Elevate AZ | Winter 2019

National Bank of Arizona®

The latest in automation and technology are helping advance the state’s economy

ROBOTS RISING HOME-GROWN TECH

Local startups solidify Arizona’s standing as a hub for innovation

WINTER 2019

SONOITA UNCORKED Historic ranching town may be Arizona’s best-kept secret

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to the finer things

Introducing the new National Bank of ArizonaÂŽ

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NBAZ.COM | A division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Member FDIC

in this issue DEPARTMENTS

The quiet rolling grasslands of Sonoita belies its reputation as one of the state’s most burgeoning economies, thanks to its growing wine industry and supportive climate for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

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

04 AZ WORKS Advancing Success Business advocacy group offers multitude of benefits for members

06 FOOD & DRINK Top Dog Local veterinarian dishes up healthy chow that pets love

FEATURES

16 Home-Grown Tech

How three local start-ups are boosting the state’s reputation as a hub of tech and innovation

22 Sonoita Uncorked

Nestled in the heart of Santa Cruz County, this historic ranching town may be Arizona’s best-kept secret

28 Robots Rising

PUBLISHER National Bank of Arizona EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jenavi Kasper, jenavi.kasper@nbarizona.com PROJECT EDITOR Michelle Hamel, michelle.hamel@nbarizona.com

The latest in automation and technology are helping advance the state’s economy

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. © 2019 Zions Bancorporation, N.A. All rights reserved.

A division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Member FDIC

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

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

08 ARTS & CULTURE Native Art Transformative power of art helps preserve Latino and indigenous culture

10 TRAILBLAZERS Pinpoint Precision Scottsdale surgeon leads the way in minimally-invasive spine surgery

12 AZ NONPROFIT Kids in Focus Phoenix nonprofit helps at-risk youth see the world in a new light

32 EXPERIENCE AZ A moment in Gilbert

ON THE COVER In Arizona, automated technology has experienced rapid growth, with new applications cropping up in some of the state’s top industries. Find out how in “Robots Rising” on page 28.

Photo by Daniel Chen

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Genuine Bonds NB|AZ values lasting relationships built on loyalty and mutual support

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HEN IT COMES to relationship banking, National Bank of Arizona is that loyal, reliable resource that lifts you up when the going gets tough and celebrates with you when things are good again. For more than 34 years, NB|AZ has strengthened connections with local businesses by sharing their real-world narratives about the challenges and pitfalls of running a business, and the success that makes it all worthwhile.

“Our flagship campaigns and marketing efforts are all centered around using our current clients and select local businesses to tell the story of their brand and journey,” says Jenavi Kasper, senior vice president, marketing director at NB|AZ. “For us, it’s finding ways to work with, promote and provide opportunities for our clients to demonstrate we’re about building relationships and being there for the long-term.”

The heartfelt stories are delivered

across TV, radio, print and online media campaigns including Elevate AZ magazine, Arizona Business Today, and Meet Your Banker.

Collaborative spirit When NB|AZ works with local businesses to share their success stories, everybody benefits. Take the bank’s relationship with The Scott Resort & Spa, for example. When the bank was searching for the perfect property to feature in a TV commercial for their premier credit card suite, they found The Scott, a lavishly landscaped oasis in Scottsdale that had just undergone a $15 million renovation.

“They’ve been super accommodating and we’re very excited to work with them on the commercial,” Kasper says. “That’s the great thing about being a relationshipbased bank. It’s not always about how can I get a deal out of this. Instead, it’s how can I create a relationship that’s mutually beneficial.”

Surprising ties Sometimes that perfect collaboration is next door. After hosting numerous board meetings and social media clips, such as Meet Your Banker at neighboring The Wrigley Mansion, NB|AZ recently discovered a gem of a story at the landmark property and featured it in Elevate AZ. “The Wrigley Mansion is an iconic piece of Phoenix, so for us to be able to have people we bring in from out of town and take them to our neighbor is really nice,” says Kasper. “They have an interesting story to tell, so we wanted to promote them in one of our campaigns.”

By promoting a neighborhood business, Kasper says she looks forward to building a lasting relationship.

“What we sell is really no different from what other banks sell,” she says. “But our differentiator is being a relationship-based bank.” Leigh Farr

The Scott Resort & Spa in Scottsdale set the stage for the shooting of a TV commercial for NB|AZ.

COMMUNITY

NB|AZ Volunteer of the Quarter

WHAT’S NEW

FRESH, NEW LOOK with loans, lines of credit and credit cards,” Kasper says. “We wanted to create a site that could break everything down into bit-size pieces, so when someone finds what they want, whether it be a checking account or retirement planning, they could feel confident in speaking with a banker.”

In addition to the new look and feel, nbaz.com now offers a blog page to help people in every stage of life with topics such as: Five Things to Implement to Take Your Business to the Next Level; All the Pros and Cons of Leasing Versus Buying a Car; and Do You Know the Signs of Identity Theft? These posts are updated weekly to keep up with new financial solutions and advice, and to showcase what NB|AZ is doing within the community.

Looking to the future, National Bank of Arizona hopes to provide the community with the right support, bankers and information to help answer business questions and make financial decisions less complicated. They look forward to producing podcasts featuring amazing success stories and business guidance that will be featured on the site. NB|AZ is also excited to create online space for TV shows such as Arizona Business Today, where NB|AZ introduces the business owners and entrepreneurs that make our community great; and Elevate AZ, which showcases what is happening in the community by uncovering places, people and businesses elevating their industries and their communities.

Stay tuned for what’s up next!

CONNECT

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! FACEBOOK

@NationalBankofArizona INSTAGRAM

@nbazinteractive TWITTER

@NBAZInteractive

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

DID YOU NOTICE National Bank of Arizona’s new look? NB|AZ launched its new website in the fourth quarter of 2018 with the purpose of enhancing the client experience online, and refining the way NB|AZ supports the community through delivering financial experts and tools to help Arizonans and Arizona businesses succeed.

This website redesign project is a culmination of four years of design, development, testing and building. The initial designs, created by NB|AZ graphic designer Amanda Ellison, went through many iterations to land on the look and feel that would help new and existing clients easily engage with the site to find information about products, services, financial tips and tricks, and who their bankers are.

“I wanted to create a site that would be clean, helpful and intuitive,” says Ellison. “I am happy with our launch; however, I can’t wait to continue making enhancements to improve the user experience.”

