BizTucson Spring 2022

SPRING FALL 2012 2022

THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

PLUS

AEROSPACE/DEFENSE SECTOR $12.2 Billion Economic Impact

REGION’S SPACE ECONOMY

U.S. MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN THE REGION

&

SPECIAL REPORTS: Raytheon Missiles & Defense Universit y of Arizona College of Science SPRING 2022 • $3.99 • DISPLAY UNTIL 06/30/22

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Throughout the past century, Arizonans have relied on the 5 Cs of the state’s commerce: cattle, citrus, climate, copper and cotton.

But on Feb. 2, 1951, everything changed. Our sleepy desert town of 46,000 awoke to the news that aviation pioneer Howard Hughes had decided to build a multi-million dollar plant for Hughes Aircraft’s Missile Defense division. It was, without question, the economic development coup of the century for Tucson.

Legendary community leader Roy Drachman was the key figure in recruiting this jewel to the Old Pueblo. This is the same man that brought our city professional golf (as founding father of the Tucson Conquistadores), lured major league baseball’s spring training, helped convert a private tuberculosis center into Tucson Medical Center, built a clubhouse for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, donated the money to purchase Agua Caliente Park and made the first million-dollar gift to the University of Arizona. The list goes on.

BizTucson’s theme of “Why the World is Watching Tucson” is a perfect fit for this edition.

Raytheon Missiles & Defense is Tucson’s global powerhouse with no equal.

It is the region’s largest private sector employer, with a high-wage workforce of more than 12,500 employees and an annual economic impact of $2.6 billion.

We’re proud to present a 52-page Special Report, with a “deep dive” on Raytheon Missiles & Defense’s 70 Years in Tucson. Romi Carrell Wittman, Jay Gonzales and David Pittman have posted exceptional in-depth features that explore the science, technology, economic impact, innovation, community support, education and STEM collaborations, suppliers statewide and philanthropy exhibited, by what is our region’s most valuable private sector asset. Raytheon Missiles & Defense has been the catalyst to a mega-industry for our region.

Seven decades ago, the aerospace/ defense sector of our economy was virtually non-existent. Today, Tucson and Southern Arizona have the fifth-highest concentration of aerospace and defense employees in the country. That’s high-wage, highly skilled manufacturing jobs. Our region is home to Sargent Controls, Honeywell Aerospace, 4 BizTucson

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PHOTO BY STEVEN MECKLER

BizLETTER

Bombardier, Ascent Aviation, Universal Avionics, Meggitt, Leonardo Electronics, Paragon Space Development Corp., Lockheed-Martin, NorthrupGrumman and more. Rodney Campbell provides an in-depth overview of this key industry sector, along with the business of space exploration. Plus, the University of Arizona is a global leader in space research and exploration, and you’ll read about its recent NASA projects. UArizona is ranked #2 in space science by U.S. News & World Report. On the defense side, June Hussey provides us with an overview of all U.S. military installations in the region, plus profiles of our two major bases, Davis-Monthan and the 162nd Wing.

UArizona President Robert C. Robbins sets the tone well for our next Special Report, focused on the College of Science, entitled Changing the World.

Robbins stated, “The College of Science, in the past decade, has become the most important college. The coming together of the physical, biological, aerospace, digital and behavioral sciences is tremendous and provides the foundation from which all of the collaborative research that occurs at the university is conducted.” You’ll be introduced to the College’s visionary new Dean Carmala Garzione, who earned her master’s and Doctorate degrees at UArizona in the 90s. “I want students to view the College of Science as a place of unique breadth, strength, and interdisciplinarity in the sciences – a place to feed their curiosity,” she said. Mary Davis and Loni Nannini deliver an exceptional, indepth special report.

Steven E. Rosenberg Publisher & Owner BizTucson

Spring 2022

Volume 14 No. 1

Publisher & Owner

Steven E. Rosenberg Brent G. Mathis

Creative Director

Donna Kreutz Tara Kirkpatrick Jay Gonzales Elena Acoba Romi Carrell Wittman Valerie Vinyard

Contributing Technology Director

Mike Serres

Contributing Project Coordinator

Maricela Robles

Contributing Editors

Contributing Writers

Loni Nannini David Pittman Steve Rivera Valerie Vinyard Romi Carrell Wittman

Elena Acoba Rodney Campbell Mary Minor Davis Jay Gonzales June Hussey Tara Kirkpatrick Christy Krueger Thomas Leyde

Contributing Photographers

Amy Haskell Brent G. Mathis Chris Mooney Kenya Kaez-Glenn

BizTucson News Update

(Email Newsletter)

Brent G. Mathis Tara Kirkpatrick Member:

American Advertising Federation, Tucson DM-50 Southern Arizona Leadership Council Sun Corridor Inc. Tucson Metro Chamber Visit Tucson

BizTucson Phone: 520.299.1005 Subscription Information:

www.BizTucson.com subscriptions@BizTucson.com Advertising information:

Steve Rosenberg 520.299.1005 or 520.907.1012 steve@BizTucson.com BizTucson is published quarterly by Rosenberg Media, LLC., Tucson, AZ © 2022 All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Opinions expressed in columns or articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.

POSTMASTER:

Please send address changes to: BizTucson, 4729 East Sunrise Drive, #505 Tucson, AZ 85718.

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BizCONTENTS

145

FEATURES

SPRING 2022 VOLUME 14 NO. 1

COVER STORY:

36

BizAEROSPACE Flying High: Aerospace/ Defense & Space Industries

42

Aerospace/Defense Corporations in the Region

46

The Business of Space Exploration

48

University of Arizona: Global Leader in Space Achievement

50

BizMILITARY Southern Arizona’s U.S. Military Installations

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Davis-Monthan Air Force Base

58

162nd Wing, Morris Air National Guard Base

36

182

DEPARTMENTS

58 136

4

BizLETTER From the Publisher

20

BizECONOMY Economic Developments: Corporate Relocations & Expansions

193

30

BizMEMORIAL Arizona Heroes Memorial Project in Oro Valley

197

62

BizTRAVEL New Era for Tucson International Airport

118

BizMILESTONE Hughes Federal Credit Union Honors 70 Years in Southern Arizona

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BizTECHNOLOGY PCC Aviation Technology Center Ready to Soar

130

BizCONSTRUCTION New To Market: Projects and Developments

136

BizENTREPRENEUR Moniqua Lane: Developer of Hotels – Downtown Clifton & The Citizen

BizTECHNOLOGY 140 LOGIN Thrives with Personal Touch, 20 Years of Relationships 144

BizINVESTMENT Desert Angels Funds Local Startups

BizHONORS 26th Annual Father of the Year Awards, Presented by Father’s Day Council Tucson: Brigadier General Jeffrey L. Butler Mike Candrea Paul Dias LaMonte Hunley Phil Swaim BizREALESTATE 30th Annual CCIM Commercial Real Estate Forecast BizHONORS Good Scout Awards Mark Irvin Paul Dias Angie Ziegler

BizTRIBUTE 200 Mark Berman 202 Judge Norman Fenton

SPECIAL REPORTS 65 SPECIAL REPORT 2022

THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Raytheon Missiles & Defense 70 Years in Tucson, Arizona 145 SPECIAL REPORT 2022

THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

University of Arizona

ABOUT THE COVER Raytheon Missiles & Defense: 70 Years in Tucson, Arizona Creative Design by Brent G. Mathis

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College

of Science C H A N G I N G

T H E

W O R L D

University of Arizona College of Science Changing The World

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BizECONOMY

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

COMPANY EXPANSIONS & RELOCATIONS

Walgreens/Village MD

Walgreens and VillageMD announced plans to open eight new Village Medical at Walgreens coordinated primary care and pharmacy practices in the Tucson area in 2022. The openings represent expansion into the second major market in Arizona, following Phoenix, and add to the growing number of locations in the state.

“By combining VillageMD’s expertise in primary care with Walgreens community presence and experienced pharmacy team, we’re able to better serve patients and make healthcare more accessible,” said Roseanna Nicoletti, M.D., a local Tucson physician at Village Medical. “This collaborative approach allows us to spend more time focused on providing high-quality care for patients and less time on administrative tasks.”

Village Medical at Walgreens practices in the Tucson area will create 285 full-time jobs and employ 140 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) professionals, such as physicians, nurse practitioners, and medical assistants.

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PowerPhotonic

PowerPhotonic, a leader in design and manufacture of wafer scale optics for advanced lasers and optical systems, has announced that its U.S. subsidiary has signed a long-term lease for manufacturing facilities in the Sahuarita Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center. PowerPhotonic is headquartered in Dalgety Bay, Scotland.

By expanding its engineering and manufacturing footprint in the U.S., PowerPhotonic will be better able to support customers, particularly those in the defense sector, who require U.S.based design and manufacturing of key high technology components and modules, the company said in a news release.

“I am delighted to announce this very significant milestone for PowerPhotonic on our journey of rapid expansion into the U.S. market,” said company founder and CEO Roy McBride. “Southern Arizona is an excellent choice for an advanced optics company because of the strong optics community in the region.”

Skywest Airlines

SkyWest Airlines plans to move and build a new aircraft maintenance hangar at Tucson International Airport, according to Sun Corridor Inc. SkyWest will lease 14 airside acres, part of the Aeronautical Way 50 site at TUS, and will build a nearly 200,000 square-foot maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. The total capital investment over the next five years will be approximately $41 million, resulting in a total economic impact of $105 million. The full expansion will add jobs primarily in operations, mechanics, general assembly and support staff.

SkyWest Airlines, with nearly 15,000 employees, carried more than 21 million passengers in 2020 and 43 million passengers in 2019.

Partners in the project include the Tucson Airport Authority, Arizona Commerce Authority, Pima County, and City of Tucson.

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BizTOOLKIT

A Human Resources Look at COVID

By Elizabeth Hightower, PHR, SHRM-SCP

Employee engagement is critical to support hybrid work environments

–

Elizabeth Hightower, PHR, SHRM-SCP President Society for Human Resource Management of Greater Tucson Director Human Resources United Way of Tucson & Southern Arizona

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As we move into yet another year of COVID-19, what have we learned?

Are we any closer to ensuring safe and healthy communities when decisions made in the medical and political arenas change daily? Honestly, as a Human Resources Business Partner, I am yearning for a return to 2018, and that year had its own challenges – which we will not address at this time. Let’s take a look at COVID-19 in the HR world and how your SHRM-certified professional status can help answer these questions.

C – Consult; O – Optimistic; V – Value; I – Innovation; D – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Businesses – small, medium or large – Consulted with HRBPs to determine best practices in communicating to their employees accurate and timely information regarding the pandemic. Whether the source derived from the CDC, OSHA, SHRM, SHRMGT or the POTUS, HR professionals prepared policies and procedures in response to the pandemic.

One example included remote/flexible work schedules, which started as a temporary fix, but are now considered standard operating procedure. Mandatory vaccination/testing policies were created and implemented with the goal of keeping people employed, lights on and doors open.

These changes have been difficult for some businesses, and we are seeing the strain as many people are out of work and businesses closed.

Being Optimistic during the COVID-19 pandemic is essential. All information

sources recommend getting vaccinated (if able), wear a mask and maintain social distancing. If you are sick, stay home. Oh, and maintain good hygiene habits: Wash your hands. Without optimism, we all fail. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

The Value of Zoom, Teams, Google Meets, etc., led many professions to share and exchange information with colleagues wearing pajama bottoms (new business casual attire) and poor lighting. Virtual conferences, such as SHRM-GT Employment Law Update held in March offer the opportunity to educate and reach more attendees.

HRBPs put their Innovation skills on overdrive.

They were asked to address situations and answer the challenge of workforce sustainability throughout the employee life cycle. Employers expanded their search for global candidates. We mastered virtual interviewing, hiring, onboarding and training. Yes, in-person activities are slowly returning under mask-wearing, social distancing and vaccination mandates. Regardless of the current pandemic, HRBPs do not recommend mass virtual terminations.

Among the challenges of the pandemic, it was clear that businesses failed to address deficiencies in the area of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Business leaders can no longer put their heads in the sand. Clear directives come from the top in which presidents/ CEOs are committed to establishing a thriving workforce through differences. This does not mean

hire a certain individual and have them talk about why they are different. It means selecting a workforce that brings unique, dynamic, challenging ideas because of differences. It means everyone has the same opportunity because they are unique, dynamic, etc. Implementing strong initiatives that recognize and welcome individuality creates a company culture where people want to work.

Have we learned anything? Absolutely! We learned that flexible work schedules actually work.

Employee engagement is critical to support hybrid work environments. DEI awareness and training are necessary for successful business operations. This is not an all-inclusive list; there are many other lessons and we are still learning.

Yes, we are closer to a safer and healthier community. According to Arizona Department of Health Services as of this writing, 73.8% of Pima County residents have received at least one dose. Wearing masks and social distancing have become necessary norms.

Businesses are open. Our colleagues are back at work.

You can make a difference by becoming a member of SHRM-GT, the primary authority on HR matters in our community. You can be the expert at your organization and advance your career by achieving your SHRM Senior or Certified Professional status.

Biz

Please visit www.shrmgt. org for more information and to register for our upcoming events. www.BizTucson.com

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BizPEOPLE

Leigh‑Anne Harrison​

Leigh-Anne Harrison has been promoted to the executive director of Chasse Building Team’s Tucson division. Harrison started her career in construction as a receptionist and learned all aspects of the industry. She and a team of two started the Tucson division in 2016 and today they have a team of 25. Harrison’s top priority is to provide extraordinary construction services, to continue Chasse’s established partnerships and create new ones.

Matthew Gaspari Tucson Federal Credit Union announced that Matthew Gaspari is the new president and CEO. An experienced leader, Gaspari succeeded Susan Stansberry and assumed responsibilities on Jan. 1. He has been instrumental in bringing transformational change to service delivery through innovation and leadership. Gaspari joined TFCU in 1992 and has served as executive VP and COO, VP of Operations, AVP of Operations and Branch Manager.

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BizPEOPLE

Tucson Metro Chamber Taps Michael Guymon as New President, CEO The Tucson Metro Chamber board of directors selected Michael Guymon to be its new president and CEO, succeeding Amber Smith who served for three and a half years. He has served as interim president and CEO since September.

Guymon joined the organization as VP in July 2018 and was promoted to executive VP in 2021. Prior to his employment with the Chamber, Guymon was VP at Sun Corridor Inc., focused mainly on business recruitment and expansion, marketing and developing economic development strategies.

“The Tucson Metro Chamber board of directors is excited to elevate Michael to president and CEO and even more excited to see all he will accomplish,” said 2022 Chair Edmund Marquez of Edmund Marquez Allstate Agencies. “With his background in public policy and leadership experience with Sun Corridor and the Metropolitan Pima Alliance, Michael brings the right experience and knowledge to our Chamber to help us garner national recognition. He is an advocate for business, small to large, and will be a juggernaut when it comes to economic growth in our region.”

“I look forward to working with an engaged board of directors to make a positive impact on business success in 2022. We are financially strong and have the right team to increase value for our members and the business community,” said Guymon. “The Chamber is the voice of business in our region by serving as a bold advocate for pro-business policies that benefit business, advance commerce and enhance business growth and success.”

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BizPEOPLE Nathaniel K. Eggman

R&A CPAs, one of Southern Arizona’s leading public accounting and business advisory firms, announced that Nathaniel K. Eggman, CPA, PFS was promoted to shareholder. Eggman has more than 13 years of experience in tax planning and preparation for small businesses and high net-worth individuals. He has particular expertise in real estate and development, captive insurance, tiered partnership structures and carried interest ownerships.

Gustavo Corte

RBC Wealth Management’s Tucson office promoted Gustavo Corte to Associate VP – Financial Advisor. Corte joined RBC Wealth Management in 2018 as a financial advisor.

“Gustavo has been a key part of our success in the Schaefer Present Investment Group, and we are thrilled he has earned the title of Associate Vice President,” said Richard Schaefer, Tucson branch director of RBC Wealth Management.

Grant Dipman

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Loews Hotels & Co announced Grant Dipman as the new managing director of Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. He will oversee all operational aspects of the 398-room resort in Tucson. Dipman has more than 25 years of hospitality experience, working with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Marriott International and St. Regis in a variety of operational leadership positions and roles. Most recently, he was managing director for the neighboring Canyon Ranch Tucson. www.BizTucson.com

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BizMEMORIAL

Arizona Heroes Memorial Oro Valley Project to Honor Military, First Responders and Healthcare Workers

We all know and appreciate someone who is a first responder, in the healthcare field, in the military or is a veteran.

To honor these heroes, a group of Oro Valley citizens is working to make the Arizona Heroes Memorial a reality.

The idea of the memorial came to Dick Eggerding, a community advocate living in Oro Valley, about five years ago. “I am a veteran of Korea myself,” explained Eggerding, now the president of the board working to build the memorial. “All of my family members have been in the military as well, and I value that service. What changed everything for me was 9/11. It made me realize that first responders were equally as important as the military because we were fighting a battle on our own soil. Those were real heroes in those twin towers, and that stuck with me.”

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public art to the Oro Valley area, pushing to dedicate 1% of the cost of construction projects to public art within the project. “The idea struck me that we could build a memorial as an art project in the town, and it would be great to place it in Naranja Park looking at the Catalina Mountains,” he said.

The name of the memorial was to be the Southern Arizona Veterans & First Responders Living Memorial.

He began to form a group of supporters for the memorial, which became the board for the project, and they worked with the Town of Oro Valley to dedicate 2½ acres in Naranja Park for the memorial. During this time, which board members refer to as Phase I, they were also able to create the first designs of the memorial, obtain the surveys needed to get the memorial built, and finish field site requirements. During this phase,

the board raised $600,000 in financial and in-kind contributions.

Then COVID-19 hit, putting a pause on the fundraising for and building of the memorial. “Sometimes a little halt in something brings to the surface the really important things that need to be done,” said Lisa Hopper, Arizona Heroes Memorial executive director.

“They recognized that healthcare workers needed to be included in this memorial.”

“We lost 3,900 healthcare workers due to COVID. That’s a dramatic thing,” said Eggerding. “They were working without vaccines, and they are heroes.”

“The memorial will be a hallowed place honoring those brave, outstanding individuals who have dedicated their lives to ensuring our American values continued on page 32 >>> www.BizTucson.com

IMAGES COURTESY ARIZONA HEROES MEMORIAL

By April Bourie

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BizMEMORIAL continued from page 30 and safety,” said Hopper.

The updated design includes a 24-foot-high obelisk located at the center of the memorial, representing the strength and courage of heroes surrounded by walls representing the branches of the U.S. Department of Defense (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and the U.S. Public Health Service), first responders (law enforcement, firefighters and emergency medical services) and healthcare workers. Also included in the memorial is a covered amphitheater that will be used for educational and community events.

The amphitheater makes the memorial a living memorial, according to Hopper and Eggerding. “The amphitheater will allow for ceremonies and educational field trips to be held,” Hopper said. “This is not just about honoring those in the past. It’s a living memorial to honor past, present and future. We can’t forget to educate our

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“

Nothing like this, honoring all of these hero groups, exists in the state of Arizona.

People are so enthusiastic and have such passion for this project.

”

– Lisa Hopper Executive Director Arizona Heroes Memorial

future generations about the sacrifices made to preserve our liberty. When you put something in stone, it impacts future generations.”

Eggerding added, “I envision schools having field trips to the memorial. The kids will sit in the amphitheater and listen to lectures about heroes and how they came about. It will promote patriotism. It’s not just a memorial. It’s an educational tool that explains how these heroes make our country great. It’s not only a place to contemplate, but also to educate.”

The second phase of the project is now underway with a fundraising campaign to build the memorial – the goal of which is $2.5 million. Those interested in donating to the memorial can find more information at www.AZHeroesMemorial.org.

“Nothing like this, honoring all of these hero groups, exists in the state of Arizona,” said Hopper. “People are so enthusiastic and have such passion for this project. It’s amazing. I feel truly honored to be chosen to get it to the finish line.”

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Source: American Institute of Aeronautics (AIAA) Arizona Aerospace Key Facts and Figures, 2019

F

ARIZONA AEROSPACE KEY FACTS & FIGURES

1,200+ Arizona-based

companies make the state America’s third-largest supply chain contributor for aerospace and defense

15.5% Of Arizona’s

total exports are from aerospace and defense products

#4 Nationwide in

aerospace industry payroll and in aerospace revenue at $14.99 billion

141,610 Jobs supported by the aerospace and defense industry in 2017 (46,510 direct)

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BizAEROSPACE

Flying High Aerospace/Defense & Space Industries Now a Foundation for the Local Economy

By Rodney Campbell The five Cs of the Arizona economy – copper, cattle, cotton, citrus and climate − that have traditionally driven growth in Arizona might need to dip into the alphabet soup for another economic driver.

The aerospace/defense and space industries are flying high in Southern Arizona with businesses spinning off from technologies developed at the University of Arizona or through partnerships between global companies.

Take, for example, FreeFall Aerospace, which develops antenna technology for satellite communications, fixed and mobile ground stations, aerial platforms and for a variety of commercial and government appli-

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cations. The company got its start in 2016 with high-frequency radio technology developed at UArizona.

CEO Doug Stetson chalks up his company’s existence and success to its origins on campus.

“We are very much tied to Tucson,” he said. Collaboration with the UA “benefits FreeFall Aerospace with a pipeline of talented engineers from UA, partners like AGM Container Controls, and local investors like UAVenture Capital. Each milestone our products reach is a crucial step for FreeFall, the University of Arizona and Tucson’s developing space economy.” continued on page 38 >>>

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BizAEROSPACE continued from page 37

Doug Stetson President & CEO FreeFall Aerospace

Jim Cantrell CEO & Co-Founder Phantom Space

Ryan Hartman President & CEO World View Enterprises

Dave Querio President Ascent Aviation Services

Dror Yahav

CEO Universal Avionics

In January, Northrop Grumman, which has a facility in Sierra Vista, awarded a contract for more than $100 million to Paragon Space Development, a company headquartered in Tucson. The deal calls on Paragon to put together a lifesupport system for the Habitation and Logistics Outpost program. HALO will be deployed in lunar orbit as the first crew module of NASA’s Lunar Gateway. It will serve as a crew habitat and docking station for spacecraft that travel between Earth and the moon.

Northrop Grumman also partnered with Raytheon Missiles & Defense, also headquartered in Tucson, last September to complete the first flight test of a scramjet-powered Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the U.S. Air Force.

The companies are on track to deliver a prototype system to the U.S. Department of Defense.

“Tucson has been a growing hub for space manufacturing for years,” said Phantom Space CEO Jim Cantrell, whose company provides spacecraft construction and full-service launch capability. “It’s inspiring to see the kind of work being done here from companies like Paragon Space Development and FreeFall Aerospace. Unlike most cities, there’s a real community here for aerospace technology, a community that motivates, inspires and encourages growth.”

Ascent Aviation Services provides maintenance, modification, storage and reclamation services on aircraft at Tucson International Airport and Pinal Air Park near Marana. Ascent President/CEO Dave Querio’s company found another advantage in Southern Arizona during the pandemic.

The International Air Transport Association found that demand fell by 65.9% in 2020 compared to 2019, easily the sharpest traffic decline in aviation history. Ascent, a supplier of services to airlines, leasing companies and fleet managers across the globe, was able to store more than 400 client aircraft here when the desire for air travel dropped during COVID. Having the space to put all those big jets here made Querio thankful to be in Southern Arizona.

“With Tucson’s deep association to aviation and aerospace, we are fortunate to be able to call the Tucson metroplex home,” he said.

Joe Snell, president and CEO at Sun Corridor Inc., the region’s economic development arm, has another “C” to throw into the mix. His organization plays a significant role in attracting and keeping high-tech industry in Southern Arizona. That requires coordination.

“We have worked with a wide range of businesses in this space over the past 15 years,” he said. “These projects take intense coordination, which we quarterback among all regional partners, as well as private dinners and meetings.

Roadblocks appear and we knock them down. We’re great problem solvers. We’ve done this a long time and we know what’s important to companies.”

One of Sun Corridor’s key victories came in 2020 when it worked with local officials to keep Raytheon Missile Systems here by delivering Raytheon Integrated Defense from Massachusetts. The relocation resulted in Tucson becoming continued on page 40 >>>

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“

Aerospace and defense companies offer high wages, at every level, for all our citizens.

”

– Joe Snell President & CEO Sun Corridor Inc.

continued from page 38 home to the new Raytheon Missiles & Defense business.

The collaboration resulted in the addition of 2,000 jobs and an impact of several billion dollars.

“This would have been an unprecedented loss for this community if that hadn’t happened,” Snell said. “This took private conversations with Raytheon at the highest levels, and we ultimately won the deal.”

All of this collaboration adds up to real money. The Southern Arizona aerospace and defense industry pulled down $12.2 billion in Department of Defense contracts in 2019, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority.

During the pandemic a year later, companies across the entire state earned $17.3 billion in contracts.

The positive effects of those agreements are felt throughout the community. There are more than 25,000 people employed in the industry in the region.

“Aerospace and defense companies offer high wages, at every level, for all our citizens,” Snell said. “These industries lead to a stronger economic foundation for all.”

Universal Avionics has a 165,000-square-foot headquarters near Tucson International Airport. The company, which has been in business for four decades, specializes in making and fixing flight management systems and cockpit instrument displays for private, business and commercial aircraft.

“Tucson is a great place for our headquarters with manufacturing and repair being integral to our success,” said Steve Pagnucco, VP of operations. “We have a large modern facility that has and continues to allow us the ability to produce many of our own components which has allowed us to continue to deliver for our customers through supply shortages.”

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BizAEROSPACE ration with Pima County. The organization’s headquarters at Spaceport Tucson is where the company manufactures its stratospheric balloons and fabricates the crafts it flies on remote sensing missions. World View also launches stratospheric missions from Tucson.

CEO Ryan Hartman said the region’s strong tradition in the aerospace and space industries made Tucson a natural choice for his company’s headquarters.

“Tucson provides an exceptional breeding ground for some of the top aerospace talent in the world,” he said.

“Being headquartered in Tucson has allowed us to recruit and employ some of the best and brightest minds in the industry who exemplify our company ethos.”

Phantom’s Cantrell is bullish on the space industry’s future in Tucson, including for those who earn their living on the ground.

“The need to explore outer space isn’t going anywhere,” he said. “The need for space technology and manufacturing isn’t going anywhere. The need for Tucson’s bustling industry isn’t going anywhere. Tucson, and by extension the state of Arizona, will continue to lead the way when it comes to space technology production, manufacturing and launching.”

In addition to its facility at Tucson International Airport, Universal Avionics has facilities in Marana. It has electronic assembly, test and repair facilities here that are responsible for building and supporting the company’s avionics products for customers around the world.

Universal CEO Dror Yahav said Tucson is the perfect spot for his company because of the region’s collaboration and competition.

“Tucson is home to a great aviation and aerospace community which allows us to attract talented professionals who are looking to make advances in the aviation and avionics industries,” he said. “The city is becoming a hub of innovation, and for startups and people looking for alternatives to California. We are excited to be part of this growth.”

Snell said Tucson competes with larger cities including Austin, Denver, Dallas, Seattle and Portland as well as smaller communities such as Huntsville, Ala., and Wichita, Kan., when recruiting and retaining high-tech companies.

He said Tucson is ranked in the top 10 among metro regions for aerospace manufacturing because of its highly concentrated aerospace product and parts manufacturing sector.

It helps to have great weather, a world-class university producing quality graduates in the sciences, and engineering and complementary businesses to push organizations to success.

“Southern Arizona’s clear blue skies, stable weather and dry climate have attracted aerospace-related businesses since the early 1990s,” Snell said. “Our natural environment was and still is a draw, and with decades of aerospace and defense companies locating and operating here, we have built an amazing pipeline of talent and workforce to fill their needs.”

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FreeFall Aerospace

Bombardier

Honeywell Aerospace

4D Technology

Ascent Aviation

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Aerospace & Defense Companies in the Tucson Region

By Rodney Campbell The significant economic impact Raytheon Missiles & Defense has had on Southern Arizona for decades is well known. But Raytheon is one of now many players in the aerospace/defense industry in the Tucson region.

Here’s a little about other organizations in the market.

Ascent Aviation

Bombardier

For more than 30 years, Bombardier has designed, built and supported one of the largest installed bases in business jet history, which includes more than 4,900 aircraft. The company has www.BizTucson.com

4D Technology

An Onto Innovation Subsidiary, 4D Technology in Tucson is a leader in precision, instantaneous 3D measurement. Its industrial measurement products provide high-quality 3D surface and defect inspection on the shop floor. Last October, 4D announced a strategic partnership with Aerontii, an aerospace and defense industry firm, to lead business development and expansion activities of its new automated visual inspection tools for the aerospace market.

The 4D tooling line brings accuracy and efficiency to the aerospace maintenance, repair and operations industry, reducing part scrap rates because of outdated inspection methods, thereby

lowering labor and material costs, and increasing supply chain sustainability.

The 4D InSpec is a portable, handheld, non-contact, shop-floor, 3D surface gauge. The device provides uniquely fast and precise measurements of edge break and rounding of machined parts and is as easy to use as taking a picture with a phone. The 4D InSpec measures aerospace part burrs, scratches, corrosion, nicks, defects and more.

spacecraft. FreeFall uses antenna technology based on research in high-frequency radio astronomy at the University of Arizona. The unique spherical reflector is compact, lightweight and provides a wide field of view for complete coverage.

This novel approach allows for a dramatic increase in data rate with minimum mass, power and complexity, which is critical to the space-based communication systems of the 5G world.

FreeFall Aerospace

Honeywell Aerospace

Founded in 2016 as a spinoff from UArizona, FreeFall Aerospace develops antenna technology for satellite communications, fixed and mobile ground stations, aerial platforms and for a variety of commercial and government applications.

In early 2021, the company expanded its headquarters in midtown Tucson, featuring an open floor plan with large windows, standing desks, lab space and flexible work hours. This collaborative culture emphasizes creativity, teamwork, inclusion and innovation.

FreeFall’s inflatable antenna system enables collection of big data from cubesats and small low-cost

Located near Oro Valley since 1985, Honeywell Aerospace is one of the leading providers of avionics, engines, systems and service solutions for aircraft manufacturers, airlines, business and general aviation industries, as well as military, space and airport operations. The company offers a range of commercial, defense and space products, systems and services to the aerospace industry. Its products can be used in a variety of applications, including single-engine, piston-powered airplanes, military and space vehicles, and other commercial applications. continued on page 44 >>> Spring 2022

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Aerospace & Defense

Ascent Aviation Services provides maintenance, modification, storage and reclamation services on transport category aircraft in the aviation industry at Tucson International Airport and Pinal Air Park near Marana.

Employing more than 500 specialty team members, Ascent is a critical supplier of its services to airlines, leasing companies and fleet managers across the globe.

With two locations in Southern Arizona, Ascent is one of the largest 14 CFR Part 145 certified maintenance, repair and operations organizations in the world.

a facility at Tucson International Airport.

Bombardier was named among the top performing companies in the 2022 OTCQX® Best 50 ranking of companies traded on the OTCQX market. The honor is another recognition of the company’s strong and disciplined performance in the year that began with a decision to focus solely on designing, manufacturing and servicing business jets.

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continued from page 43 Leonardo Electronics

Leonardo Electronics

Sargent Aerospace and Defense

Meggitt

A provider of technologies for defense and commercial applications, Leonardo Electronics in December announced plans to expand its regional presence in a new Oro Valley facility.

Leonardo purchased 12 acres in Innovation Park and is planning construction of a semiconductor laser manufacturing facility. LEI has been in the Tucson region since 2009 (it was formerly known as Lasertel). The Innovation Park location will comprise approximately 120,000 square feet of manufacturing and administrative offices. Construction is expected to begin at the end of the first quarter of 2022.

Leonardo’s laser operations are currently located in Marana, where approximately 200 people work. The full expansion over five years will add 170 jobs, primarily in engineering, production, quality control, IT, HR, marketing, business development, purchasing and finance.

Meggitt

Universal Avionics Northrop Grumman

One of 17 sites in the United States, Meggitt has a location in Oro Valley. Meggitt is an aerospace and defense company with headquarters in the United Kingdom. Its four global divisions include more than 9,000 employees across 37 offices. Its capabilities include expertise in airframe and engine systems, energy and equipment, and services and support.

Northrop Grumman

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technology. VAMRASE is designed to support training and operations by fusing data content with technology to ensure operational readiness of personnel and supporting weapons systems. VAMRASE enables accuracy and efficiency of operations.

Universal Avionics

Universal Avionics’ 165,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in Tucson is home to the company’s electronic assembly, test and repair facilities, which build and support its avionics products for customers around the world. It is also home to its sales, marketing and several support and service organizations. The company is moving products and technologies from its parent company, Elbit Systems in Israel, into its Tucson facilities.

The company also has a hangar at Tucson International Airport that houses its corporate aircraft which it uses to test and demonstrate its navigation, communication, recording and display products. Its aircraft are being modified to support its latest enhanced vision and head wearable display products.

Sargent Aerospace and Defense

Sargent’s Marana campus occupies 132,000 square feet and employs more than 375 full- and part-time employees. Sargent is a designer and manufacturer of precision‐engineered hydraulic assemblies, bearings and sealing rings serving the broader aerospace and defense industry. The company’s products are used in a variety of applications on airplanes, helicopters and nuclear submarines.

Sargent celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2020.

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Phantom Space Corporation Lunasonde

Paragon Space Development Corporation

World View Enterprises

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The Business of Space Exploration

By Rodney Campbell The Sonoran Desert is quickly becoming a popular base for companies involved in space exploration. Here’s a look at four local companies that have picked Tucson as their launching pads.

Lunasonde

Paragon Space Development Corporation

Paragon is celebrating 29 years of pioneering innovation in 2022. The company is a leader in providing soluwww.BizTucson.com

Phantom Space Corporation

Phantom Space has a 32,000-squarefoot facility in Tucson that serves as its first rocket factory. It’s where the company is building the Phantom Daytona, which will be the first fully US-built, mass-manufactured launch vehicle.

Phantom’s target is to reach a capability of hundreds of launches per year.

The company is building four launch vehicle development units.

The goal for its first orbital launch is the first quarter of 2023. Along with

the Phantom Daytona, the Tucson manufacturing site will host the build of several satellite programs, as well as other space-related projects. Launch operations are being established at the Vandenburg Space Force Base in California, Cape Canaveral in Florida and other sites.

World View Enterprises

World View is an Earth-focused space company that seeks to share a better vision for the planet. Through its Stratollite® imaging and newly launched space tourism and exploration businesses (stratospheric flights lasting 6 to 12 hours), World View is working to ensure its ultimate objective: honor the planet so that future generations may call it home.

Through pre-journey educational experiences and onboard vantage points from the stratosphere, participants are likely to come back to Earth inspired by life-changing perspectives and eager to improve our planet.

The company’s remote sensing division provides stratospheric vantage points and data collection for government entities, corporations, non-governmental organizations and others to more precisely understand, monitor and improve our planet. World View is working on unveiling a capsule prototype, introducing an editorial content series around protecting and preserving the planet.

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Space Exploration

Lunasonde, a startup that focuses on subsurface imaging from space, and Exolaunch, a global leader in rideshare launch, deployment and integration services for small satellites, signed an agreement last year to fly a portion of the Gossamer satellite constellation to a sun-synchronous orbit aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter missions in 2022.

Lunasonde is the next frontier in resource exploration, solving the problem of subsurface uncertainty by creating 3D maps that reach up to 2 kilometers underground. The company can locate groundwater, mineral deposits, and other geological resources, and collects the data remotely via its Gossamer satellites. The idea was developed

by CEO Jeremiah Pate in 2016 when he was in high school.

Exolaunch provides rideshare launch, deployment, integration and in-space transportation services for the fast-growing new space industry.

tions for life support and thermal control for extreme environments to space, defense and commercial customers, including NASA, the Department of Defense, Boeing, SpaceX, Dynetics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Sierra Space.

Paragon recently announced that it finalized a $100 million-plus contract with Northrop Grumman for the life support system of the Habitation and Logistics Outpost program. HALO will be deployed in lunar orbit as the first crew module of NASA’s Lunar Gateway and will serve as both a crew habitat and docking station for spacecraft that will routinely travel between the Earth and the moon. Paragon also just announced it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Final Frontier Design, a leading supplier of spacesuits and ancillary components for NASA and other commercial customers.

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Giant Magellan Telescope

James Webb Space Telescope

UArizona to Help NASA Understand Solar Wind, Plasma

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OSIRIS-REx

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University of Arizona A Global Leader in Space Achievement U.S. News & World Report Ranks University of Arizona No.2 in Space Science In its 2022 Best Global Universities ranking, U.S. News & World Report ranked UArizona No. 2 among public universities in space science. The university placed No. 10 overall and No. 7 in the United States.

UArizona earned top marks for its research reputation in space sciences as well as the number of citations and publications by its researchers.

UArizona Researchers Play Key Roles in NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope

Since its 2016 launch to its successful landing on the asteroid Bennu in 2020 and finally its successful sampling and stowage of the asteroid’s pristine organic material, NASA’s UArizona-led OSIRIS-REx mission is a stellar achievement for the team led by Principal Investigator and Planetary Sciences Professor Dante Lauretta. As it returns to Earth, UArizona will be among the first to study and analyze the groundbreaking sample. The team received the 2022 John L. “Jack” Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, billed as a successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, launched in December with leadership roles by UArizona husband-and-wife researchers Marcia and George Rieke. Marcia is the principal investigator for the Near Infrared Camera, or NIRCam, the heart of the Webb Telescope for which she led the development. George is science team lead for the MidInfrared Instrument, or MIRI, which was added to the telescope to expand the telescope’s reach. UArizona’s leadership of two of Webb’s core instruments reflects the university’s 60 years of leadership in infrared astronomy.

Giant Magellan Telescope Closer to Completion One of the world’s largest and most anticipated telescopes, the Giant Magellan Telescope recently had its sixth mirror cast at the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab underneath the

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stands of Arizona Stadium. This telescope, which will see farther into the universe and capture more detail than any optical telescope before, will be anchored in Chile’s Atacama Desert. UArizona’s mirror lab has been making the world’s most advanced mirrors for almost 40 years.

UArizona to Help NASA Understand Solar Wind, Plasma UArizona Planetary Sciences Assistant Professor Kristopher Klein serves as the deputy principal investigator for the HelioSwarm mission, which will study plasma—which makes up 99% of the visible universe. The sun’s plasma is so superheated and energetic that it escapes the sun’s gravity and rushes outward as solar wind. The mission, tentatively scheduled to launch in 2028 and collect data for one year, will provide scientists with data to study turbulence in the solar wind.

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Space Achievement

UArizona-Led OSIRIS-REx Mission a Historic, Award-Winning Success

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PHOTO: AIRMAN 1ST CLASS MICHAEL WASHBURN

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Southern Arizona’s Military

By June C. Hussey Southern Arizona is dotted with several key military installations. These contribute enormously to our economy and communities in numerous, measurable ways.

An economic impact study published in 2017 by The Maguire Company credited Arizona’s many military installations for contributing $11.5 billion annually to the Arizona economy. The study included six military installations - Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Luke Air Force Base, in Glendale, U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma and the U.S. Naval Observatory in Flagstaff along with Arizona’s national guard facilities - the 162nd Air National Guard Wing in Tucson, the Western Army National Guard Aviation Training Site in Marana, the 161st Air National Guard Refueling Wing in Phoenix, and the Army National Guard Papago Park.

The report also stated that Arizona receives about $15.3 billion in federal defense dollars annually, ranking it eighth among the 50 states. That is roughly 2.9% of total U.S. defense spending, or about $2,321 per Arizona resident.

A look at the region’s military installations and their economic impacts, according to the Southern Arizona Defense Alliance.

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Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson $2.6 billion

Spanning 10,530 acres, 505 buildings, 1,173 homes and a 13,643 foot runway, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base generates a $2.6 billion impact annually.

DM supports and sustains 34 mission partners from across the federal government. It is home to cross-functional and total-force mission sets conducted by a variety of agencies, including: the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration, the 55th Electronic Combat Group, the 214th Attack Group, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 12th Air Force headquarters and the U.S. Space Force.

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PHOTO: SPC. BRENTON NORDYKE

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Installations at a Glance DM currently employs about 11,000 airmen, of which 6,000 are active duty, with 1,850 reserve/guard and 2,860 civilian employee. Approximately 71% of personnel live off base. An estimated 4,200 indirect jobs are created by this military installation, a value of $200 million to the local economy. And the benefits don’t end when the servicemen’s tour of duty ends. More than 18,000 retired service members live within 30 miles of metro Tucson, further contributing to the city’s economic output.

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162nd Fighter Wing, Arizona Air National Guard, Tucson $383.6 million

Of the 54 Air National Guard installations in the U.S and its territories, the second largest one is the 162nd Wing.

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space on our continent.

The 162nd Wing occupies 92 acres near Tucson International Airport and since 1969, has graduated more than 7,600 fighter pilots.

The Wing has trained pilots from 25 countries while developing strategic partnerships and building strong international relationships.

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Fort Huachuca U.S. Army, Sierra Vista $2.86 billion

Arizona’s oldest military outpost, Fort Huachuca is a U.S. Army installation that trains more than 9,000 students year and at any given time, is host to over 5,600 military, 8,000 civilians and more than 11,000 family members.

Established on Mar. 3, 1877, Fort Huachuca has a rich frontier history dating back to the Indian Wars and was declared a national monument in 1976.

The installation is the largest employer in Cochise County and lies about 15 miles north of the Mexican border. It comprises 946 square miles of restrict-

ed airspace and 2,500 square miles of protected ranges.

Fort Huachuca is home to the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM)/9th Army Signal Command and more than 48 supported tenants that represent a diverse, multifunctional population.

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Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma $877.6 million

The Marine Corps’ top aviation training base, Yuma’s Marine Corps Air Station, provides aviation ranges, support facilities and services to bolster mission capabilities and combat readiness.

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PHOTO BY LANCE CPL. JULIAN ELLIOTT-DROUIN

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continued from page 51 eastern Arizona, it hosts roughly 70 aviation units, bringing an average of 600 aircraft and 14,000 personnel for training throughout the year.

Its tenants include Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1, Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1, Marine Aircraft Group 13, Marine Air Control Squadron 1, Marine Fighter Training Squadron 40 and Combat Logistics Company 16.

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Yuma County’s top civilian employer with some 2,000 civilian personnel, the Yuma Proving Ground is the U.S. Army’s premier test center and serves at the forefront of the Army’s modernization strategies. It supports six of the Army Futures Command’s crossfunctional teams that are building the future force.

Yuma Proving Ground, which encompasses 1,300 square miles, is the host site of the annual Project Convergence capstone event, the largest capabilities demonstration in the Army. Recently, the Yuma Proving Ground has served as the backdrop for cutting-edge drone technology demonstrations. It’s clear, stable air and dry climate make the proving ground one of the best test ranges.

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Yuma Proving Ground U.S. Army, Yuma $1.12 billion

Western Army National Guard Aviation Training Site, Marana $147.4 million

Established in 1986, the Western Army National Guard Aviation Training Site, or Western Army Aviation Training Site, is located on the Silverbell Heliport in the privately owned Pinal Airpark—one of the world’s largest storage facilities for non-military aircraft.

WAATS, which lies adjacent to Marana, is managed by the Arizona Army National Guard and is one of the Army’s premier aviation training locations for attack and scout helicopters. It’s also home to a state-of-theart flight simulator complex.

Primarily a training facility for the Army National Guard, WAATS trains personnel from all three arms of the U.S. Army, including the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard as well as allied countries in Europe and Asia.

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Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Mission Possible

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base has been a point of patriotism and pride for this region for close to a century. Having twice in the last decade earned the Commander-in-Chief ’s Installation Excellence Award, DMAFB is among the premier military installations on American soil.

“The combat and training capability Davis-Monthan provides our nation undoubtedly sets us apart,” said Col. Joseph Turnham, 355th Wing Commander. “But what distinguishes us most is our airmen. Our vision is to maintain a dynamic team of lethal, agile and resilient airmen, and the men and women of the 355th Wing make that happen every day. Every success we have and every accolade DM receives is a direct reflection of their commitment to our mission, each other and our country.”

Ninety-eight years after the airfield now known as DMAFB was first established, it continues to serve as the busiest single runway of any U.S. Air Force base. The 355th Wing is the Air Force’s only A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot training base, producing highly trained A-10C pilots to meet Combat Air Forces, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve requirements.

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Team” is also now focused on full-spectrum Combat Search and Rescue operations for combatant commanders around the globe.

To reflect the base’s increased war fighting capacity and the pride DM takes in both its Rescue and Attack missions, the 355th Wing transitioned from a Fighter Wing to a Wing two years ago.

Now the 355th stands ready to support civil and combat search and rescue missions in our local community and across the world, whether it involves rescuing injured fishermen in international waters or coming to the aid of stranded hikers in nearby rugged terrain.

“The 355th Wing, and DM as a whole, has accomplished some truly remarkable things since I joined the team in the summer of 2020 but, without a doubt, what I am most proud of is our airmen,” said Col. Turnham.

“The global pandemic brought on a set of challenges no one could have expected and, day-in and day-out, they’ve proven they’re up to the task. They’ve done what’s needed to remain combat ready without losing sight of the importance of taking care of their wingmen and families.”

Col. Turnham continued, “That in and of itself is no small feat, but they weren’t content continued on page 56 >>>

PHOTO BY BRENT G. MATHIS

By June C. Hussey

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Col. Joseph Turnham 355th Wing Commander Davis-Monthan Air Force Base

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BizMILITARY continued from page 54 to rest on their laurels. While we continued executing our mission at home station and across the globe, our airmen planned and hosted the largest air show and open house in DM’s history and have been leading the way in shaping the future of combat employment through our Dynamic Wing concept, which recently led to our designation as one of Air Combat Command’s Lead Wings. Everything we accomplish as a team is thanks our airmen.”

Notably, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, airmen from the 355th Wing were being actively deployed to Europe amid the mounting tensions.

DM supports and sustains 34 mission partners from across the federal government. It is home to cross-functional and total-force mission sets conducted by the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, DHS, FAA, 55th Electronic Combat Group, 214th Attack Group, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 12th Air Force headquarters and the U.S. Space Force. DM

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also hosts the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (a.k.a. the Boneyard), which is charged with the unique mission of providing critical storage, maintenance and regeneration capabilities for the entire Department of Defense as well as other federal agencies and allied nations.

Spanning 10,530 acres, 505 buildings, 1,173 homes and a runway as long as 13,643 feet (that’s 45 football fields), DM is not only large in scale, it also generates a significant impact on our entire community, both socially and economically, to the tune of $2.6 billion annually.

DM currently employs about 11,000 airmen (6,000 active duty, 1,850 reserve/guard and 2,860 civilians.) Approximately 71% of base personnel live off base. While stationed here for an average of three to five years, airmen and their families become ingrained in the community fabric. An estimated 4,200 indirect jobs are created by this military installation, a value of $200 million.

And that doesn’t account for the impact

created by the 18,600 military retirees who live within 30 miles of metropolitan Tucson. DM’s retiree payroll for the area is $542 million.

The Gratitude is Mutual Tucsonans have strongly supported DM since the beginning. Tucson Metro Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee, which turns 94 this year, has provided service to airmen and educated the community about their important work. DM50, the non-profit volunteer group that advocates for DMAFB and its airmen, has raised more than $1.5 million for initiatives to improve the quality of life for military personnel at DMAFB. “Our neighbors throughout Southern Arizona serve as our wingmen by supporting our airmen and ensuring we’re able to accomplish our wing’s Rescue and Attack mission, and those of the 34 federal mission partners here,” Turnham said “Whether it’s a quick ‘thank you for your service’ to an airman walking down the street, recognition of their specific contributions

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during community events like a Wildcat game or advocacy for continued, close partnerships from civic leaders across the region, this community’s support is felt in a real way, and we’re grateful for it.”

Turnham said DM works hard to explain its mission and purpose through a number of media and community programs that create opportunities for Tucsonans to interact with DM airmen. One example is its partnership with Arizona Athletics to mentor local middle school students.

“Through volunteer efforts and various tour programs, as well as partnerships with local community organizations, DM airmen are engaging with Tucsonans every day in meaningful ways,” he said. “The relationships we share at both the institutional and personal levels are what make our mission possible. Without Tucson’s support, we wouldn’t be the premier warfighting installation we are today, and I expect DM will remain a prominent fixture and economic driver in Southern Arizona for the foreseeable future.”

Davis-Monthan History at a Glance Established as the Tucson Municipal Flying Field in 1924, the airfield was officially renamed Davis-Monthan Field in 1927 in honor of Lieutenants Samuel Howard Davis and Oscar Monthan, two local aviators and Word War I veterans killed in separate plane crashes (Davis in 1921, and Monthan in 1924).

At the time, Davis-Monthan Field was the largest municipal airport in the United States. In 1940, DavisMonthan transitioned to Tucson Army Air Base, and in 1941, it was officially renamed Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. In 1947, the Air Force became its own branch of the U.S. Military and it has operated as Davis-Monthan Air Force Base ever since.

Today, DM operates the busiest single runway of any U.S. Air Force base.

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Arizona Air National Guard, 162nd Wing The Guard in Our Backyard

PHOTO BY BRENT G. MATHIS

By June C. Hussey Spotting F-16s zip across the sky is a common sight here in Southern Arizona, but you probably don’t know the full story. The Arizona Air National Guard, 162nd Wing, is the second largest of the 54 ANG installations across the United States and its territories and serves as a training center for pilots from all over the world.

Founded in 1956, the 162nd Wing first operated out of an adobe farmhouse and a hangar that could hold three planes. Today it occupies 92 acres near Campbell Avenue and Valencia Road. Its mission is two-fold: To train domestic and foreign pilots, currently F-16 fighter jets, the workhorses of the Air Force; and, to serve as an interceptor unit responsible for the defense of airspace on our continent.

Whereas military installations like Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Fort Huachuca carry out missions authorized by the U.S. president and commander in chief, National Guard units take their orders from the governor of each state or territory. In the event of war, the federal government’s orders take precedence, giving the U.S. full control over all the fire power at its disposal.

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ritory) supports its own militia known as the National Guard. Meanwhile, the federal government defends these United States with a powerful military branch whose personnel are trained to protect on land, at sea, in the sky and space.

Thank Brigadier General Jeffrey Butler for that brush up on American history. Now serving as commander of the 162nd Wing, Butler first came to Tucson in 1996 as a flight instructor and was hired by the ANG in 1998. Today, he is proud to call Tucson home.

“We’re really unique in that we have a lot of airplanes, 72 aircraft on base, F-16s, and we also carry an MQ-9 mission,” said Butler. An MQ-9 mission is an armed, multi-mission remotely piloted aircraft used primarily against dynamic execution targets and secondarily as an intelligence collection asset.

“The average ANG wing will have 24 airplanes. We fly 40 to 60 sorties a day, most will do 10 to 18,” Butler said.

Ever wonder who’s flying those F16s above Tucson? According to Butler, they are mostly “kids” aged 18 to early 20s. Half are from the U.S, and half are from other countries – in all 33 international partners over the years.

Currently, six foreign countries are represented at “the schoolhouse”. In total, continued on page 60 >>> www.BizTucson.com

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Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Butler 162nd Wing Commander Morris Air National Guard Base

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BizMILITARY continued from page 58 the 162nd Wing trains 60 pilots every year, graduating 30 every six months.

Some of these young students come straight out of high school while others come after college. They start their training with about 30 hours of simulator instruction. After that, they’re up in the air and soloing after 10 hours.

After their training is complete, many pilots join the U.S. Air Force. Others return to their host countries. Some stay in the ANG to train others or become part of the alert force for the continent, a mission that re-emerged after 9-11.

“9-11 set off a chain of events that have changed what we do forever,” Butler said. “We’re retrograding out of a terrorist conflict to a near peer kind of conflict where we are dealing with China and Russia more directly.

“Ever since 9-11, the 162nd Wing has been sitting alert with four airplanes ready to go with pilots and maintenance crew. That’s about 30 people on alert 24-7, 365, on call for less than 10 minutes. And we have that all over America

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now, so it’s a really interesting mission.”

Butler said ANG can be a great career choice. “A lot of local high school kids come here and work here until

“

9/11 set off a chain of events that have changed what we do forever.

”

– Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Butler 162nd Wing Commander Morris Air National Guard Base

they’re 60 years old. We have a lot of 40-year retirements here. Sunnyside, Tucson High…lots of locals..”

Young people out of high school can expect to start at $20 an hour, according to Butler. Over time they can make up to $80 an hour and even more as a leader. “It’s neat to be able to provide a good paycheck for such an honorable profession,” he said.

The 162nd Wing provides 2,500 of these skilled jobs and contributes nearly $400 million in economic impact to Tucson annually.

Community support for the 162nd Wing is strong. The Air Guardians nonprofit advocacy group, Tucson Airport Authority, Pima County, the City of Tucson and others all help the 162nd Wing accomplish its mission with utmost safety.

Butler added that the 162nd Wing is committed to Southern Arizona.

“Since we live here, we care about our city. Safety is our top priority. We always want to take care of our town...it’s super dear to us.”

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From left – Ryan Toner – Dibble Engineering; Lt. Col. Paul Boriack – Arizona Air National Guard, 162nd Wing; Col. Greg Hoffman – Arizona Air National Guard, 162nd Wing; Bruce Dusenberry – TAA Chair; Danette Bewley – TAA President/CEO; Mike Smejkal – TAA VP of Planning and Engineering; Michael Hammond – TAA Vice Chair; Anthony Alfonso – Granite Construction; Bill VanHercke – Jacobs Engineering Group; Adam Hardy – WSP USA

New Era for Tucson International Airport End-Around Taxiway Project Paves Way for Historic Modernization

By Tara Kirkpatrick Beyond the sight of travelers at Tucson International Airport (TUS) is a pivotal new airfield construction project underway that is just the start of a historic estimated $350 million modernization of the airfield.

Construction of the new End-Around Taxiway, which kicked off in November 2021, is the second phase associated with the multi-year Airfield Safety Enhancement Program – the largest airfield improvement effort in the airport’s history.

“The End-Around Taxiway Project is an integral piece of airfield safety and allows aircraft to use a taxiway that goes around the main runway. It also minimizes risks associated with crossing the active main runway,” said Danette Bewley, president and CEO of the Tucson Airport Authority. “This work sets us up to proceed with the demolition and construction of the new parallel runway and center taxiway, which will 62 BizTucson

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provide added safety benefits and serve the many aircraft users.”

The approximately $25.7 million taxiway project, funded by federal grants through the Federal Aviation Administration and the Arizona Air National Guard, is projected to finish in January 2023. It’s a prosperous continuation of the larger ASE program, a $350 million-plus undertaking that will increase efficiency, safety, and limit pilot confusion at TUS. “This is truly exciting for our region,” said Bewley. “The ASE Program is a modernization project for our airfield.

Our airfield is safe, but standards have changed so we need to modernize the airfield to meet new FAA safety standards.”

TUS has served passengers from its current location since 1963, with some expansion in the 1960s and 1980s. The ASE program will usher in a new era for the award-winning airport, which

has not only added additional flights of late but also earned the prestigious Global Biorisk Advisory Council STAR accreditation for operating a safe and healthy facility. When TUS first received the recognition, it was one of only five airports in the world to receive the designation. Now, over 80 airports have earned this important health and safety designation.

The other components of the ASE program include demolishing the 8,000-foot long by 75-foot-wide runway, used predominantly by general aviation aircraft. This runway will be relocated and replaced with a new parallel runway that is 11,000 feet long by 150-feetwide, along with a center taxiway and new connector taxiways. Also included will be updates to airfield geometry and installation of aircraft guidance systems to ensure current FAA compliance. The continued on page 64 >>> www.BizTucson.com

PHOTO COURTESY TUCSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

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BizTRAVEL continued from page 62 entire program should take about six to eight years to complete, depending on federal funding.

“Airlines and operators look at how fast can you get in and get out and what are the complications and that’s all factored into so many decisions that airlines make when they are looking at what are the costs of operating...” Bewley said. “Right now, we are a very efficient airport, and this will just help us with that, especially with redundancy.”

Key to the ASE program is a crucial land swap with U.S Air Force Plant 44, leased by Raytheon Missiles & Defense, which will enable the airport to bolster its safety area on the western border, said Mike Smejkal, TAA’s VP of planning and engineering. “TAA needed a portion of USAF land for our new runway’s safety area and USAF/Raytheon needed TAA property to meet safety requirements for explosive arcs for their production facility. The land swap worked out as a win-win for both groups.”

In addition to USAF and Raytheon, Bewley credited a long list of stakeholders for the success of this exciting new venture, including the City of Tucson, Pima County, Arizona Air National Guard, 162nd Wing, the National Guard Bureau, the airlines, and FAA representatives.

“Not only are we part of a community, but we are part of a national transportation system,” Bewley said. “We have to look for the best way to meet the expectations of our many stakeholders and ensure a successful project. It’s been a long journey, and I am confident it will turn out well because of the way we have approached the myriad of challenges and worked together.”

“This historic modernization has significant benefits for our entire region,” said Joe Snell, president and CEO of Sun Corridor Inc., the region’s economic development arm. “This will greatly increase the capacity, efficiency and continuity of the airport operations, which impacts our existing businesses flying in and out and shows businesses considering relocation or expansion near or at the airport that we’re competitively positioned to meet their needs.”

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SPECIAL REPORT 2022

THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Marking

Years in Tucson, Arizona

By Romi Carrell Wittman

On Feb. 3, 1951, nearly the entire front page of the Arizona Daily Star was centered on one monumental news story: Work begins on Hughes defense plant.

Hughes Aircraft Company, founded by famed aviator, movie mogul and industrialist Howard Hughes, launched Tucson from a small desert town of roughly 46,000 people to what it is today – home to a global de-

fense giant that is now the kingpin of the entire Southern Arizona economy.

And yet, the plant was almost built in Phoenix.

Fearing his plant in Culver City, Calif. was vulnerable to attack during the Korean War, Hughes sought an inland location for his next manufacturing facility. He considered locations throughout the West, from continued on page 75 >>>

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BizMILESTONE

1950s 1951

Howard Hughes establishes missile manufacturing operations in Tucson to build the Falcon, the world’s first air-to-air radar-guided missile

1952

U.S. Air Force purchases Hughes Tucson operations and designates the site Air Force Plant 44 First Falcon delivered to the U.S. Air Force (Sept. 29, 1952)

1957

Employment level reaches 5,700 (peak Falcon production)

1960s

1965

Falcon production completed; employment drops to lowest level of 1,300

1966

Engineering development center established in Canoga Park, Calif., and development of Maverick missile begins

1969

Production begins on the TOW (Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided) anti-tank missile for the Army

Timeline & Photos: courtesy Raytheon Missile & Defense

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“

We’ve created a hub of technology right here in our own backyard in Tucson.

”

Wesley D. Kremer President Raytheon Missiles & Defense –

1970s

Maverick 1971

Hughes competes against Chrysler and wins TOW “winner-take-all” award to be sole producer of 100,000 TOW missiles

1972

Production begins on the Phoenix missile, a long-range missile defense system for the U.S. Navy and on the Maverick missile, an air-to-surface missile for the U.S. Air Force and Navy

1972

PHOTOS COURTESY RAYTHEON MISSILES & DEFENSE

continued from page 73 Arizona to Texas, with Phoenix, Colorado Springs, Colo. and Albuquerque, N.M. at the top of the list. When Hughes zeroed in on an 1,800-acre parcel near Phoenix, word got out and land speculation drove prices sky high – to more than $1,000 an acre.

Tucson’s civic leaders, including real estate executive Roy Drachman and Tucson Airport Authority’s Monte Mansfield, saw a lucrative opportunity. But they knew they had to do something bold to entice the aviator to build here. So began an intense lobbying campaign, including 10 days of site tours and top-secret meetings with Hughes.

But the icing on the cake was likely the deal that Drachman, Mansfield and other leaders were able to broker: TAA would sell Hughes roughly 2,400 acres of land at a cost of $50 per acre.

And so, the decision was made. The plant would be built in Tucson by the Del E. Webb Construction Company. The original facility, known as Building 801, was completed in October 1951 and contained 13 acres under one roof.

The company retained the name Hughes Aircraft Company until 1997, when Raytheon Company acquired Hughes’ defense business. The Tucson operation was renamed Raytheon Missile Systems, a name it maintained until 2020, when Raytheon Company and United Technologies merged to form one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the world. The parent organization became Raytheon Technologies. With annual revenues of more than $64.6 billion and an employee roster of 181,000, Raytheon Technologies comprises four business units: Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and the Tucson-headquartered Raytheon Missiles & Defense. continued on page 76 >>>

Missile Systems Group formed with headquarters and engineering in Canoga Park, Calif., and manufacturing operations in Tucson. Employment increases to 3,100

1980s

AMRAAM 1981

Development begins on the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) for the U.S. Air Force and Navy

1985

General Motors purchases parent company Hughes Aircraft Company for $5 billion

1986

Employment reaches 9,000

1989

500,000th TOW delivered to the U.S. Army

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Raytheon Technologies

continued from page 75

RAM

continued from page 75 1991

Employment drops to 5,500 as defense budget declines, production levels reduced

1992

Hughes Aircraft acquires General Dynamics missile business including Tomahawk Cruise Missile, Phalanx Close-in Weapon Systems, Rolling Airframe Missile, Standard Missile, Advanced Cruise Missile, Sparrow and Stinger missiles

1992

Hughes consolidates all missile engineering and manufacturing operations in Tucson.

More than 2,500 families move to Tucson from California

1993

Additional facility space leased at former IBM site at Rita Road (later becomes UA Tech Park)

1993

Hughes wins U.S. Army award for the Lightweight Exoatmospheric Projectile, paving the way for missile defense systems capable of intercepting warheads in space

1994

Tucson employment reaches 8,000

1997

Raytheon Company acquires defense business of Hughes Aircraft Company, including Tucson operations

1997

More missile programs move to Tucson from Raytheon sites in the Northeast and former Texas Instruments in Texas, including Joint Standoff Weapon, Paveway guided munition, Javelin anti-tank weapon, and High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile

1999

In its first intercept test, an Exo-atmospheric Kill Vehicle scores a direct hit on a mock warhead in space

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By the Numbers

181,000 employees

$64.6B pro forma adjusted revenue (2020)

$7.5B

annual company-and customer-funded research and development

61,000 engineers

PHOTOS COURTESY RAYTHEON MISSILES & DEFENSE

1990s

In its 70 years in Tucson, Raytheon Missiles & Defense has had an immeasurable impact in the region.

It has contributed more than $2.6 billion in economic impact statewide each year. As Tucson’s single largest private employer, it provides high-wage jobs to more than 12,500 employees. It also supports other businesses by spending more than $600 million annually with local suppliers. Of that, some $300 million in business is with small and diverse suppliers.

“I have a mantra that I’ve had since the first day I arrived and it’s ‘What have we done for Raytheon today?’” said Joe Snell, president and CEO at Sun Corridor Inc., the region’s economic development arm. “We need to adopt that, from our elected officials to all of our businesses, because they are the largest private employer in Southern Arizona − definitely the granddaddy of them all in the Tucson metro area − and everything good or bad derives from their presence here.”

The recent merger of Raytheon Company with United Technologies has meant meaningful growth for the Tucson facility. The socalled ‘merger of equals’ has resulted in a company worth roughly $121 billion and it was the largest merger ever in the aerospace and defense sector..

Commenting on the merger, Raytheon Missiles & Defense President Wes Kremer said, “To bring the legacy missile systems and integrated defense systems into [what is] now Raytheon Missiles & Defense … to be able to put together the premier radar house with the premier missile house … I’m most excited about the capability [this represents].”

While its headquarters are in Tucson, the business unit employs more than 30,000 people worldwide and posts annual sales of $15 billion. It has six divisions: Air Power, Counter-UAS, Hypersonics, Land Warfare and Air Defense,

46,000 patents

190+

years of combined innovation and industry leadership

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2000s

Standard Missile-3

continued from page 76 2000

Employment reaches 10,100; annual sales reach $2.8 billion

2002

First Standard Missile-3 flight test

2004

Raytheon delivers 250,000th Paveway Laser-Guided Bomb

2008

A reconfigured Raytheon Standard Missile -3 shoots down failed satellite

2010s

Laser Phalanx illustration 2010

Phalanx sensors used in laser shootdown of airborne targets

2010

Annual sales reach $5.7 billion; total employment of 12,500 in Tucson and at five offsite locations

2011

Raytheon Missile Systems acquires KTech in New Mexico to enhance directed energy capabilities

2011

Raytheon Missile Systems breaks ground for new missile defense facility in Huntsville, Ala.

2011

Raytheon Missile Systems celebrates 60 years in Tucson

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continued from page 76 Strategic Missile Defense and Naval Power.

Hypersonics, in particular, represent the future of the defense industry and Raytheon, Kremer said. While hypersonic technology has existed in the United States for decades, it hasn’t been deployed in the defense industry here until recently.

Hypersonic weapons are those that travel at speeds greater than Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. The benefits of hypersonic technology are manifest: much faster, more agile missiles with longer ranges. Misty Holmes, Raytheon’s executive director of the hypersonic campaign, said these missiles’ ability to maneuver is what makes them unique. “That’s really what differentiates them from traditional ballistic missiles,” she said.

Other nations actively have been investing in hypersonic missile defense technology for some time, leaving the United States to play catch up. Recently, President Joe Biden committed $3.8 billion to defense-related hypersonics research.

Raytheon’s work on hypersonics is ongoing, with modeling, prototyping and range testing yet to be completed.

While Raytheon’s status as a defense leader – and as Tucson’s largest private employer – is well known, the defense giant has become a major force in the community. Its employees contribute more than 60,000 volunteer hours to local non-profits. In addition, Raytheon is also a driving force in education and workforce development organizations. This, of course, benefits Raytheon because it means the company can cultivate a highly qualified pool of local talent. It also benefits Tucson residents in many ways, chiefly by offering access to high-quality science, technology, engineering and math educational paths.

Raytheon invests heavily in university partnerships, collaborations that support, research, manufacturing and the development of next-

generation technologies – like hypersonics.

To this end, the company has collaborated with all three Arizona universities and, in 2020, it announced a hypersonics collaboration with the University of Arizona.

Raytheon even assisted UArizona in obtaining federal and state funds to upgrade its wind-tunnel testing facilities, which the company has used extensively. In addition, Raytheon is working with UArizona to develop academic curriculum and research programs in hypersonic engineering with the goal of fostering talent and the next generation of innovators.

“As we continue to grow, we will need top talent,” Kremer said.

Raytheon is also fostering talent before college, by investing in the high schools and through the Pima Joint Technical Education District, where it funded a namesake event center at the brand-new Pima JTED @ The Bridges.

“I would say Raytheon has set the bar for leadership in inspiring other local companies to engage at many different levels,” said Pima JTED Superintendent Kathy Prather. “They really have taken that leadership role and the other organizations are seeing that and I think it’s safe to say we have more engagement right now than we have ever seen before in our business and industry advisory committees.”

Kremer is proud of what Raytheon has accomplished, as well as the company’s significant contributions to Arizona. At the same time, he’s grateful to the local community, saying none of the company’s success would have been possible without the support of the Southern Arizona region.

“We’ve created a hub of technology right here in our own backyard in Tucson,” he said. “I’m really proud to be the leader of this great organization.”

Biz www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY RAYTHEON MISSILES & DEFENSE

Biz MILESTONE Biz CHARITY

By the Numbers $276M

spent in business with suppliers

502

total suppliers

Tomahawk Cruise Missile 2014

The U.S. Navy awards Raytheon $251-million contract to produce 231 Tomahawk cruise missiles

2015

The $12.7 million Aerospace Parkway project is completed, essentially realigning and moving Hughes Access Road about a half mile south to allow more buffer room for Raytheon’s future expansion.

2016

Raytheon announces plans to bring an additional 1,900 jobs to Tucson over the next five years.

2017

Raytheon is state’s biggest defense contractor and 10th among the states with $4.4 billion in contract spending, according to the Defense Department’s Office of Economic Adjustment.

2018

The first of several new buildings constructed on the main Raytheon campus is unveiled, allowing for continued growth.

2020s

South Gate 2020

Raytheon Company merges with United Technology to become Raytheon Technologies, comprising four business units, including Raytheon Missiles & Defense in Tucson.

2021

Raytheon cuts the ribbon on its new South Gate in its ongoing commitment to the U.S. Air Force of meeting the highest security standards.

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PHOTO BY BRENT G. MATHIS

BizMILESTONE

Wesley D. Kremer President Raytheon Missiles & Defense

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Leadership in Action

Raytheon Missiles & Defense President Wesley D. Kremer

By Romi Carrell Wittman Wes Kremer fondly remembers when he witnessed history.

It was a brisk autumn day in November 2020 at Fort Belvoir near Washington, D.C. Kremer, along with the director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and others, watched as a Standard Missile-3, the first program Kremer ever managed, was launched off a naval ship near the Marshall Islands.

The test, conducted by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Navy, aimed to see if the SM-3 could intercept an intercontinental ballistic missile target – something many thought was impossible.

“We had the opportunity to prove that this could go beyond the capability of what it was designed for,” said Kremer, president of Raytheon Missiles & Defense.

The assembled crowd watched a live video feed from the missile and witnessed it successfully engage the target in space.

“It was spine-tingling,” Kremer said. “To be part of a team like that and see the teamwork coming together to accomplish a mission everyone thought was impossible…it gives a great sense of pride. I was incredibly proud of our entire team.”

Kremer’s pride in his team – and the entire Raytheon organization – is immediately evident when speaking with him. Leading Raytheon Missiles & Defense, he oversees an operation of 30,000 employees across 30 states and 28 countries. Raytheon’s Tucson facility is a small city in itself that’s home to 12,500 employees. The defense giant’s programs include air-, land-, and sea-based capa-

bilities, as well as strategic missile defense systems.

An electrical engineer by training and a U.S. veteran, Kremer came to Raytheon 19 years ago after an 11-year career in the U.S. Air Force. He said he was drawn to the company after witnessing some of the best engineers in the world. “There’s nothing better than being around smart people that challenge you every day,” he said. “That’s what I like most about Raytheon – the passion.”

Kremer has had many roles at Raytheon and served as president of both Raytheon Missile Systems and Integrated Defense Systems. Those two organizations merged in January 2020, becoming Raytheon Missiles & Defense.

Raytheon Missiles & Defense is one of several divisions of Raytheon Technologies, a defense behemoth that employs more than 180,000 around the globe and posted revenues of more than $64 billion in 2020. Other divisions include Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon Intelligence & Space.

Raytheon’s importance to the region is momentous. The defense powerhouse’s Tucson facility has a $2.6-billion annual economic impact and is Southern Arizona’s largest private employer. The company actively contributes to local workforce development initiatives, particularly in the STEM fields, and its employees give more than 60,000 volunteer hours per year to charitable organizations.

Raytheon is – and has been for 70 years – a kingpin of Southern Arizona. continued on page 82 >>> Spring 2022

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BizMILESTONE continued from page 81 Kremer loves his job and his role at the helm of a defense industry leader.

“We have a lot of employees that connect to our mission of being able to protect our warfighters and our allies around the world,” he said. “I find it very fulfilling, and I’m just really proud to be the leader of this great organization.”

Kremer is equally enthusiastic about the capabilities of the combined organizations under his leadership. “We brought together … the premier radar house with the premier missile house,” he said. “We’re able to go from detecting a threat to actually engaging it.”

Kremer is driven by a desire to solve difficult problems. He feels that, with its sheer size and breadth, Raytheon is uniquely suited to identify and solve the biggest challenges facing customers.

“Ballistic missile defense technology … was developed right here in Tucson,” he said. “When you think about that legacy, it’s really just a phenomenal organization to be a part of.”

Tucson again is poised to be a leader in an emerging technology: hypersonics. While hypersonic technology has existed for decades, its use in the U.S. defense industry is relatively recent. Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds greater than Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. Harnessing this technology for defense will lead to shorter response times and greater accuracy. Raytheon’s Tucson facility is at the forefront of hypersonic defense technology.

“We’ve been making significant investments for several years now and those programs are really starting to come to fruition,” Kremer said.

Raytheon enjoys great collaborative relationships with all three Arizona universities, but given its proximity and expertise, the University of Arizona is central to the company’s development of hypersonics. Raytheon even assisted UArizona in obtaining funding for the construction of wind tunnels, which will be used for modeling and testing of hypersonic designs.

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need for the latest in high-tech defense systems becoming ever more important.

“The demand for our products is really driven by the threat,” he said.

“More so than ups and downs in the economy, it’s driven by the threat posture and, unfortunately, the world is a pretty threatening and pretty dangerous place. Our mission is to deploy superior technology to the U.S. and our allies to deter war.”

Kremer said none of Raytheon’s many accomplishments would be possible without the time and talent of his team. As such, he believes it’s critical as a leader to empower his staff and to foster more diversity.

“I need my frontline leaders, the people that are on site working directly with the customers, [to have] the ability

“

There’s nothing better than being around smart people that challenge you every day. That’s what I like most about Raytheon – the passion.

”

Wesley D. Kremer President Raytheon Missiles & Defense –

to make decisions in real time,” he said.

“In many cases, they’re going to make better decisions.”

He also believes in cultivating diversity. “As a nation, we need our best and brightest, and we know that diversity makes us better, creates better teams and leads to better solutions,” he added.

To that end, Raytheon is active in the community promoting science, technology and math to younger kids and, hopefully, fostering an excitement and passion in them. The company maintains several partnerships focused on workforce development such as the Pima County Workforce Investment Board, the Workforce Arizona Council and the Pima Joint Technical Education District.

In fact, last November, Raytheon pledged $100,000 in support for a namesake event center at JTED Innovative Learning Center @ The Bridges.

JTED is a public program that supplements traditional high school studies with vocational and other career training for sophomore, junior and seniorlevel high school students.

Another tenet of Kremer’s leadership is creating a ‘freedom to fail’ culture.

“In the defense industry, though we’re working with leading-edge technologies, there’s an adversity to failure,” he said. “We tend to overengineer things.”

But today’s world moves too fast for the old overengineering mindset, he added. “What we’re seeing today … [are] rising threats from China and Russia,” Kremer said. “We need to go faster and in order to go fast, you have to create a climate where it’s okay to fail, to try something and quickly learn from it.”

Digital engineering is key to fostering this climate. Kremer said the processing capabilities and accuracy of today’s digital models allow engineers to not only visualize, but actually model very complex environments to test their systems. “We see incredible accuracy,” he said. “The high fidelity of these models allows you to move faster by having those failures then quickly recovering and moving on.”

He said that younger staff almost innately have this mindset. “A lot of our earlier career employees grew up in the video game era. If you don’t like the way the game is going, you just hit reset,” Kremer said. “In our younger workforce, there’s already that mentality of fail fast and try again. Part of my job as a leader is to foster those kinds of things in our workforce.”

While he’s extremely proud of Raytheon’s work and the technologies being grown in Tucson, he’s also deeply appreciative of the tremendous support the Southern Arizona community has shown the company. “Being a part of this community gives us an incredible sense of pride. It’s a great place we can all call home.”

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“A group of Tucsonans drool over the contract which brought Hughes Aircraft plant to Tucson in 1951.

L. to R., standing: Homer Boyd, chairman of the Pima County board of supervisors; Ed Goyette, secretary of the Tucson Chamber of Commerce; and Monte Mansfield, president of the Tucson Airport Authority. Seated: Roy P. Drachman and Joe Neiman, Mayor of Tucson. These men secretly negotiated the arrangements to bring the company to Tucson, but none of them ever dealt with Howard Hughes.”

From Roy Drachman’s book, “From Cowtown to Desert Metropolis: Ninety Years of Arizona Memories.”

Photo courtesy of Arizona Historical Society/Tucson, Roy Drachman Family Collection, #19

Roy Drachman

The Man Who Brought Hughes Aircraft to Tucson

By David B. Pittman Roy Drachman was a legend in his own time. Well before his death at age 96 in 2002, he was widely known as “Mr. Tucson.”

The real estate broker, developer and philanthropist donated the money to purchase Agua Caliente Park. He helped convert a private tuberculosis center into Tucson Medical Center.

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supporter of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, with the Roy Drachman Clubhouse named in his honor. And he was the first person to make a $1 million contribution to the University of Arizona, donating $3 million to the university over his lifetime.

Tucson was forever changed in many ways by Drachman.

But Drachman’s greatest accomplishment on behalf of the Old Pueblo was the persistent campaign he orchestrated that convinced Howard Hughes to

build a huge electronics and defense plant in Tucson. It began a year and a half before the Feb. 2, 1951 announcement that Hughes Aircraft Company (now Raytheon) would locate its facility in Tucson.

Drachman provided his version of the recruitment of Hughes to Tucson in his book, “From Cowtown to Desert Metropolis: Ninety Years of Arizona Memories.” The book was a compilation of weekly columns called “Memory Lane” that Drachman provided to

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2011 edition of BizTucson.

Ph

ytheon

urtesy Ra

Photo: co

www.BizTucson.com

–

”

The late Roy Drachman

offices and had stopped at the first phone booth he came across, and the matter was a very hush-hush deal,” wrote Drachman.

He grabbed his bag and was off for Phoenix, where he would spend the next 10 days with Hughes executives.

In about three weeks it was announced that Hughes would build a manufacturing facility in Tucson.

Drachman said the men from Hughes were suspicious of everything and everybody. Consequently, their meetings were never conducted in offices, but in airport hangars, restaurants and private homes – and only at night, so people couldn’t see who was coming and going.

Drachman was convinced this cloak and dagger attitude “came down from the very top of the company, which, of

s Hughe

course, was Howard Hughes himself.

He was a strange character in many ways and no doubt influenced the thinking and conduct of his executives.”

Drachman recalled his first meeting with Ira Eaker, Hughes’ top negotiator.

After arriving in Tucson in a Hughes company plane, Eaker, a former general in the U.S. Army Air Corps, was taken to the Pioneer Hotel, where a suite had been arranged for him.

“While we were looking at maps and discussing airport land and other details, he (Eaker) suddenly hushed us all and asked if the room ‘was secure.’ It looked as if it was to me, but a couple of the Hughes people started looking for microphones in the back of the drapes and pictures, up in the light fixtures, under the bed, and behind the furniture.”

At Eaker’s insistence, the meeting was shifted to a back booth at a local restaurant, where Drachman said everyone spoke in “hushed tones.”

Auto dealer Jim Click said Drachman discussed his efforts to recruit Hughes to Tucson with him on several occasions.

“When the Hughes entourage visited Phoenix to see what that city had to offer, Roy went with them,” said Click.

“The Phoenix people didn’t want him there, but the Hughes people were so close to Roy by that time that they insisted he accompany them wherever they went. Roy got a big kick out of that. He thought it was funny.”

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Photo: Keystone/Getty Images

“

Howard Hughes was a strange character in many ways and no doubt influenced the thinking and conduct of his executives.

Howard

20 years the Webb Company did over a billion dollars’ worth of work for Hughes.”

Events leading to Hughes Aircraft’s arrival in the Old Pueblo came fast and furious beginning on Jan.12, 1951, when Drachman got a call from Del Webb, who asked him to meet a couple of Hughes Aircraft executives at the Phoenix airport in three hours. Webb informed Drachman that the Hughes men would be gathering information about Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque and El Paso as possible sites for the new facility.

“Del said he had just left the Hughes

Aviatio n Pione er

the Tucson Citizen.

Drachman and Hughes would never meet. All of the work done by Drachman and others representing Tucson was forwarded to Hughes through intermediaries. In 1951, the reclusive and unpredictable Hughes was still at the controls of Hughes Aircraft.

Drachman was fortunate to have a source inside Hughes’ company, good friend and former Tucsonan Axel Johnson, an architect who oversaw construction for Hughes Aircraft. Johnson informed Drachman that Hughes was in the beginning stages of designing a defense and electronics plant of more than 500,000 square feet for an undetermined inland location.

Drachman immediately started selling Tucson, sending promotional brochures and information about Tucson to executives at Hughes’ headquarters in Culver City, Calif.

Drachman, a consultant to the Del Webb Company, a large general contractor that did work throughout the country, told L.C. “Jake” Jacobson, president of Del Webb, about Hughes’ construction plans. Jacobson became fascinated with the prospect of becoming Hughes’ principle contractor. At Jacobson’s request, Drachman agreed to help him get acquainted with Johnson.

“For the next three weekends, Jake had his company plane pick me up in Tucson on Friday afternoon and join him in L.A. to entertain Axel” and his wife, wrote Drachman. “As a result of these efforts, Del Webb (founder and owner of the company that bore his name) became acquainted with Howard Hughes, and over the next

BizMILESTONE continued from page 85 as the quality of schools, cultural and entertainment opportunities, the cost of housing and the availability of skilled and educated labor. They wanted to know about the price of raw, undeveloped land. Drachman found out why at a meeting at the home of Monte Mansfield, a Tucson auto dealer who headed the Tucson Airport Authority. It was at this meeting that Drachman said Eaker announced: “The boss has decided that Tucson is where the new plant will be built,” provided that Hughes himself receive options on large amounts of land adjacent to the airport by 2 p.m. the next day.

“Monte (Mansfield) turned to me and said, ‘Roy, you’ve got a job to do tomorrow morning.’ I recognized I had a responsibility. I had no idea who owned those properties, how many owners I had to deal with, nor if they lived in Tucson or Timbuktu.”

The next day, armed with a list of property titles, Drachman tracked down the landowners and secured op-

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tions on the needed properties.

“I finally ended up with 32,000 acres of raw land under option around Tucson,” wrote Drachman.

On Feb. 2, 1951, the announcement was made: A huge Hughes Aircraft manufacturing facility would be built in Tucson and it would be constructed by the Del Webb Co. Ed Biggers, a former president of Hughes Missile Group, and Taylor W. Lawrence, president of Raytheon Missile Systems, said the plant was initially intended to be built in Colorado Springs.

“I understand it was headed for Colorado Springs and it was Drachman that kind of turned things around,” said Lawrence. “Our Building 801, the big building, is built to withstand 10 feet of snow because it was originally designed to be constructed in Colorado Springs.

So we’re in good shape if Tucson ever gets 10 feet of snow.”

A few days after the announcement that Hughes was coming to Tucson,

Drachman received a call from Webb.

“Del called me and said that Howard Hughes had thanked him for the job his people did in making the necessary arrangements for Hughes’ negotiators to come to Tucson and obtain the options for the land,” wrote Drachman. “But, Del told me, ‘Hughes said he would not pay any commissions for the real estate – he didn’t like real estate brokers.’ ” Webb told Drachman something would be worked out.

When Tex Thornton, a Hughes executive Drachman had become well acquainted with, heard that Hughes had refused to pay the commissions, he devised a scheme to make certain Drachman was paid.

Thornton “remarked that he knew I had worked too hard not to be paid,” wrote Drachman in his book. “He said the amount, about $95,000, would be added to Webb’s contract for the construction of the building and Webb could then pay me, which was done.”

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Six Product Lines of Raytheon Missiles & Defense

1

2

From submarine launches under the sea to intercepts of ballistic missile targets in the outer reaches of space, the products produced by Raytheon Missiles & Defense span every mission area of its customers.

The business is structured by product lines – four focused on production programs and two focused on research and development efforts: 1. Air Power Military leaders require systems that allow them to dominate the airspace across every mission phase. Our ground-based sensors provide persistent wide-area defense and space surveillance, while our air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons deliver power and precision to fourthand fifth-generation fighters.

2. Counter-UAS When our customers need to defend against drones, the answer can range from simply knowing they’re thereto carrying out a complex counterattack. Our portfolio of sensors and effectors, networked into a command-and-control system, covers the complete counter-unmanned aircraft systems mission with an integrated and layered defense.

3

3. Hypersonics Hypersonic weapons are one of the most prolific emerging threats. Pioneering a unique, comprehensive approach using advanced technologies, we are partnering across the industry to develop solutions aimed at detecting, tracking and ultimately defeating modern hypersonic weapons.

4. Land Warfare & Air Defense Land Warfare & Air Defense provides proven capabilities ranging from precision weapons to integrated air and missile defense to the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and over 50 international partners worldwide. LW&AD is committed to providing next-generation, cross-domain solutions to counter evolutionary threats 5. Strategic Missile Defense Protecting people, places and the principle of sovereignty itself takes technologically advanced sensors, satellites and interceptors, working in layers to defeat all types of threats. Our breakthrough missile defense technologies enable a system to see farther and guide interceptors to their targets with even greater precision.

4

5

6

6. Naval Power Naval forces must evolve rapidly to address increasingly sophisticated threats being ushered in by great power competition. Raytheon Missiles & Defense is closing the “detect-control-engage” loop in the maritime domain with advanced sensors, command and control and weapons to protect ships and sailors around the world.

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BizMILESTONE

Raytheon Products Made in Tucson

By Romi Carrell Wittman

AMRAAM® – the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile is the world’s most sophisticated, combat-proven air dominance weapon. It’s the only radar-guided, air-to-air missile cleared to fly on the F-35.

It’s been extensively and successfully tested, with more than 4,900 test shots and 13 airto-air combat victories.

The latest upgrade for AMRAAM is the “Form, Fit, Function Refresh,” or F3R, program. When combined with the just-released System Improvement Program 3 software, F3R delivers improved guidance, range and performance to the missile.

In addition, AMRAAM-ER is a new, groundlaunched extended range missile that will intercept targets at longer distances and higher altitudes. AMRAAM-ER gets its boost in range from a bigger rocket motor and optimized flight control algorithms.

AIM-9X® SIDEWINDER™ – the AIM-9X SIDEWINDER missile is a triple-threat missile that can be used for air-to-air engagements, surface-attack and surface-launch missions without modifications. A short-range missile, it is often paired with AMRAAM on the wings of allied fighter jets.

The advanced infrared-tracking, short-range missile is combat proven in several engagements around the world.

StormBreaker® – the StormBreaker smart weapon can hit moving land-based and maritime targets at ranges in excess of 45 miles and in some of the worst weather conditions. The winged munition autonomously detects and classifies moving targets in poor visibility situations caused by darkness, bad weather, smoke or dust kicked up by helicopters.

Now approved for use on the F-15E, StormBreaker is the U.S. Air Force’s first fielded, network-enabled weapon. At just over 200 pounds, it’s small, yet powerful enough to defeat tanks.

Tomahawk® Cruise Missile – the Tomahawk® cruise missile is a precision weapon that launches from ships and submarines and can strike targets precisely from 1,000 miles away, even in heavily defended airspace.

Raytheon Missiles & Defense and the U.S. Navy are recertifying and upgrading the missile that will extend its service life for 15 years. The Tomahawk Block V will upgrade its navigation and communication, incorporate an enhanced warhead, and add the ability to strike moving targets at sea.

U.S. and allied militaries have flight-tested the GPS-enabled Tomahawk 550 times and used it in combat more than 2,300 times.

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INFORMATION & PHOTOS COURTESY RAYTHEON MISSILES & DEFENSE

Raytheon Missiles & Defense is a leader in aerospace defense and technology – and much of that expertise and manufacturing capability originates directly from its Tucson headquarters.

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Hypersonic Raytheon Invests in New Capabilities, Partners with UArizona

IMAGE: COURTESY RAYTHEON MISSILES & DEFENSE

By Romi Carrell Wittman Hypersonic technology, as it’s known, will revolutionize the defense industry and Raytheon Missiles & Defense is taking the lead.

But what exactly is hypersonic technology?

When Misty Holmes, Raytheon’s executive director of the hypersonic campaign, was asked to give a “‘hypersonic technology for dummies’ explanation,” she smiled. “That’s what I do all the time and enjoy most,” she said before explaining exactly what it is and how Raytheon is harnessing it.

Hypersonics are not really a thing. Hypersonic is an attribute…. a capability. What the U.S. is developing is a family of weapon systems that are air, surface and subsurface launched, to deliver a wide range of effects to the battlefield and allow defeat of targets that are threats to our country and our allies.

As the name implies, hypersonic means traveling at speeds greater than Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. To put that into perspective, an aircraft traveling at Mach 5 would cross the Atlantic in roughly two hours, more than twice as fast as the fastest passenger plane, the Concorde. That’s a speed of around 3,800 miles per hour.

With hypersonic weapons time to target, flying greater than Mach 5, our adversaries have less time to react. These weapons also have an unpredictable flight path because they can maneuver, which makes them difficult to track.

Hypersonic technology has existed in the United States for decades. The Apollo spacecraft Gemini and Mercury reentered earth’s atmosphere at hypersonic speeds back in the early 1960s. Every space shuttle has moved at hypersonic speeds.

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development. “The hypersonic threat from our adversaries is no longer science fiction. It is very real today and driving the need for accelerated capability,” Holmes said.

Under President Biden, the Department of Defense has increased funding for hypersonics research to $3.8 billion in FY22 to accelerate the development and testing of hypersonic weapons.

Holmes said it’s critical that Raytheon continue to support the USG to develop and manufacture this type of mission capability.

“Our adversaries are visibly investing in and fielding hypersonic capabilities, and we need to do the same,” she said. “Rather, we must be competitive in battlefield dominance to maintain a strong deterrence posture to help keep our citizens and allies safe.”

Raytheon is developing two types of hypersonic missiles: Boost glide and ‘air-breathing’ missiles.

Boost glide hypersonic missiles are launched outside the atmosphere then glide down to their intended target. Rocket motors propel the missile, then the glide vehicle separates from the rocket and glides at extremely high speeds to reach its target. Boost glide capability requires exotic materials to address the heat challenge and offers longer range, maneuverability and shorter response times due to their extreme speeds Air-breathing hypersonic missiles, on the other hand, achieve high speeds by a scramjet engine. The incredibly fast air flow through the engine propels the missile as opposed to the more complex rocket boost glide system.

And unlike the boost glide, air breathers fly within the atmosphere generating a little less heat which means they can leverage more conventional materials, which lessens the cost continued on page 94 >>>

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Gov. Doug Ducey toured wind tunnels on the UA campus on Dec. 2, along with UA President Robert C. Robbins. continued from page 92 to produce. Like boost glide systems, air breathers also maneuver and are difficult to persistently track.

The boost glide and air breather missiles are being developed primarily at the company’s Tucson facility, and remain in the demonstration phase.

“We’re focused on building prototypes and increased testing frequency. We expect to see programs of record established within the DoD services in the next year,” Holmes said.

Building and testing hypersonic missiles is no small feat. One of the key challenges we face is making sure the materials that make up the missile can withstand the extremely high temperatures generated by an object flying greater than Mach 5. The materials science piece cannot be understated.

Think of the heat shields necessary to protect the space shuttle upon reentry.

This has been a major roadblock in the development of commercial hypersonic aircraft.

Then, testing must take place in several phases. First, the units are tested in a small-scale simulated environment, like the University of Arizona’s College of Engineering wind tunnels, where Gov. Doug Ducey recently toured along with Raytheon Missiles & Defense President Wesley D. Kremer.

Wind tunnels blow air at high speeds past stationary objects to better understand how objects will move in actual flight. Other testing must take place in a real flight environment and it is difficult to schedule range time. There are just a few capable ranges in the world that 94 BizTucson

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can accommodate hypersonic flight testing.

Thus, the road to manufacturing hypersonic missiles is a complex balance of material science, simulated flight testing and, finally, range testing to ensure the vehicle can fly the intended distance, maneuver as designed and withstand the extreme flying environment at hypersonic speeds. While Raytheon has competition in this segment primarily from Lockheed Mar-

“

The hypersonic

threat from our adversaries is no longer science fiction. It is very real today and driving the need for accelerated capability.

”

– Misty Holmes Executive Director Requirements & Capabilities Advanced Technologies Raytheon Missiles & Defense

tin, Northrop Grumman and Boeing, Holmes said Raytheon has an advantage with their decades of missile development and production experience, deep talent base, robust supply chain, and academic affiliations, like the one with UArizona.

“Our university has experience across the spectrum of hypersonics,” said UArizona College of Engineering Dean David Hahn. “At such high speed, we have good tools that allow us to simulate, and we also provide the capability with actual vehicles. We’ve figured out the materials that can withstand the heat. When something is moving that fast, huge challenges are presented.

Raytheon’s experience in digital engineering also provides an advantage.

“We have the ability to show customers what to expect ahead of time,” Holmes said. Digital engineering has the added benefits reduced cycle time through more automation and manufacturing technology which results in faster production times and lower costs.

Holmes said Raytheon will be a leader in this space. “We have a lot of experience, and people look to us as the leader in being able to manufacture missiles at rate and deliver them to the warfighter.”

“Being able to have not only hypersonics capabilities, but being able to defend against hypersonic threats, is something that is not only important today, but is growing in importance every single day,” Kremer said, during his tour of UArizona’s wind tunnels. “Unlike many areas of science, where we have decades of experience, this is an area that’s truly emerging.

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PHOTO: COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

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BizENGINEERING

A Pipeline of Talent Raytheon Values Partnership with UArizona College of Engineering

By Valerie Vinyard After speaking to David Hahn, you’ll be convinced that everyone should become an engineer.

“Engineers are tackling all of the significant challenges in modern society,” said the Craig M. Berge dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Arizona. “And that is food and water, energy, healthcare and security. We do it all. Whatever you’re passionate about, we can lead you that to a career as an engineer.”

Hahn, who holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Louisiana State University, boasts more than two decades of experience in higher education and with national agencies and laboratories, and he is a champion of diversity in engineering.

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The 58-year-old came to UArizona 2½ years ago after a 20-year career at the University of Florida, where he served as chair of mechanical and aerospace engineering. While he was there, the university built a 4,000-square-foot student design center, his department grew to the largest on campus in terms of student enrollment and the female students registered in mechanical and aerospace engineering increased to 20%.

Hahn appears to be creating an equally impressive footprint in Tucson. In just over two years at UArizona, he has seen an influx of applicants to the College of Engineering. continued on page 98 >>>

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PHOTO BY BRENT G. MATHIS

David W. Hahn Craig M. Berge Dean College of Engineering University of Arizona

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BizENGINEERING continued from page 96 “To date, our applications are the highest that they’ve ever been,” said Hahn of the prospective students for Fall 2022. “We are leading the university in the year-over-year increase in number of applications.”

While that’s great news, Hahn and his team are working toward an even higher goal. He said there’s a multiyeareffort to actually double the number of students in the college. Hahn noted that the expansion of the College of Engineering has become a UArizona priority.

This five- to six-year effort will increase the number of students from 4,000 to 8,000. He said the expansion essentially will double the size of the college in enrollments, degrees produced and research enterprise.

“We have 16 engineering degree paths,” he said. “We have a great breadth of programs that meet anyone’s needs and interests.”

So, what’s the secret to his success?

“We are a very personable program that puts a lot of time in with our stu-

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“

The University of Arizona is a gem – they’re a top-tier research institution and one of Raytheon’s key partners for decades.

”

Roy Donelson VP & COO Raytheon Middle East North Africa Group –

dents, so our students succeed inside and outside of the classroom,” said Hahn, noting that a starting salary in

engineering could reach six figures.

“An engineering degree from UA provides enormous opportunities to make the world a better place,” he said. “You get to have an exciting job and earn a great income. A great misconception is that engineers just sit there and do equations all day. Sure, we do math and use math as a tool, but you’re just as likely to be out in the world testing new technologies. We apply theoretical learning to solve real-world problems.”

UArizona is poised to offer an influx of quality engineering graduates to the area, which will mesh with the regional economic recovery plan, the Pivot Playbook. The playbook is a formal action plan driven by Sun Corridor Inc. to ensure that the community emerges from the pandemic able to seize on crucial opportunities. Those initiatives include providing a high-quality pool of talent, innovative workforce training and costeffective real estate offerings.

“The University of Arizona is a gem – they’re a top-tier research institution continued on page 100 >>>

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BizENGINEERING continued from page 98 and one of Raytheon’s key partners for decades,” said Roy Donelson, VP and COO of Raytheon Middle East North Africa Group.

“Working with the UA gives us a better perspective on the region and our nation,” Donelson said. “We’re able to learn and understand what students are thinking about. So many millennials are entering the workforce now and we’re working to increase those numbers overall, but also the number of women and other diversity groups in the workforce. Our partnership with UA is helping us do just that.”

Raytheon Missiles & Defense employs more than 30,000 employees globally, with 15,000 of those being engineers.

“Our partnership with UA has fed that talent need,” Donelson said.

“We continue to hire hundreds of UA graduates and just over the last couple of years that number has continued to grow.”

To help with its goals, the UArizona

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has received considerable funding from the “new economy” initiative from the state legislature and the board of regents. Hahn said the College of Engineering has received about a third of the $36 million provided through the initiative.

“That initiative is all about expanding the STEM workforce and the Arizona economy, we are helping to fill that need,” he said.

Hahn noted that UArizona is not just a state institution – about a third of its students come from out of state.

“We’re promoting, advertising, and recruiting all over the United States,” he said. “We partner all over the state and all over the world. We have a summer engineering academy for highschoolers that includes hundreds of students. We also work with the community college system.”

Agreed Donelson: “We are proud to be in Southern Arizona and partner with University of Arizona, suppliers and other organizations to promote economic development in the state. Ultimately, UA helps us with the people

and innovation to provide the technology that defends our nation and allies.”

In addition to major companies, Hahn noted that there are hundreds of smaller engineering employers in the Tucson area. And in Arizona, there’s a great need for civil engineers as the states invests in infrastructure, and mining is the fifth largest industry in the state.

“We’re really trying to respond to the needs of the state,” he said. “There’s demand for all of our engineers.”

To help meet the area’s needs, Hahn said that UArizona offers a software engineering degree that just launched this year. He’s predicting 100 students will graduate with the new degree.

Of course, Hahn noted that the highest demand in the United States is for mechanical engineers, because they support so many different industries.

“You can work in a power plant, or work on just about anything you can see or touch,” he said.

I think as an engineer, you can work just about anywhere in the world that you like.”

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BizMILESTONE

By the Numbers 12,500

RMD employees in Arizona

1,035

total hires from colleges (2015 – 2019)

Mining Regional Talent Raytheon Invests Heavily in Workforce Development While Raytheon Missiles & Defense focuses on its primary task to develop the technologically advanced products and systems that protect our country, it finds itself in an ultra-competitive environment to attract the top talent needed for its mission.

Because of what it does as a business and the technology involved, it’s easy to think of Raytheon as a company comprised only of engineers who create, design and build the company’s products.

But when there are 12,500 employees in one location, the array of skills needed is massive.

For Raytheon, the search for talent starts in Tucson but obviously doesn’t end there, said Heather Bigley, director of talent acquisition for Raytheon Missiles & Defense.

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cost and investment in sourcing and relocating talent to Tucson,” Bigley said.

“We would prefer to be able to have a greater population of qualified talent locally.”

Talent acquisition at Raytheon is an operation that involves the highest levels of the company and a level of strategy and innovation that stretches around the globe.

Allen Couture, VP of operations and security, is focused on the company’s manufacturing operation to make sure Raytheon is producing for its customers. At the same time, he knows that to meet those expectations, Raytheon must have talent at all levels. While Raytheon competes with companies locally, nationally and even globally, Couture said he recognizes that the company can’t work in a silo expecting to attract the best.

“I think workforce development is key to the continued growth and the success of all Arizona businesses and I don’t think it’s unique to us,” Couture said. “I think a lot of businesses are going through the same challenges. For us, a skilled workforce is critical from advanced degrees in engineering, but so is our vocation training.

“It’s very necessary for us to continue to invest in those types of roles and education. Lately our job growth is increasingly focused on those with a college education or specialized technical certification. Quite frankly, we’re monitoring trends in the workforce and getting the talent pipeline filled because we do see the potential availability to decline as we get out through 2030.”

Raytheon actively partners with and supports numerous institutions, continued on page 104 >>> www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS: COURTESY RAYTHEON MISSILES & DEFENSE

By Jay Gonzales

Profiles in Raytheon Leadership

By Jay Gonzales Raytheon Missiles & Defense has a talent acquisition infrastructure that encompasses all levels and all departments in the company. A look at three members of Raytheon management who are leading the company into the future.

Heather Bigley

Allen Couture

Bill Gundrey

Senior Director Talent Acquisition

VP Operations and Security

Executive Director Digital Transformation

Heather Bigley heads talent acquisition for the organization that has $16 billion in sales and 30,000 employees, 12,500 of those in Tucson. She is responsible for providing integrated talent acquisition strategies that meet the current and future hiring demands of the business.

Allen Couture’s responsibilities include overseeing the advanced manufacturing centers and other facilities for air and missile defense systems, precision weapons, radars, command-and-control systems and advanced defense technologies. He has more than 20 years of experience leading programs, development engineering and manufacturing facilities in commercial and defense industries.

Bill Gundrey directs a digital transformation organization where new technologies and therefore, the need for new skills are emerging on a regular basis. Fields such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, highperformance computing weren’t around not that long ago but are now key to Raytheon Missiles & Defense and manufacturing processes that revolve around massive amounts of data available.

A critical aspect of having a talent pipeline, Couture said, is making sure it is diverse.

“Building out the data environment and then using the environment is really transforming all disciplines, and they have to think about data and information differently as they’re doing their jobs,” Gundrey said. “The concept of creating, sharing, and working with data will be very different going forward. It’s a culture around data.”

While the skills needed at Raytheon are diverse, the STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and math – continue to require focus, not only at Raytheon, but nationally, to ensure there is a workforce that Raytheon can depend on. For Raytheon, strategies start as early as middle school to pique students’ interest in STEM. “We invest hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in many different statewide programs,” Bigley said, citing MathMovesU as one program that gets middle school and high school students interested in the math fields. “We also have ongoing mentoring and scholarships and partnerships with local community colleges and universities. It’s really all about trying to get that excitement in the students to help them to want to step into the STEM fields for a career.”

Such opportunities also reveal what a potential STEM career could mean for them in life.

“We’re really trying to create this community of not just coming and showing up to work,” she said. “You build friends. You can do things you love, and you can find similar people that have that interest and get engaged with them.”

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“We know that’s a vital indicator of economic opportunity for individuals and Arizona as a whole,” Couture said. “Having a workforce that is diverse in their backgrounds, their experiences are all very important things for us to have in our workforce.”

Couture points out that while engineering and advanced technology are the backbone of Raytheon, it doesn’t take an engineering degree or even a college degree to get a job at Raytheon and advance to higher-skilled and higher-paying jobs.

“You can start from the ground floor,” he said. “I’m an example of that. I was a mechanic on the line when I started. I graduated high school, worked at a factory, then decided to try to get an education.

And then I just worked my way up through the ranks.”

“We’ve had employees in janitorial services go and work on their trades, work on their skills, and they are now operators building some of the most sophisticated products in the world for our customers.”

Gundrey said it’s been his experience that, as new technical and engineering skills become available in the workforce, the defense industry tends to take some time to tap into those skills. But more recently, potential employees with these skills are finding the defense sector more appealing simply because the work is more meaningful as we are privileged to provide capabilities to our servicemen and women.

“I’ve seen more interest now as we are building out and transforming the company digitally because it’s a more exciting environment to come and work,” Gundrey said. “I see a little more interest now because it’s just the noble work that we do.”

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BizMILESTONE continued from page 102 including the University of Arizona, Pima Community College and the high schools. In January, it awarded a $100,000 grant to Pima Joint Technical Education District for a 4,000-squarefoot event center at the JTED’s new Innovative Learning Center @ The Bridges.

“It’s incredibly important to reach out and partner with the educational institutions to help grow the next generation of employees for our business and not just in engineering,” Couture said. “There are tons of different roles.

There’s an incredible employee base in Arizona in the vocational areas, in the technical trades, in manufacturing.”

At Pima JTED, Raytheon has become a trailblazer that is equipping a workforce with skills that don’t necessarily require a college degree but can also lead to one, said Kathy Prather, superintendent and CEO at Pima JTED. “I think the most important piece of this relationship is Raytheon’s understanding that career and technical education students are the future talent,”

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“

I think the most important piece of this relationship is Raytheon’s understanding that career and technical education students are the future talent.

”

– Kathy Prather Superintendent & CEO Pima JTED

Prather said. “Raytheon has a very purposeful plan to work and support what’s happening in our classroom.”

In doing so, Prather said, other companies are coming along and supporting the technical education work JTED

does to provide a broader workforce for the community.

“I would say Raytheon has set the bar for leadership in inspiring other local companies to engage at many different levels,” Prather said. “They really have taken that leadership role and the other organizations are seeing that and I think it’s safe to say we have more engagement right now than we have ever seen before in our business and industry advisory committees.”

Joe Snell, president and CEO at Sun Corridor Inc., credits Raytheon’s talent acquisition emphasis with helping the region continue to produce the talent that helps not only the defense giant, but other companies here tapping into the pipeline.

“Talent drives all market decisions. It has since the early 80s and it will continue to drive them,” Snell said. “The reason Raytheon stayed here, put their missile headquarters here, primarily is they felt comfortable that they could attract talent.”

Bill Gundrey heads Raytheon’s digital transformation unit that develops continued on page 106 >>>

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BizMILESTONE continued from page 104 technology and systems to better the entire product development lifecycle.

They are constantly identifying needs for new skills in computing, technology and security, and always on the hunt inside and outside the company.

“Digital technology is foundational.

It’s our networking, our infrastructure, our business applications, our data, our processes, and even our culture − that complete information infrastructure,” Gundrey said. “Digital transformation is, really, how we leverage that to build our products and solutions for our customers faster than we ever have before.”

“There’s a war for talent now so, we’re putting a lot of investment in it,” he added. That investment is internal as well as external. Raytheon is putting significant effort into getting its existing workforce trained with new and advanced skills.

“We’re encouraging folks to go get the cyber degree, go get a certification,” Gundrey said. “Developing our internal talent in some of these areas is critical.

But we have to go recruit external tal-

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The reason Raytheon stayed here, put their missile headquarters here, primarily is they felt comfortable that they could attract talent.

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– Joe Snell President & CEO Sun Corridor Inc.

ent, too.”

Raytheon is mining talent through UArizona’s College of Engineering.

Pima Community College offers a respected aviation technology program and is currently expanding its aviation

tech center. Pima JTED, where Raytheon opened its namesake event center, offers courses in precision manufacturing, aviation technology, robotics and drone operation.

At Sunnyside High School, the closest high school to the company’s facility south of Tucson International Airport, Raytheon has developed a valuable partnership since 2017 in which the company hosts student workers who contribute across 11 different Raytheon departments. All students receive a Raytheon laptop to use at work, as well as a badge.

“We invest hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in many different statewide programs,” Bigley said. “It’s important to help our community build a pipeline to have access to some higher paying jobs.

“Tucson is a great place for the company because there’s a lot of innovation happening locally. There are a lot of partnerships that take place through industry and academia, and I think that has to continue.”

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By the Numbers

Alex Beresford

$1M

Systems Engineer

in charitable donations

60,000+

employee volunteer hours

Alonso Garcia Senior Mechanical Engineer

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Manager Corporate Social Responsibility

BizMILESTONE

A Kingpin of Community Raytheon’s Culture Prioritizes Philanthropy, Outreach

PHOTOS COURTESY RAYTHEON MISSILES & DEFENSE

By Jay Gonzales While Raytheon Missiles & Defense has a massive manufacturing operation south of Tucson International Airport, its presence is felt everywhere in the community.

Alex Beresford, a Raytheon systems engineer, is one of the company’s thousands of employees who dedicates her free time – plus the time Raytheon willingly allows each employee to donate during work hours--to the community.

“Raytheon is such a large part of the Tucson community. With our number of employees and the size of the business, we like to leverage that to give back to the place that we live,” Beresford said. “We’re in Central Tucson.

We’re in Downtown Tucson. We’re in South Tucson. To me, that’s what our community outreach is all about, seeing that impact that we’re having in the place that we’re actually working.”

With the size and high profile Raytheon has in the region, there’s an expectation that community support and outreach come with the territory. Raytheon gladly accepts the responsibility and – as one might expect – has an infrastructure within the organization to allow employees like Beresford and Senior Mechanical Engineer Alonso Garcia to get out into the community to support causes they love.

“The company has a strategy around outreach and there is a business purpose behind it,” said Shalane Simmons, manager of corporate and social responsibility at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. “We focus mostly on STEM education and military and veteran support, but the company is also flexible and encourages its employees to go volunteer at the Humane Society, local www.BizTucson.com

shelters – really whatever they’re passionate about.”

“Twenty years ago, I don’t know if managers at many large companies would have said, ‘I want my employee to leave at 2:00 in the afternoon to go volunteer.’ It’s a shift of culture not just in the industry, but in society. I think Raytheon does a really good job of supporting that.”

Beresford and Garcia both are involved in working to increase student interest in the STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and math, efforts that might ultimately benefit Raytheon by adding to the talent pool. For them, it’s more about giving back because of their experiences pondering their own futures and careers.

Garcia, whose parents were factory workers who immigrated from Mexico, has the added inspiration from personal experience to zero in on the underrepresented populations in STEM. His father became a machinist in Tucson, as they settled where Garcia would eventually attend Flowing Wells High School.

“The primary reason I’m giving back to this day and will continue to give back is because of the debt that I think that I owe − to pay it forward − for the multitude of mentors and programs that helped me out,” Garcia said. “It starts with a dream that someone instills in you.”

Garcia’s dream and his mentors directed him to Cornell University, where he got the engineering degree that eventually led him to Raytheon. The MESA outreach program (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) was there for Garcia when he was in

high school, and he now gives his time to the organization.

“It was there for me as a student getting that awareness as to what an engineer actually does,” Garcia said. “It was providing that knowledge and that awareness to demystify the process, demystify college, demystify engineering, and then show a path.”

The community outreach also comes from the highest levels at Raytheon. Executives give their time and expertise to numerous boards and committees that impact economic development, social issues and education.

Wesley D. Kremer, president of Raytheon Missiles and Defense, sits on the Chairman’s Circle of Sun Corridor Inc., the region’s economic development arm. Raytheon employees are increasingly involved at Pima Joint Technical Education District as teachers for students aiming to learn a trade they could use at Raytheon, said Pima JTED Superintendent and CEO Kathy Prather.

Beresford volunteers at the Humane Society because of her love for animals.

“The people that I’m connecting with and the work that I’m doing in the community just makes me value being here in Tucson and being at this company,” Beresford said. “I feel that if I didn’t know anybody coming to the company, I can very easily find people with common interests, and we can then go out together and volunteer or pull together a group to make a difference.”

“All of that makes what I do outside of work so much fun. I’m not sitting at home. I know that I’m doing something that I find important.”

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“

Raytheon is in a very unique place here in the region because of how heavy the region is in defense.

”

– Ted Maxwell President & CEO Southern Arizona Leadership Council

Clockwise from top left – Raytheon Missile & Defense Tucson Campus; Hughes Aircraft groundbreaking; Raytheon Missiles & Defense solar panel grid; South Gate ribbon ceremony – USAF Director Jackie Janning-Lask (AFLCMC/EN-EZ) and Raytheon Missile & Defense President Wesley D. Kremer join the region’s public and private sector leaders.

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Mutual Respect Mutual Benefit

Raytheon Eyes Lucrative Future in Southern Arizona

PHOTOS COURTESY RAYTHEON MISSILES & DEFENSE

By Jay Gonzales It’s hard to imagine when Raytheon began in Tucson, as Hughes Aircraft Company, 70 years ago that it would grow to 12,500 employees working on site and terms such as “hypersonics” and “digital transformation” would define the work it does today.

As Raytheon Missiles & Defense envisions its future in Southern Arizona, its core mission to support the U.S. Department of Defense with the most advanced technology and systems that protect the nation remains intact as it increasingly partners with a community that embraces its work.

“We have a culture, a lifeblood of innovation and technology development which I believe fuels our passion,” said Bryan Rosselli, VP of business transformation and execution at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. “It really attracts talented people to come support the overarching mission that we have to support our war fighters, but also attracts people because of the exciting technology work we do.”

After 70 years of Raytheon building a foundation here, community leaders recognize that a strong partnership on all sides will keep Raytheon competitively at the top of the list of U.S. defense contractors while also fueling Tucson’s economic engine in the future.

“I have a mantra that I’ve had since I first day I arrived and it’s ‘What have we done for Raytheon today?’ ” said Joe Snell, president and CEO of Sun Corridor Inc., the region’s economic development arm. “We need to adopt that from our elected officials to all of our businesses because they are the largest private employer in Southern Arizona − definitely the granddaddy of them all in the Tucson metro area − and everything good or bad derives from their presence here.”

“Tucson is a great place for our company because there’s so much innovawww.BizTucson.com

tion going on here,” said Allen Couture, VP of operations and security at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. “And it’s happening through partnerships that we have with both industry and in academia.”

One notable impact: The more than 180 local suppliers that support Raytheon’s operation from almost 450 statewide.

“Those partners play a crucial role in our success,” Couture said. “Quite frankly, we’re working to help them build their businesses and their connections because, in my view, this is a partnership. This is a mutual opportunity for everyone, not just Raytheon Missiles & Defense, but the suppliers that we work with and the education institutions that we work with as well.”

As Raytheon develops products to meet its customers’ future demands, it looks to condense the time that new products take to come to fruition and to increase manufacturing efficiency, Rosselli said. The engineers developing technologies must not only think about the end product, but the processes necessary to produce it and the skills needed.

“We talk about the digital thread or digital transformation, which essentially is looking at how you condense the overall cycle time by being able to digitally tie together how you design, develop, produce, test, deploy and sustain systems,” Rosselli said. “Instead of doing it in silos, in different places, the digital thread helps create an ecosystem where, as you’re designing something, you’re also looking at how do I design it into our automated factories?”

As long as Raytheon Missiles & Defense can continue to build on its innovation, its technologies and its strategies with the support of the Tucson community, the government and economic development infrastructure and the talent

pool, Rosselli said he doesn’t see why it wouldn’t remain the huge economic player it is to Tucson.

A study in 2020, as Raytheon announced an expansion in Tucson to add 2,000 employees, indicated that the corporation had a $2.6 billion impact on the statewide economy.

“Raytheon Missiles & Defense is wedded to Tucson, and vice versa,” Rosselli said. “Like any good marriage, there’s just a lot of collaboration and partnership and rolling up our sleeves to get things done.”

With the defense industry sector such a key component of the region’s overall economic development structure, Raytheon couldn’t sit in a more appropriate place geographically and economically, said Ted Maxwell, president and CEO of Southern Arizona Leadership Council. Maxwell is a retired major general in the U.S. Air Force and was commander of the 162nd Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard.

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, with a $3 billion impact on the Tucson economy, is situated in the middle of the Tucson valley. Morris Air National Guard, where the 162nd Wing is based, is a neighbor of Tucson International Airport. Fort Huachuca, less than 90 minutes southeast of Tucson, has more than 26,000 employees and provides a $2.4 billion economic impact.

“Raytheon is in a very unique place here in the region because of how heavy the region is in defense,” Maxwell said.

“The presence of the military from the National Guard located in the same airfield complex as Raytheon, and with Davis-Monthan and Fort Huachuca, the Raytheon mission and what it does here fits very well within the make-up of our community.”

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PHOTO BY BRENT G. MATHIS

Wetmore Branch From left − Keith Damek VP Finance, Karen Shanor-Thompson VP Member Service, Mark Frieden VP Cybersecurity, Rich Griesser VP Information Technology, Elisa Ross VP Marketing & Sales,Carla Craig VP Operations, Robert Swick President & General Manager, Andrew Britton VP Lending, Tara Tocco VP Internal Audit & Compliance, Cyndi Samples VP Human Resources

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ADVERTORIAL

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A

Milestone for its Members

Hughes Federal Credit Union Honors 70 Years in Southern Arizona

By Christy Krueger Perhaps without being aware of it, thousands of Tucsonans have a financial connection to the American tycoon Howard Hughes. As Hughes Federal Credit Union celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, its members can honor their financial institution’s history by looking to the past.

Hughes, who died in 1976, was one of the most powerful people in industry. He was also a record-setting pilot, an engineer and a film director. In 1932, he formed Hughes Aircraft Company, a major aerospace and defense contractor, in Glendale, Calif.

In 1951, the company built a missile plant in Tucson, which in 1997 was sold to what is now Raytheon Missiles & Defense and remains the region’s top private employer. A year after Hughes Aircraft Company started in Tucson, its employees founded Hughes Federal Credit Union (formerly known as Hughes Aircraft Employees Federal Credit Union) based on the principle of people helping people.

Hughes was originally formed to meet the needs of Hughes Aircraft employees and family members, helping those of modest means by providing low-cost financial products and services.

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“The motivation to form a credit union as an alternative to a traditional bank was the benefit of being a member/owner of a financial cooperative as opposed to a customer of a for-profit bank,” explained Robert Swick, president and general manager of Hughes Federal Credit Union. Its founders realized the credit union format could better serve the financial needs of Hughes employees because any profits made are returned to its members in the form of better loan and savings rates and lower fees.

As a long-time employee of Hughes Aircraft Company plant and an employee, member and volunteer at Hughes Federal Credit Union, Erna Acosta could be considered an amateur historian on Hughes. “I worked at the Hughes Aircraft Company plant since before I graduated from high school. I was in the secretarial sciences program through DECA,” Acosta said.

During her 27 years at the company, she worked her way up from a clerk to executive secretary.

Acosta had many memorable experiences and made life-long friends at Hughes Aircraft Company and Hughes Federal Credit Union.

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BizTucson 119

continued from page 119 plant. They married on Valentine’s Day and just celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary.

Then there was the time, while working at the plant, when she was assigned to be a greeter.

“They asked me to go to the lobby for the next day or so to greet people coming in.” Just as the 4:30 p.m. shift ended, a man walked through the door wearing white tennis apparel.

Acosta immediately recognized him as Howard Hughes, whom she had always thought looked like her dad.

“I said ‘Hi, Mr. Hughes,’ and he said, ‘Hi young lady.’ When I asked him how he’s doing, he nodded and continued in. It was an exciting moment for me. He looked like his picture and was very polite. As far as I know, that was his only visit to the plant, but it was my highlight for a long time to come.”

Hughes Federal Credit Union opened its doors to Hughes Aircraft Company employees in 1952. “It started with the founder, Harry McCormick, and two employees. It was a satellite office out of Hughes Aircraft Company building, then later they built an office nearby, at the entrance to Hermans Road,” Acosta noted.

Acosta, who became the executive secretary to the credit

union president also served as a volunteer on the annual meeting committee and was a great promoter of Hughes Federal Credit Union because she strongly believed in its values and mission and wanted others to have the experiences she did.

She has passed this commitment on to her kids and grandkids. “It’s important to my family. They know the credit union belongs to them and they like to be part owners.

When they were kids, I took them to sign up. They said, ‘Now I own the credit union, right?’ It was home to them. They brought jars of money to make deposits.”

Another Hughes Aircraft Company employee who became a steadfast supporter of the credit union is John Sansbury. After graduating from University of Arizona with a degree in mechanical engineering, he was hired by Hughes Aircraft Company in California and then transferred to the Tucson plant in 1971. “I joined Hughes Federal Credit Union in 1972 to obtain a car loan, knowing that they had the best terms available for such a loan.”

Three years later, Sansbury became a member of the credit committee at Hughes Federal Credit Union, which reviews and approves loan applications.

Being seen as a valuable asset to the credit union, he was sub-

Today, Hughes has the highest membership growth and strongest return on assets in Arizona, simply by focusing on people over profits.

From left − Judi Anderson, Amanda Nielson, David King, Annetta Derricotte, Corey Ellis, Karen Shanor-Thompson, Sylvia Mendez,

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PHOTO: CREATIVE COMMONS CCO

Daniel Loomis, Kim Moore, Jennifer Torres, Andrea Salcido, Andy Nguyen, Daniel Gutierrez, Gigi Federico

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Erna Acosta with her grandd aughter Gabriella C arrillo

sequently elected as chairman of the board, and he held the position for 27 years, staying on long after his retirement from the plant.

“I learned what a positive difference the credit union could make in the financial lives of our members,” Sansbury said. “During my time volunteering for Hughes Federal Credit Union, we expanded our field of membership, initiated working with the underserved community and developed new products to better serve our members. I was proud to be able to assist the credit union in providing a supportive financial environment for our membership. Helping people work out their financial needs and problems always left me with a feeling of accomplishment.”

Hughes continued to grow by serving more members in the community by expanding its field of membership. In 1992, Hughes merged with Arizona Transportation Credit Union to serve more members in the community. The merger also gave Hughes a branch location outside the plant site and the ability to serve employees of 400 businesses throughout Arizona. Incorporating those organizations’ membership base helped expand Hughes’ branch footprint. continued on page 122 >>>

Creating a Stronger, Financially Literate Community

By Christy Krueger Members of Hughes Federal Credit Union can be proud of how their financial institution prioritizes helping its members, as well as the Tucson community, achieve financial literacy throughout their lifetimes.

After the credit union was founded in 1952, its leaders focused on teaching its members how to reach financial goals – to buy a home, save for college or plan for retirement. Today, Hughes has many tools to help achieve these dreams, such as its digital banking app that allows members to keep an eye on their finances.

To help members stay financially healthy during the pandemic, Hughes put a hold on repossessions and foreclosures, offered loan modifications, extended call center hours, created a special lending center, offered in-person branch support by appointment and offered an app to make mobile/remote banking easy to manage.

In addition to watching out for its members, Hughes provides financial literacy education to non-members through community partners, online finance courses and through schools. A valuable resource for many Tucsonans is Earn to Learn, a college tuition and matched savings program.

Wetmore Branch

According to Hughes President and General Manager Robert Swick, the organization has shown generosity in the community by contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to hundreds of community partners and nonprofits over the years, including Friends of the Oro Valley Library, Diamond Children’s, Children’s Miracle Network, Tucson Wildlife Foundation and more.

Aviation Pioneer Howard Hughes

“Hughes will continue to champion for organizations and causes that work to make our community stronger,” Swick added. And, as a special giveback to Tucson, the credit union is celebrating its 70th anniversary with 70 random acts of kindness throughout this year.

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continued from page 121

A Look at Hughes Federal Credit Union Member Benefits

• Members are owners • Not-for-profit status means better rates • Traditional, online and mobile services offered • Provides lending equality to low-income and underserved communities

• Customized financial services, education and credit counseling

• Federally insured savings • Member focused Growth Numbers

Accolades A+ Better Business Bureau Rating

Members

1952: 854 2022: 167,000

Bauer 5-star rating

Total Assets

1952: $139,000 2022: $1.9 billion Total Deposits

1952: $119,000 2022: $1.7 billion Outstanding Loans to Members

1952: $135,000 2022: $1.5 billion Branches

Arizona Readers’ Choice Best Customer Service Award Go Bank Rates Credit Union National Association-Marketing Excellence Diamond Award Winner Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award

1952: 1 2022: 7 Employees

Forbes #1 Credit Union in Arizona ranking in 2021

1952: 2 2022: 250+ 122 BizTucson

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In 2001, Hughes was approved by the National Credit Union Administration to offer membership to the “underserved” Tucson community, opening its doors to anyone that works, worships or attends school in Tucson. In addition, in 2001, those living outside the Tucson area that did not work for a Hughes member employer could join Hughes by donating $10 to the Friends of Oro Valley Library, which has since raised more than $750,000 to help this volunteer, nonprofit agency purchase new books and equipment, host financial literacy classes and support other programs designed to bring free educational resources to residents.

Hughes Federal Credit Union now has seven branches throughout Tucson, from northwest Tucson to Vail in the southeast and a two-story corporate office on Wetmore Road.

When Robert Swick became president and general manager of Hughes Federal Credit Union in 1999, he already had more than a decade with the organization in various leadership roles. “I am most proud of our obtainment of a lowincome, underserved community charter on October 18, 2001. This charter has allowed us to make a positive difference in the financial lives of many more Tucsonans.”

Swick has made a career on the unwavering promise of “people helping people.”

To that end, Swick refused to follow the financial industry’s use of risk-based lending and provides members with one low rate on loans. That means all members are treated equally, which provide Hughes Federal Credit Union with a competitive advantage, that other credit unions and banks cannot match. Today, Hughes has the highest membership growth and strongest return on assets in Arizona, simply by focusing on people over profits.

Another segment of the community helped by Hughes Federal Credit Union is military families, as they’re in the unique position of being moved frequently. Juan Gonzalez joined the U.S. Air Force in the 1970s and traveled throughout the country and abroad. He found credit unions to be the obvious choice for him.

“Banks were not set up as reliable entities to support families that moved around as much as military families did,” Gonzalez noted. “The credit unions worked www.BizTucson.com

BizMILESTONE closely with their members to understand and be responsive to their banking needs. I recognized and valued what credit unions did for me and my family.”

Gonzalez has now been with Hughes Federal Credit Union for 31 years, including his volunteer work as chairman of the board and on the supervisory committee, which oversees the credit union’s compliance with the National Credit Union Administration guidelines.

Beyond the military family, Gonzalez said that Hughes Federal Credit Union is very involved in the community. “Our financial education initiatives keep growing. We teach financial principles and practical skills to students and provide them to organizations that need to teach financial knowledge.”

These include groups that help veterans integrate into the community and those that prepare single mothers with financial knowledge. The credit union also helps local schools buy books and provide online education. Gonzalez said he believes this kind of local support enhances the community for all.

While Acosta has been retired from Hughes Federal Credit Union since 1994, she is still a member and believes it’s in good hands with the wonderful volunteers and Swick at the helm, calling him a dear friend and noting that the credit union has flourished under his leadership.

When Hughes Federal Credit Union was ranked by Forbes as the #1 Best in State Credit Union in 2021, true to form, Swick said, “the award validates our entire teams’ dedication to making a positive difference in the financial lives of our members through best-inclass products, services and customer care.”

Swick is proud that the credit union has grown while still retaining key values that have made it successful for seven decades. “Hughes Federal Credit Union continues to grow and much has changed over the past 70 years, but what is most important is what has not changed. We remain today what we were then, a member-owned and operated financial cooperative in existence solely for the benefit of our member/ owners.”

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Hughes Federal Credit Union Stays True to Its Mission of “People Helping People.”

By Christy Krueger ees with a subsidized special bridge During his 30-year engineering loan, so they could purchase a new career with Hughes Aircraft Company, starting in 1984, Jeff Bridge home in Tucson – services a comsaw a lot of changes, from multiple mercial bank would not have the mergers/acquisitions to it moving flexibility to provide.”

When Raytheon acquired from privately held company to Hughes Aircraft Company in 1997, corporation to its expansion in em“the company grew a lot in Tucson ployees. and, during the changes, the credit Bridge served in the U.S. Air Force before becoming union continued a student engito champion the neer intern for financial wellbeHughes Aircraft ing of its members,” Bridge Company and noted. then a full-time employee.

He Today, Bridge joined Hughes feels like he’s part Federal Credit of a family at Union as a memHughes Federal Hughes Federal ber. “It was the Credit Union. right thing to do, “They know Credit Union does and the branch me by name, great things in the was right there by face. I walk community – on site. It was in and they say, sponsoring events, the place to go to ‘Mr. