotherses didn’t anticipate the level of success they’ve achieved in just two short years. “It’s been a joy for us to exceed our own expectations and grow our business to provide jobs for the members of our Worth Takeaway team, which now numbers 10,” Kelsey says with pride. “Our goal now is to seek out a larger space where we can do more, and continue to help with the revitalization efforts of downtown.”
As in many communities across the country, the Strotherses strongly believe a key to their success lies in partnering with other local businesses, creating symbiotic, mutually beneficial relationships that are focused on buying and promoting local products and services. “We’re early adopters of this spirit of change that’s underway,” she says. “There’s a new wave of businesses coming into being in Mesa—places like Oro Brewing Company and Cider Corps, The Zona Market and even Design Lab. These and other new startups in Mesa have come in with a breath of fresh air and a new energy. We’re hopefully finding the ability to keep pushing through, even though we’re not ‘out of the woods’ just yet.” Kelsey adds that there’s an understanding among all of these business owners that they all want what’s best for Mesa—that they’re all in the same club. “It’s exciting and rewarding because we’re at the start of something that’s been in the works for a long time,” she continues. “I do believe we’re on the front end of that effort; that we’re beginning to find the right energy to help us—and Mesa—accomplish its goals for the future.”
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Leading with
Heart The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits
helps organizations maximize their good works
story Deb r a G e lb ar t
photography
Mark L i pczy n ski
M
any nonprofit organizations are revered for the great work they do in the community. But what’s often overlooked is how much good they do for local and state economies. In Arizona, the economic impact of the more than 21,000 registered nonprofits—including hospitals, human services organizations, arts and cultural groups, and membership associations, among many others—is compelling. These organizations generated approximately $28 billion in revenue in 2014, according to a study released by the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, the L. William Seidman Research Institute in the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation and the Phoenix Philanthropy Group, along with other sponsors.
Kristen Merrifield, CEO, Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits
More than ‘doing good’
“The goal of the alliance and its members is to make the world a better place,” says Pamela Keefe, vice president and nonprofit relationship manager with NB|AZ. “As a community bank, we try to create value in our relationship with every nonprofit, whether small or large. We strive to assist them with their financial or operational needs in any way we can.”
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
“Nonprofits aren’t just feel-good, do-good organizations,” says Kristen Merrifield, chief executive officer for the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits. “They are a critical piece of the communities they serve, and they help power the economy in Arizona.” Until 2004, nonprofits in the state didn’t have a unified voice to champion their goals and accomplishments. Three years before that, Merrifield explains, a fact-finding mission began to determine whether there was a need for a structured, statewide association to represent the aims and interests of nonprofits across Arizona. As a result, the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits was incorporated in September 2004. Its mission is to “unite, strengthen and advance the Arizona nonprofit sector,” Merrifield says. “It functions like a cross between a trade association and a chamber of commerce, but exclusively for nonprofits.” Today, the alliance has 1,000 members. As a National Bank of Arizona (NB|AZ) client, it receives top-notch service from the bank’s nonprofit division.
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Making the most of generosity
To maximize the economic impact of nonprofit organizations in Arizona, the Alliance will sponsor Arizona Gives Day on April 3. This will be the sixth year for this event that’s designed to raise additional money for nonprofits. The Alliance’s partner in this endeavor is the Arizona Grantmakers Forum. “We produce a statewide public relations and marketing campaign to encourage the public to make donations,” Merrifield says. In the past five years, this annual event has generated more than $10 million for hundreds of Arizona nonprofits. According to Merrifield, any nonprofit can participate in the event, not just Alliance members. Here’s how it works: The general public make donations to their favorite nonprofits or causes, and the Alliance awards prizes to those organizations based on categories or how much is donated under certain conditions, including which organization raises the most money within a specific number of hours. Last year, Merrifield says, Phoenix Rescue Mission raised $100,000, the most of any nonprofit participating in Arizona Gives Day, and was awarded a $10,000 prize from the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits.
“Last year, we awarded 90 prizes ranging from $250 to $10,000,” she says. “We try to keep the day fun and exciting, so donors open their pockets.” For the upcoming Arizona Gives Day, the Alliance will award $175,000 in prizes.
The bottom line
Nonprofits’ dramatic impact on Arizona’s economy occurs within this reality: Among Alliance members, 90 percent of the nonprofits operate with fewer than 50 employees. In fact, 27 In the past five years, percent of nonprofits in the Alliance have no employees; they carry out has generated more their functions with only than $10 million for volunteers. Another 34 hundreds of Arizona percent have five or fewer employees. “Whether nonprofits. a nonprofit has more than 50 employees or no employees, they’re all contributing in some way to the state’s economy—through donations, revenues, fees generated, salaries or indirect or induced employment,” Merrifield says. “They are a vital engine of progress here.”
Arizona Gives Day
The Faces of Arizona’s Nonprofits Gabriel’s Angels evolved from the experiences of founder Pam Gaber, who volunteered at Crisis Nursery in Phoenix and often took her dog, Gabriel, with her on visits. Other agencies became interested in what Gaber and Gabriel were doing and in 2000, Gabriel’s Angels was formed. Gabriel’s Angels has grown to 185 registered pet therapy teams serving more than 14,800 children annually in Maricopa and five other counties in Arizona. Teams visit crisis nurseries, domestic violence and homeless shelters, group homes, and at-risk children in after-school programs to intervene in children’s lives and enhance their emotional and behavioral development. “The Alliance is a highly valued resource for the nonprofit community,” says Michele Shipitofsky, chief development officer of Gabriel’s Angels. “They give strength to everyone participating in this sector, thus improving the offerings to our communities.”
Gabriel’s Angels
Based in Scottsdale, Smiles Beyond the Bars (Smiles) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to embrace formerly incarcerated men and women by working closely with dentists and other oral care professionals “to give these deserving recipients the gift of a new smile,” says Linda Parker-Smith, founder and CEO of Smiles. With more than $450,000 in dental procedures contributed annually since 2009, 250 Smiles recipients “have successfully transitioned into society with a onetenth of 1 percent recidivism rate.” “[The Alliance] is an amazing resource for any nonprofit,” says Parker-Smith. “The staff members are advocates and a voice for all of us. The Alliance holds informational seminars for nonprofit CEOs, staff and board members, and helps us be the best we can be.”
By the Numbers Nonprofits are Arizona’s
A few findings from the “Arizona Nonprofits: Economic Power, Positive Impact” 2014 report
fifth-largest
non-government employer
Arizona’s nonprofit sector generates
more than
8% 9%
of the state’s gross state product, and
of all state and local tax income
more than
72%
of nonprofit revenue is generated by earnings, fees for services and government contracts— not from philanthropic contributions
To donate, visit azgives.org or contact your favorite nonprofit directly.
Arizona nonprofits are responsible for
325,000 jobs
Nonprofits directly employ
considered “indirect” or “induced” employment*
paid staff
158,000 jobs 167,000 * Indirect employment is when local firms hire workers to supply the nonprofit. Induced employment occurs when a nonprofit’s employees, and the employees of its suppliers, locally purchase their own goods and services.
Winter 2018 | ElevateAZ.com
Nonprofits are responsible for an additional
29
30
David Sanders
Tu Nidito in Tucson was originally established in 1994 to help seriously ill children discharged home with no support. Tu Nidito (“your little nest”) merged with Children to Children in 2000 and now jointly offers a range of services that include bereavement support groups, groups for families and seriously ill children, and support for children who have an adult family member with a serious medical condition. It also offers a young adult bereavement support group and a weekend bereavement camp, in addition to one-on-one support services. “The Alliance is important to Arizona nonprofits, bringing exposure and funds from Arizona Gives Day and exposure and advocacy for public policy,” says CEO Liz McCusker. “The Alliance brings together the nonprofit community so that we can learn from and about each other.”
Ashley Brennan / Participatory Budgeting Project
The Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) was established in Phoenix in 2002 by Dr. Lattie Coor, President Emeritus of Arizona State University, and Dr. Sybil Francis, a public policy architect with leadership experience at the White House Office of Technology Policy. CFA is a non-partisan “do tank” that combines research with collaborative partnerships and initiatives to drive the state’s economic prosperity, quality of life and civic health and create a better future for all Arizonans. “The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits provides a suite of supportive services that keep us informed about funding trends and legislative issues that may affect our core initiatives and program activities,” says Joseph Valdez, director of strategic marketing and communications for CFA. “Our membership helps us to better collaborate on operational functions and increases our community profile statewide.”
Based in Flagstaff, American Conservation Experience (ACE), was founded in 2003 and is dedicated to harnessing the idealism and energy of a volunteer labor force to help restore America’s public lands. “ACE is grounded in the philosophy that cooperative labor on meaningful conservation projects fosters cross-cultural understanding and operates on the belief that challenging volunteer service unites people of all backgrounds in a common cause,” says founder Chris Baker. “We have programs in American Samoa and Puerto Rico, and are developing urban corps, rural corps and corps for high school students.” ACE has been a member of the Arizona Alliance of Nonprofits since 2004. “Developing a complex nonprofit can at times feel overwhelming,” Baker says. “As regulations shift, we find security in knowing that the Alliance will share regulatory changes and best practices with members.”
IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY
together
Arizona is our home as much as it is yours, and we want to see it grow and thrive. That’s why in 2017 National Bank of Arizona® gave more than $2 million to local nonprofits in the form of donations and sponsorships. Let us help you reach your financial goals, so your nonprofit can reach its goals. • Work with a bank that has more than 10 years of experience supporting nonprofits • Access financial solutions created specifically for nonprofits
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Pamela Keefe VP, Nonprofit Relationship Manager 602.212.5634
• Utilize our resources, connections and advice Susan Samlaska Nonprofit organizations are an important part of the Arizona community and NB|AZ® is committed to your success.
Nonprofit Relationship Manager 602.212.5635
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32
Parker, AZ
Nestled on the bank of the Colorado River in the heart of La Paz County, Parker is one of the state's most popular tourist destinations. In recent years, the area has made strides in energy and agriculture, helping to grow this scenic desert land. Find out more about this popular destination in La Paz County in the next issue of Elevate AZ.
PHOTO Mark Lipczynski
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