The new site is now completely compliant with the standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act, making webpages easier to read with better color contrast, text resolution and text size.

Furthermore, the site has been broken into two subsites: one for business banking and one for personal banking to allow for smoother site navigation and getting clients to information faster. For NB|AZ marketing director Jenavi Kasper, this was essential.

“Researching what kind of financing you need can be overwhelming as it is

EACH QUARTER, National Bank of Arizona selects one associate as the Volunteer of the Quarter. This associate is picked from a wide selection of individuals, all dedicated to giving back to their communities.

For the third quarter of 2018, NB|AZ selected Nancy Kinnard, vice president, Executive Banking relationship manager, for this distinguished honor. For her efforts, NB|AZ will make a donation of $250 to the organization of her choice.

“I was surprised when I heard I received this award,” she says. “I have always been active in the community, volunteering for many nonprofits. I am truly honored to receive this recognition, and thankful National Bank of Arizona allows their employees to be so involved inside their communities.”

Kinnard says she’s always had a passion for helping people and organizations. “It gives me pleasure to be able to make a difference in the lives of others,” she says.

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Business advocacy group offers multitude of benefits for members

advancing success

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S ONE OF THE OLDEST and most prestigious advocacy organizations in the world, Financial Executives International (FEI) is making its mark in Arizona.

In 2018, the Arizona chapter—with 249 members in almost every industry—swept the awards at the FEI Leadership Summit in Houston, including top honors in Membership Growth; Innovation; and Most Outstanding Chapter. Then-chapter president, James Walbom, was awarded the Chapter President of the Year.

Current president, Rachael Piergallini, and incoming president, Adam Remis, who takes the helm in June, are proud of the strides the chapter has made.

“The Arizona chapter has moved up from a mid-level-size chapter to a large chapter in the past few years,” Piergallini says, with Remis adding that the chapter has become known for engaged members and sponsors, and memorable programming.

“Membership is great from a networking perspective,” he says. “Being part of FEI helps me solve the problems my CEO brings to me.” Remis is chief financial officer of Ace Home Services, an HVAC and plumbing company in Phoenix. In 2017, he was awarded the Chief Financial Officer of the Year award from the FEI – Arizona Chapter in the public company category.

“We have a very rich mix of members and sponsors,” says Piergallini, vice president of finance for Derma Health Institute, a med spa in Phoenix with five locations. “Our engaged, amazing professionals appreciate the sponsors that add so much value to our organization.”

Sponsors, which number about 25 for the Arizona chapter, come from a variety of industries, such as accounting, insurance, banking and commercial real estate. They support the organization at various levels, including silver, gold, platinum and academic, Piergallini explains. The CPA firms that are academic sponsors contribute $15,000 each year to fund 10 scholarships for finance students in both undergraduate and graduate programs at Arizona State University, University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, and Grand Canyon University.

“The judges are looking for students majoring in finance or accounting with a proven track record of success with grades and internships,” Remis says. “They’re looking for future leaders of FEI.” FEI’s Arizona chapter meets monthly September through May, and engages local speakers for the professional growth and education of its members. This includes the academic realm, as well as experts in the economy and nonprofit organizations, to highlight other organizations’ challenges and successes.

Every year, the chapter holds a CFO of the Year award

(Above) FEI chapter presidents Rachael Piergallini (current) and Adam Remis (incoming). (Right) FEI board members at the Phoenix Country Club, where they hold their monthly meetings.

event where three to five local chief financial officers are honored for their accomplishments. The chapter also holds a Controller of the Year event that honors controllers who excel in their field, Remis says.

Members of the chapter are greatly valued and appreciated.

“Our board is amazing,” says Piergallini. “Between 12 and 14 people comprise the board, and they are extremely active and dedicated to the success of the international organization and our chapter.”

Committees focus on securing sponsorships, initiating programming and putting together awards programs, she says, among many other activities. “These individuals volunteer up to 30 hours of their time every month to keep the chapter going,” she adds. “They give to the organization with heart and passion.”

Financial Executives International as a global organization was founded in December 1931 in New York City, originally as the Controllers Institute of America. In 1962, to reflect an expansion into policy-making among finance executives, the organization was renamed Financial Executives Institute.

In 2000, membership was opened to finance leaders

across the globe and the organization was rebranded as Financial Executives International. Today, FEI’s total membership is more than 10,250. There are 65 chapters in the U.S. and 11 chapters in Canada.

According to the organization’s leaders, FEI’s mission is to advance the success of senior-level financial executives, their organizations and the profession. For 87 years, FEI has been connecting members through interaction (providing local and international forums for connecting with peers), information (providing insight to assist with informed business decisions), influence (representing members’ interests in legislative and policymaking arenas), and integrity (providing the tools to advance the profession through ethical leadership).

In 2019 and 2020, Remis hopes the Arizona chapter will maintain and expand its membership and build on its programming.

“We continue to serve our members in unique ways,” he says. “And in the years to come, we hope to create a unique brand for the Arizona chapter and promote awareness of that brand in the community.” Debra Gelbart

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

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Top Dog

cooked-to-order and don’t have a lot of fluff and preservatives, we can help pets stay healthy and not need a prescription diet,” he says. “They get better so much faster if they have good nutrition.”

Today, the canine culinary company offers 27 diets including a wellness diet and specific meal plans designed to help prevent and manage conditions such as inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), liver disease, pancreatitis and food allergies. Each balanced meal incorporates whole protein, fresh vegetables plus vitamins and minerals.

“The secret sauce that differentiates our foods from home-cooked foods is a vitamin and mineral supplement that makes it a balanced meal,” says Dr. Lubold, who cautions that home-cooked diets may provide too much or too little of the nutrients dogs require.

And the wholesome meals aren’t just healthy, they’re flavorful, too.

“We’re really good at making foods dogs can get excited to eat,” he continues. “We don’t overcook it so it’s dry, and we don’t undercook it so it’s safe. We use the natural oils and juices to help cook the rice which makes it taste good.”

Dr. Lubold says any time you start your dog on a new diet, let your veterinarian know so they can make any necessary adjustments in your pet’s care. He is available to speak with your vet to properly balance your pup’s meal plan.

In addition to caring for dogs, The Vet’s Kitchen cares for the environment. The meals are created in a custom catering kitchen equipped with solar power and natural gas, and the packaging is recyclable and/or compostable.

“For us, it’s about being able to produce foods that are responsible and healthy for the pets and also be cognizant of the impact on the environment,” Dr. Lubold says. “If you’re packaging food for dogs in individual 1-pound containers, that’s potentially a lot of waste. The way we try to offset that is to make sure we’re really responsible in all the other aspects of our business.”

Dr. Lubold is looking forward to growing The Vet’s Kitchen.

The company is branching out to provide specialty holiday dinners (think turkey, potatoes and cranberry for Christmas) and developing new recipes. His four dogs and one foster canine approve of the meals on a daily basis.

“It’s amazing how excited the dogs get,” he says. “It’s fun to be able to make really fresh food that dogs love. We’ve been doing this for seven years and we’re growing nicely. Now that we have the wellness diets, I’m looking forward to being able to feed a lot of dogs a lot more fresh food.” Leigh Farr

Local veterinarian dishes up healthy chow that pets love

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EEDING YOUR POOCH may seem like a no-brainer, but not all dog food is created equal.

As much as dog owners like to think what they’re feeding their pets is healthy, many dog foods don’t contain the essential nutrients needed to stay healthy from the time they’re a pup to well into their mature years.

To help pet owners take advantage of every opportunity to boost their pet’s health, Scottsdale veterinarian Dr. Rory Lubold has introduced an innovative line of fresh culinary options for canines delivered directly to your door. Using a platform similar to many popular meal delivery services, Dr. Lubold has developed balanced, healthy meal plans exclusively for dogs, made from whole USDAcertified organic natural ingredients including chicken breast, sirloin, wild salmon and fresh vegetables.

“We feed whole ingredients that are high quality,” says Dr. Lubold.

“The meals are prepared by a classically-trained chef in Dr. Rory Lubold a catering kitchen and, from Founder, The Vet’s Kitchen a nutritional standpoint, we provide ingredients that are acceptable for human consumption. If it’s not good enough for us, then dogs shouldn’t eat it.”

When Dr. Lubold started The Vet’s Kitchen in 2011, he had already spent several years consulting with veterinary colleagues, local farmers and a veterinary nutritionist to develop a nutritious line of pet food.

“Initially, I formed the company with the intention to provide therapeutic diets for dogs and cats with kidney disease. By feeding whole-ingredient foods that are fresh,

“By feeding wholeingredient foods that are fresh, cooked-to-order and don’t have a lot of fluff and preservatives, we can help pets stay healthy and not need a prescription diet.”

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

Dr. Rory Lubold with his dogs Oliver, a Leonberger, and Morgan, a Golden Retriever.

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Native Art Transformative power of art helps preserve Latino and indigenous culture

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ICO (PRONOUNCED SHEE-KO) Arte y Cultura is one of the oldest cultural arts programs of its kind in the country—but that doesn’t mean the Phoenix-based nonprofit is stuck in the past.

The organization, which started in 1972 as Xicoindio, keeps the spirit and history of Latino and indigenous cultures alive by supporting modern-day artists who interpret their stories through diverse artistic expression.

“It’s easy to understand different cultures through visual images,” explains Donna Valdés, executive director of Xico. “Artists have always used art as a platform to make public statements and express themselves,” she says of its transformative power to raise awareness about cultural heritage.

Xico’s first priority is to serve artists through workshops,

studio space, exhibitions and professional development, and provide them exposure to the public via the artist-in-residence program, which allows them to teach classes in exchange for promoting their art, according to Valdés. In addition, emerging and established artists are able to attend workshops in Xico’s artist studio to experiment with new methods and learn from master printers to create mono silk, monoprint, etching, woodcut, linocut and mixed media pieces.

The organization sells works produced by Xico artists throughout the year, and features four to six artists at a time in exhibitions held in the public gallery space at its facility located on Buckeye Road in Phoenix.

“We also serve the community at-large, partnering with organizations like underserved schools and communities, where we introduce the arts using our Say Yes to the Press

Donna Valdés, executive director, Xico Inc.

Students learn the techniques of printmaking, an arts format that is deeply rooted in Latino and indigenous cultures.

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

program,” says Valdés.

To help preserve the cultural arts through education, Xico also offers free or low-cost art classes to adults and youths to explore their inner artists, from painting and printmaking, to exploring native crafts such as embroidery and bead making as part of its indigenous series program.

The organization is heavily involved in the public arts community, as well, hosting interactive activities with mobile printmaking at popular art events and festivals, including a partnership with Roosevelt Row CDC to host the Shipping Container Galleries located between EyeLounge and Modified Arts during Phoenix’s First Friday downtown art walk.

In addition, Xico is developing a stronger outreach to the senior community by hosting art classes in collaboration with AARP. “Seniors are historically vital and are an important

reference point to help tell a cultural arts story,” says Valdés.

Printmaking classes are especially integral to Xico’s educational lineup; the visual arts format is deeply rooted in Latino and indigenous cultures and is a significant creative tradition that links the past to the present.

Michele Saldana-Chiago, a web developer, recently took two printmaking classes at Xico and was impressed with both the professional staff and the state-of-the-art facility to nurture her creative side.

“I took a mono silk and monoprint class and it was fantastic,” she says. “The teacher-to-student ratio is small, so it’s practically one-on-one training. They help you with everything so you’re not wasting time and can produce as many prints as you can in the one-day class. Plus, the classes are free and Xico provides all the supplies: the ink, the paper, the press and the studio space, which would be pretty expensive to do otherwise.”

Saldana-Chiago describes herself as a “wannabe artist,” but the chance to work alongside other well-established artists with Hispanic ties in the classes was a major draw.

“It’s really motivating and exciting to work with the best Hispanic artists in Arizona, and to absorb all the imagery, traditions and ideas of the culture,” she says.

Though Xico’s mission is to nourish a greater appreciation of Latino and indigenous history through arts education and development, the organization also plays a significant role in the community to help break down current cultural barriers that exist, according to Valdés.

“Through the cultural arts, we help create understanding and unity. Art is embedded into our social fabric and it’s important that we continue to support artists to understand the diversity in our culture,” she says. “It’s a way to pay respect and put a contemporary emphasis on the value of our culture.” Sally J. Clasen

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pinpoint precision Scottsdale surgeon leads the way in minimally-invasive spine surgery

Using the Sonospine technique, surgeons are able to access the spinal canal with less disruption of bone, joints and tissue.

Sonospine founder Dr. Dilan Ellegala (left) with neurosurgeon Dr. Mohamed Abdulhamid at Sonospine in Scottsdale.

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“My ‘aha’ moment was thinking why can’t we use this in brain and spine surgery?”

Jake Poinier

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

N 1995, DR. DILAN ELLEGALA, Sonospine founder and surgeon-in-chief, was a medical student on a neurosurgery rotation at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he was surprised to see surgical instruments developed in the 1930s and ’40s still being used to perform spinal fusions.

“In many cases, in order to fully decompress the nerve, the surgeon has to take apart so much of the normal anatomy of the spine, that it becomes unstable,” he explains. “To restabilize it, we have to put in screws and rods, and fuse the spine together. Even as a medical student, I thought, ‘This is insane. How can we do this better?’ ” Dr. Ellegala’s journey to find a less disruptive technique led him to the university’s Applied Physics Laboratory, where a team was developing ultrasonic technologies for the U.S. Department of Defense. “My ‘aha’ moment was thinking why can’t we use this in brain and spine surgery?” he says.

Compared to a rongeur (a surgical cutting plier) or high-speed drill, ultrasonic energy could deliver the pinpoint precision Dr. Ellegala desired. In today’s version of the tool, a 1-millimeter instrument tip vibrates at ultrasonic frequency, allowing the surgeon to pare away bone, discs or ligaments that are compressing a nerve, millimeter by millimeter, without destabilizing the spine.

Dr. Ellegala first started using ultrasonic surgery— which the FDA approved in 2001—for cranial surgery in 2002 and spine surgery in 2007. “Initially, I only used it for lumbar problems, but the range has dramatically increased into the mid back and neck,” he says. “We can now treat many spine issues without requiring a spinal fusion.”

Whereas spinal fusion requires a hospital stay and six to nine months of recovery, Sonospine surgeons perform minimally invasive surgeries on an outpatient basis in about 90 minutes, and patients are back to full activity in six to eight weeks.

Dr. Mohamed M. Abdulhamid, who joined the Sonospine team as president of neurosurgery at the beginning of 2018, found it made a perfect match with his approach.

“My general practice philosophy has always focused on three aspects,” he says. “First, it has to be patient centered, treating the patients, not just the images and X-rays. Second, it’s about a multidisciplinary approach, collaborating with physical therapists, chiropractors and pain management to establish a program for

patients. Third is my belief that less is more. Sonospine’s technology and technique fit my desire for less-invasive alternatives to fusion operations whenever possible.

The ultrasonic probe allows me to achieve a few extra millimeters of decompression that I couldn’t get before.”

Dr. Abdulhamid notes another distinction from many surgical practices. “In any given day, I’ll only see up to eight new patients for an hour each, instead of feeling like I had to rush through 20 or 40,” he explains. “A patient who leaves our clinic has far more information and understanding of the problem and treatment than they had coming in.”

Nearly 25 years after his “aha” moment, Dr. Ellegala remains on the leading edge of ultrasonic surgery, including a development partnership with Misonix, which manufactures Sonospine’s medical devices.

The company’s next-generation ultrasonic tool, based on Dr. Ellegala’s pending patent, should hit the market in spring 2019. “Ultimately, I think we will do many or most spine surgeries percutaneously, through a large bore needle, so you don’t even need a surgical incision,” he says.

“It’s going to be another 10 years before we’re there, but that will be a reality.”

Sonospine is covered by some commercial insurers and medicalFounder and sharing programs, and the Surgeon-in-Chief, company is in the process Dr. Dilan Ellegala of pushing for wider acceptance. Self-insured Sonospine employers have been a notable success. For example, Liberty University saved $500,000 in direct costs in its first quarter, and about $500,000 more in indirect costs by having employees return more quickly to work.

“I believe we’ll see a trend of more insurers covering it, but it’s a process,” says Dr. Ellegala.

Sonospine’s clinical practice and company were founded on the East Coast, but a national search led them to Scottsdale for its western U.S. headquarters.

“It’s a wonderful place for our employees to live, and a great destination location for patients outside of the state and the country,” says Dr. Ellegala. “Above all, we wanted to be a part of a forward-thinking community that embraces advanced medical care and technology.”

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HEN KAREN SHELL created Kids in Focus in 2012, she wanted to help at-risk kids see things in a new way—through the lens of a camera. That’s because Shell, a commercial photographer, believes photography is a healing form of creative expression that can change kids’ lives.

“We’re all familiar with art therapy, like painting and drawing, to help kids express themselves. But in my opinion, photography is art therapy on steroids,” she says. “Photography helps kids who’ve experienced trauma get outside of their

“We just teach the basics of photography,” says Shell.

Yet the camera is a significant vehicle that allows at-risk kids to be transported from their harsh realities to a world of different possibilities and perspectives.

“A camera is an incredibly safe tool. Without it, the kids won’t look around,” explains Shell. “A camera allows them the freedom and safety to become aware and pay attention. And since our mentor volunteers are trained photographers, they are able to nurture the kids to overcome their blocks and help them start to see again and notice the beauty around them.”

Exposure to photography—and new environments—also provides at-risk youth the opportunity to build confidence, self-esteem and resilience. As the kids eventually find their creative footing, their self-worth rises, according to Shell.

“You see the light switches go off in their eyes,” she says.

Kids who participate in the program agree.

One such participant, Zaida, explains how photography and her exposure to Kids in Focus have changed her viewpoint. “I’m not afraid anymore to try new things,” she says. “I’m more hopeful about my future.”

And for Aram, his frame of reference has also improved because of Kids in Focus. “Before, every time I would walk, I would look at the ground. Now when I walk, I look up and side to side,” he says.

The sense of accomplishment and achievement is reinforced at the annual Kids in Focus public photography exhibit. The event will be held this year at the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix and kicks off on March 29.

The free exhibit is a real confidence booster to the organization and the more people that attend, the more impact there will be on the kids.

“It’s an important opportunity for the them to interact with the community and it makes a difference in their lives,” says Shell.

The organization also hosts a yearly alumni picnic for all those who have participated in Kids in Focus to reconnect.

“The last thing I want to do is to make an impact and disappear,” she notes.

As someone who faced her own set of challenges as a child, it’s particularly fulfilling for Shell to witness the rehabilitative imprint photography has on at-risk youths.

“I didn’t really understand the power of photography until I saw the transformation of the kids in the program,” she says. “When you experience challenges and trauma, it can make you a bitter person. It changes you. But you have a choice to be bitter or better. It’s what drives me to continue to help kids.” Sally J. Clasen

kids in focus Phoenix nonprofit helps at-risk youth see the world in a new light

Photo: Jason Grubb

Designed for kids aged 10 to 14, Kids in Focus encourages them to capture the world around them as a form of artistic expression.

Photo: Angel (student)

bubble and their 2-foot headspace and into the world, exploring and connecting with people and environments they’ve disconnected with because of their circumstances.”

To inspire hope in children, specifically those aged 10 to 14, and help them gain a new field of vision, Kids in Focus partners with community organizations—such as the Boys and Girls Clubs, and Children First Leadership Academy—in organizing photography field trips with after-school programs throughout the Valley. Kids in Focus also works with various foster care organizations and recently partnered with the Sequoia Deaf School in Mesa.

As part of its programming, those who participate in Kids in Focus are given a small point-and-shoot digital camera, which they get to keep. Some kids really resist looking around at first because it’s scary, says Shell, but eventually they open up as they explore, snap their surroundings, and begin to view and discover things they haven’t seen before.

While Shell makes her living as a professional photographer, the goal of Kids in Focus isn’t to train them for a career in photography. Rather, the purpose is to encourage those who face hardships like poverty, homelessness, neglect and abuse to develop a set of fresh eyes on new experiences and opportunities.

Photo: Jill Richards

Karen Shell, founder, Kids in Focus

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

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building a better business NB|AZ’s Corporate Banking focuses on helping larger companies with complex banking needs

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EVIN COONEY, a 14-year veteran at National Bank of Arizona, has enjoyed his time in Corporate Banking since helping to establish the department in 2011. While he has a riskaverse approach, Cooney is enthralled by the entrepreneurial attitude of local business owners and the opportunity to help them grow and thrive.

Cooney, a relationship manager and the vice Kevin Cooney, relationship president of Corporate Banking, had been on manager and vice president, Corporate Banking the real estate team at NB|AZ until the Great Recession happened. He then transitioned to Corporate Banking, and had an unexpected learning curve.

“I spent nearly two years learning what it takes to develop and retain relationships with the owners The process of identifying and meeting a company’s needs of large and mid-cap Arizona businesses,” he says. “One of the involves taking “a deep dive into the business’s financials and first transactions I completed was lending money to a major projections, along with a tour of the production space or sales airline and that helped me learn about the aviation sector.” locations,” Cooney says. “From there, we can identify working Since then, he has gained considerable knowledge and is capital and growth capital needs and structure senior debt (debt viewed as a subject matter expertise about the aviation and that takes priority over other unsecured or other debt owed).” aerospace industry, although he remains a generalist, with Cooney also mentioned that banks are making technological experience lending to a variety of industries. strides in areas that customers may not be aware. “For example, “My clients depend on me to understand their vision, to we have software packages that simplify payment processes and be knowledgeable and creative, and to deliver on promises,” might save the customer time and money,” he explains. “The says Cooney. more we know about a business, the more valuable we can be He believes corporate banking has similarities to traditional as a resource.” business banking, but it focuses on larger businesses. “We try to Relationships, Cooney emphasized, matter. “Face-to-face find ways to do business with these larger companies, including relationship development has value. Many business owners have financing leveraged buyouts of businesses by investors. I consider begun relying more on their accountant or attorney for financial all of the services of NB|AZ to be at my disposal when structuring guidance. So, a seasoned banker should be a great resource for a banking relationship for a client,” he says, adding that typical businesses. Plus, we don’t bill hourly,” he says with a smile. services include equipment leasing, treasury management and Debra Gelbart foreign exchange.

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HOMEGROWN TECH

16

How three local start-ups are boosting the state’s reputation as a hub of tech and innovation

STORY JAKE POINIER PHOTOGRAPHY MARK LIPCZYNSKI

W

HILE TOURISM

might be the first “T” word you think of when it comes

to Arizona’s economy, technology should be a close second. From

statewide government programs and incentives, to partnerships with public universities, incubators and accelerators, across-the-board efforts are boosting the state’s reputation as a hub of tech and innovation. // According to the Arizona Technology Council, tech industry employment and wages are up almost 5 percent in the past year, while venture capital investments rose 3 percent to $175 million in 2018. New talent and emerging companies can look to the following homegrown tech leaders to see the trajectory they might take.

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

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IN THE FAST LANE

C

// CARVANA

an buying a car be fun? A peek north of the Loop 202 in Tempe at Carvana’s first fully automated, coin-operated “car vending machine” in Arizona will make you a believer.

Upon arrival, a Carvana customer advocate hands customers an oversized, commemorative Carvana coin to drop in the slot, and their car is vended to them as easy as a bag of chips.

However, behind the gleaming glass—and tantalizing vehicles—the vending machine concept represented a challenge to company founders, whose vision of a high-rise structure filled with cars was grand, to say the least.

“We had this kind of crazy idea, now how were we going to make it happen?” says Ryan Keeton, co-founder and chief brand officer. “We were lucky to find some really great partners who had the expertise and knowledge of those kinds of systems and structures. It’s a combination of structural engineering, software, hardware and design.”

Since the first patented car vending machine debuted in Nashville in 2015, 14 more have been built across the country.

While the new vending machine adds more “wow” factor to the Valley skyline, the company’s origins here date back to

Ryan Keeton, co-founder and chief brand officer, Carvana

“We had this kind of CRAZY IDEA, now how were we going to make it happen?”

2012. Based on his experiences in various roles at DriveTime Automotive, co-founder, president and CEO Ernie Garcia formulated the concept that customers should RYAN KEETON experience an easy, transparent—and CO-FOUNDER AND yes, fun—car-buying process. Today, the CHIEF BRAND OFFICER, Carvana e-commerce platform handles the CARVANA buying, selling and financing for more than 10,000 used vehicles, with as-soon-asnext-day vehicle delivery in 83 markets.

Facilitating transactions in minutes, rather than hours, is no small feat, requiring vertical integration through every step—from securing and inspecting inventory, to delivery to the customer’s driveway or getting the car from the vending machine.

“In addition to talented, passionate employees, a lot of technology goes into Carvana,” says Keeton. “Imagine having an e-commerce retail business, a bank, an auto repair shop, a DMV, a photography studio, and an engineering firm all wrapped into one. That’s a glimpse into what we have.”

Sidnee Peck, chief of staff, Zero Mass Water

“Our engineering and material science teams are constantly TESTING and

LEARNING

OUT OF THIN AIR // ZERO MASS WATER

T

SIDNEE PECK making water—and that’s true in CHIEF OF STAFF, any community that gets at least ZERO MASS WATER partial sunlight.”

Source panels generate enough water to replace 300 standard water bottles a month, usually installed in arrays of two for single-family homes, but can be sized for schools, hospitals or corporations. Some of the notable projects include the Santa Monica office of ASU; a farm-to-table restaurant in Australia; and the Samburu Girls Foundation, a non-governmental organization school in northern Kenya.

Zero Mass Water also participated in Hurricane Maria disaster relief, installing panels on a fire station in Moca, Puerto Rico, to provide the community access to clean water.

Since the commercial launch in 2016, Zero Mass Water has expanded to 18 countries and 16 states. Last year, company revenues increased about tenfold, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his Breakthrough Energy Ventures recently led a funding round.

“First and foremost, we’re an innovation company,” says Peck. “Our engineering and material science teams are constantly testing and learning how to make more water in better ways.”

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

hink our desert air is dry? Zero Mass Water has the science to prove otherwise. The company was founded in 2014 by Cody Friesen, a materials scientist and professor of engineering at Arizona State University, as a spin-off of a technology developed at the university’s materials science lab.

The company’s Source Hydropanels pull water vapor from the air and turn it into safe drinking water using a selfcontained combination of photovoltaic cells, batteries, fans and solar thermal panels. After being released into a reservoir and mineralized with calcium and magnesium for taste and health, the water can be dispensed wherever needed, and an app lets users see how much water they’re generating.

Counterintuitively, sunshine is more important than humidity. “Being based in Scottsdale, we can demonstrate the product under some of the driest conditions,” says chief of staff Sidnee Peck. “Even at 10 percent humidity, we’re still

how to make more water in better ways.”

19

20 Brian Bair, co-founder, Offerpad

“The opportunity I saw with Offerpad was to marry

TECHNOLOGY

STRESSLESS HOME SALES

O

with real estate

EXPERIENCE,

// OFFERPAD

fferpad co-founder Brian Bair cut his teeth for a little over a decade as traditional real estate agent in the Valley. For a competitive advantage, he implemented a 24/7 concierge to handle all the details for sellers, from pool maintenance and landscapers, to housekeepers to get homes in show-ready condition—services usually found only in the luxury market.

“The idea was to take the day-to-day friction away from people who were in $200,000 to $400,000 homes,” he says.

“The opportunity I saw with Offerpad was to marry technology with real estate experience, allowing a consumer to push one button and sell their home.”

Founded in 2015 by Bair and his partner, single-family-rental veteran Jerry Coleman, Offerpad not only pairs technology and real estate, but logistics and capital-intensive finance.

Once a prospective seller completes a short website survey, the company’s OfferComp technology system digests hundreds of data points, supplemented by a review by an analyst in the local market, to formulate a price offer within 24 hours. (A service fee, averaging 7.5 percent, accounts

allowing a consumer to push one button and sell their home.”

for expected time on market and anticipated renovations.) If the BRIAN BAIR price is acceptable, CO-FOUNDER, the seller can simply OFFERPAD name—and even move—their desired closing date, sign documents, and go through a home inspection. Once Offerpad owns the home, they complete the needed renovations and refresh work to put it on the market.

Most of the homes purchased are in the $200,000 to $500,000 range, and built since 1969. Currently operating in Phoenix and seven other markets, Offerpad expects to add another eight to 10 locations in 2019.

“Our customer satisfaction right now is 94 percent and people are reaching out from different markets asking when we’re going to be there,” says Bair. “We feel strongly that the more educated the consumer is about the process, the more appealing our product is.”

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22

S o n o i ta STORY BRUCE FARR PHOTOGRAPHY MARK LIPCZYNSKI

Uncorked Nestled in the heart of Santa Cruz County, this wine-loving, historic ranching town may be Arizona’s best-kept secret

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

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to learn and love about Santa Cruz County.

Bordering Mexico—and serving as the gateway to an important port of entry, Nogales—the county HERE’S PLENTY

Located in the center of town, the Sonoita Mercantile dates back to the 1950s when it was the only shop to serve the area’s ranching community.

has been honing its favorable climate, numerous recreational activities, and the sheer beauty of its surroundings to grow into a gem of Arizona culture and hospitality.

There might be no one who better understands the abundance of the county’s lifestyle offerings than Jesse Drake. An Arizonan for most of her life, Drake grew up on a ranch near Hereford. Today, she oversees the Santa Cruz County Planning Department, a job that requires nearly every development application to pass her muster. Her description of the land, community and people portray her strong affection for the region and its natural vitality.

“The community as a whole is beautiful and historic,” she notes. “The Santa Cruz River runs north out of Mexico, and provides a lush, riparian habitat of cottonwood and willow trees, where an enormous number of birds make their home. And on the eastern side of the county, the town of Sonoita is surrounded by stunningly beautiful rolling grasslands; it’s truly a place where antelope play.”

Once a thriving cattleranching region, Santa Cruz County can still claim its share of ranches, but mainly in the east, Drake explains. And, she says, there’s active mining south of the legendary town of Patagonia, which is helped by the railroad, whose line runs regularly north and south in and out of Mexico, hauling passengers and cargo.

The region is an increasingly popular destination for sportsmen, as well. Game hunting—deer, quail and javelina—is a big draw to the area. So is bird-watching, whose enthusiasts have found a veritable sanctuary for different avian species in Santa Cruz County’s gently rolling hills.

On the line

The county’s growing reputation as a destination is somewhat focused on the tiny communities of Sonoita-Elgin. In the late 19th century, these adjoining settlements were founded as an outcropping of the new railroad line that was built along an 88-mile stretch from Benson to Nogales, paralleling Sonoita Creek. (Today, walking the elevated berm of what’s called the Railroad Trail is a popular tourist attraction.)

Drake points out a particularly significant aspect of the region, one that residents of

Sonoita Vineyards is Arizona’s first commercial vineyard, producing more than 10,000 gallons of wine per year.

Grace Wystrach, owner, Steak Out Restaurant, Sonoita Inn, and Sonoita Mercantile

Ripe for business

With all of its many charms, perhaps no single industry has affected Sonoita and its environs’ recent growth so much as its burgeoning viniculture. No fewer than 14 wineries have sprouted up in the area over the past few decades, and there are several more about to open. The vineyards have, in turn, spawned a variety of new retail businesses that are also thriving.

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

No fewer than 14 wineries have sprouted up in the area over the past few decades, and several more are about to open.

Phoenix and other large metropolitan areas often bemoan.

“What we don’t have is ‘light’ pollution,” she says. “Santa Cruz County enforces a dark skies ordinance to limit light pollution, which helps support the aims of the Harvard-Smithsonian Whipple Observatory on Mt. Hopkins. Relatedly, it also helps amateur astronomers scattered around the county who contribute meaningfully to knowledge of the sky, planets and stars.”

“The growing wine industry is branching out into distilleries, breweries and even a local mead producer,” Drake says. “A lot of fun activities and events at the wineries and other businesses are generating more visitor traffic.”

Sonoita Vineyards, near Elgin, is the oldest commercial vineyard and winery in Arizona.

Perched at an elevation of 5,000 feet among rolling grasslands, the 60-acre vineyard is surrounded on three sides by soaring mountain ranges.

The vineyard got its start in 1973, when its founder, Dr. Gordon Dutt, began experimenting with wine-grape growing. Lori Reynolds, the current winemaker at Sonoita Vineyards, is the founder’s granddaughter. A native of the region, Reynolds followed her grandfather’s vision, immersing herself in winemaking studies and taking years to acquaint herself with the knowledge and skills necessary to make premier wine.

“Out here in the high-desert grassland, it’s that perfect elevation paired with our really temperate climate that make this particular microclimate really ideal for growing grapes,” she says with authority.

“The ‘terroir’ here is great for winemaking, but this is such a beautiful, picturesque region that it’s become more and more of a

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destination for people—and I mean a permanent destination, where people are moving to live,” she continues. “I think they’re seeing the same thing my grandfather saw when he came here in the ’70s: They have a vision for what life can be like here and they’re acting on it.”

‘Steaking’ claim

Drake echoes Reynolds’ enthusiasm about the area’s attractiveness for new residents.

“Our moderate weather, low real estate prices and proximity to Tucson (one hour) really are attractions for new residents,” she notes. “Add Ray and Yolanda Chap, owners, Empire Homes Inc.

Wystrach and her husband purchased the restaurant in the late ’70s on something of a whim, she says. And that whim has now stretched to a lifelong business for the couple and their six children.

“When I was growing up, Sonoita was nothing more than a gas station stop,” Wystrach reminisces. The Wystrach children all grew up working in the restaurant or the inn, she says, adding that even after 40-plus years, the Steak Out remains a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

Like the town where it’s located, there’s a certain sense of history and nostalgia about the restaurant, and the fact that diners order their food from a menu that, for the most part, hasn’t changed much since the 1970s, lends itself to that nostalgia. “We cut our own beef and grill it over mesquite coals,” Wystrach says matter-of-factly. “Our customers seem to like it that way.”

Building on success

“The arrival of the vineyards has been the biggest change in the Sonoita area that we’ve witnessed in a long time.”

Grace Wystrach Sonoita business owner

to that all of our historic sites and a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities, including boating on two lakes.

“Plus,” she adds, “we have numerous types of guest lodging, from charming bed-andbreakfasts to comfortable resorts with or without golf, along with guest ranches that offer horseback riding.”

But it’s the wine business that nearly everyone views as the catalyst for new growth in the region.

As Drake emphasizes, “The wineries are adding to the economy in Sonoita and elsewhere. Their growth has, in turn, generated a need for more lodging and dining establishments.”

Local business owner and Sonoita native Grace Wystrach couldn’t agree more. “The arrival of the vineyards has been the biggest change in the Sonoita area that we’ve witnessed in a long time,” says Wystrach, longtime owner of the local Steak Out Restaurant, the nearby Sonoita Inn, and the Sonoita Mercantile & Shell Station.

It’s not just food and beverage businesses that are doing well in Sonoita. Local business owners and husband-and-wife team Ray and Yolanda Chap own and operate Empire Homes Inc., a sand and gravel and excavation company. Two generations of Chaps have been running the business in Sonoita for the past 31 years. Over time, Ray Chap says he’s seen real change occurring in the community.

“We’re definitely growing,” he says, adding that his company is busy and “doing extremely well.” And, like many other local businesspeople, he points out that a part of his success is owing to the influx of vineyards and their wide-ranging impact.

“We’ve done a lot of work for the new wineries and restaurants here locally,” he says, “but that’s just a part of our service area. We work within a 100-mile radius of Sonoita, serving Santa Cruz County, Cochise County and parts of Pima County.”

Ray and Yolanda have no plans to leave Sonoita and relocate anywhere else, however.

“We enjoy living and working in this small community,” Yolanda says. “It’s close to Tucson and Sierra Vista and it’s a really nice place to live. That’s why we choose to operate our business here.”

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28

ROBOTS

RISING The latest in automation and technology are helping advance the state’s economy

STORY B R UCE FAR R P H OTO G R APH Y MAR K L I PCZY N S K I

economic primacy following the national recession of 2008 is an object lesson in strategic regrowth. Across the board, industries and market segments that had seriously faltered in 2008 ARIZONA’S RETURN TO

and 2009 are surging back, bolstered by a strong economy and, for many, a more favorable tax climate.

One particular growth segment that’s helping put Arizona back on the economic map is its rapidly developing incursion into the highly futuristic world of industrial automation.

Steven Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, points to industrial automation and robotics as being huge factors in Arizona’s technology ecosystem.

“Our state’s top industries—semiconductor, aerospace and defense, autonomous vehicles and additive manufacturing— are some of the heaviest users and developers of automation hardware and software,” he says.

Zylstra, whose organization’s charter is to act as the first point of contact for all Arizona tech companies seeking to solve problems “out of house,” as he describes it, singles out Intel as being one of the most prominent Arizona-based companies helping to advance automation processes. “[Intel] uses robotics and supply chain automation in their semiconductor plants, and they’re in the process of building the largest and most highly automated manufacturing plant in the world, right here in Arizona,” he says.

“Robotics have come down in price and up in functionality over the past couple of decades.”

LYLE RUSANOWSKI, DELTA TECHNOLOGY

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

PLANTING THE SEED In Arizona, automated technology— and its subset, robotics—has seen rapidly increasing growth, with new applications cropping up in a variety of manufacturing and related industries.

Lyle Rusanowski is president and CEO of Delta Technology, a Tempe-based automation and robotics manufacturing firm in this relatively nascent industry.

“The Valley is a particularly

attractive business climate right now,” he says. “And its foundation in aerospace means there are a lot of companies that use metal parts, which is very conducive to using automation and robotics.”

Gary O’Dell, Delta Technology’s director of applications engineering, emphasizes that the attraction for growing automation technology companies in the Valley is the area’s focus on aerospace and high tech.

“We had aerospace and we had Intel, which caused automation-focused companies to follow them as one of their tier suppliers,” he explains. “What that did was to actually ‘seed’ Arizona with a healthy growth opportunity for the automation business that we’re in.”

But what sort of manufacturing activities are good fits for automation?

“One of our clients is a large plastic injection molding company and they couldn’t find [the human labor] that can take the product out of the injection molder and package it,” Rusanowski explains. “And so it became a matter of survival for this client. They had to find a way to automate taking the bottles off the line, and then packaging and palletizing them, because they simply couldn’t find the employees to do the job.

Automation became essential to their survival.”

Zylstra points to another prominent example of the state’s entrée into automation. “The development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is one,” he says.

“In fact, our state is the epicenter for military UAV testing, with one of the most extensive test facilities in the country at Fort Huachuca.”

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JOB THREAT OR JOB MAKER? One of the most prevalent concerns about the rise in automation and robotics regards the technology’s threat of possibly replacing humans with machines that can perform their jobs as well or better. But O’Dell disagrees with the premise.

“We simply don’t see automation as a threat to replacing labor,” he says. “Whatever human processes robots or automation replaces—essentially, in that job, you’re underutilizing human capital. That person can be doing a higher-value job.”

Dr. Heni Ben Amor, an assistant engineering professor at Arizona State University and a leading researcher in the field of robotics, agrees in principle with O’Dell. He thinks that the increasing use of manufacturing-based robots will, understandably, eliminate some jobs, but that the overall trend will create far more human-oriented jobs than it claims, and that humans and robots can live and work together in some kind of industrial harmony.

“For example,” Dr. Ben Amor says, “humans could do work requiring physical dexterity, such as attaching small screws, while robots working alongside them do heavy lifting or more repetitive tasks.”

Another critical factor in companies’ decisions to invest in automation is safety. “In one instance,” O’Dell explains, “a client had to temper a metal product by dipping it into a molten salt bath that was approximately 120 degrees. The

Robots 101 Thanks to science fiction novels, movies and cartoons, robots have been mischaracterized as human-like machines that walk and talk in a rigid pantomime of human behavior. In actuality, what a robot “looks” like is more related to the tasks or functions it performs. Here are some things to consider: Robots are programmable machines that carry out a series of actions autonomously or semiautonomously.

Robots are used for repetitive tasks, bringing greater economy and precision to such work as assembling products, handling dangerous materials, cutting and polishing, and even some inspection-related activities.

Many complex machines that look nothing like humans can be classified as robots. Conversely, some human-looking robots are not much beyond simple mechanisms, or toys.

company originally had employees handling this task, but it was clumsy and dangerous, and the incidence of injury was high. So we created a robotics solution that handled the process, and the company was able to take those people and give them jobs in other, safer, processes along the manufacturing line.”

Of course, profitability and cost reductions are always top of mind for any manufacturer. As Delta Technology’s director of operations Bob Remski notes, “Another thing to keep in mind about that particular example is that automating that process improves their quality and reliability immensely. They were able to get the time of the process and the reliability of the sequence down enough to help improve their profitability.

They’ve got a big savings there.”

“At the root of it,” Rusanowski adds, “manufacturers are having difficulty finding employees to perform these repetitive tasks. So it’s the repetitive, the dangerous, the ones that require extremely fine motor skills that we’re seeing get automated.”

BRINGING IT HOME The Delta Technology management team’s crystal ball shows an increasingly lucrative market for automation in the region.

As American industry continues to improve—and jobless rates shrink—Remski projects that automation and robotics will help achieve some long-term goals for the U.S. economy, particularly helping to bring offshore jobs back to the U.S. “Mundane and highly repetitive jobs are the ones getting

BY THE NUMBERS: more attention in the automation field,” he says. “Quality is a big issue, as well as with companies’ trend toward robotics.

I’m seeing a lot of green industries—battery and solar cell manufacturing in particular—looking to automate some of their processes. Some of these products are susceptible to human touch, which adds another layer of need for automation.”

The future looks bright for automation, Rusanowski believes. “The underlying theme is that we have this extremely large—and growing—base of customers across a wide range of industries,” he explains. “And what ties it all together is that automation is absolutely essential to making U.S. and Arizona companies competitive in a world market.

If you try to do it with traditional human labor, then it becomes too expensive. If you try to go offshore to foreign companies [for cheaper labor], then you run into quality and delivery issues, along with supply chain control problems that also cost you money.”

Rusanowski says he believes that companies are finally realizing some of those challenges, and are trying to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. “We’re finding that we’re able to answer this need by taking on and automating some of these ergonomically challenging, or dangerous, or simply mundane jobs,” he explains. “We can put some automation into that process and get a two- to threeyear payback on its cost. The bottom line is that it’s looking bright for automation and bright for manufacturing.”

Robots in Industry Global investment in robotics will surpass

$180 billion by 2020, more than double what it was in 2016.

In 2016, companies utilized an estimated

1.8 million industrial robots. That number is projected to rise to 2.6 million in 2019.

By 2020, there will be more than

40,000 collaborative robots helping businesses around the world. That is more than four times what it is today.

In 2017, more than

250,000 industrial robots had been installed in the United States.

Dr. Heni Ben Amor, a leading researcher in the field of robotics at Arizona State University, says robots will create more human-oriented jobs rather than eliminate them.

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

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Gilbert, AZ

Once known as the “hay shipping capital of the world,� Gilbert has risen from vast farm lands to become the sixth-largest municipality in Arizona. Staying true to its agricultural roots while embracing new industries, Gilbert is emerging as a go-to destination for living, working, dining and exploring. Find out more about this burgeoning town in the next issue of Elevate AZ.

PHOTO Mark Lipczynski

Winter 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

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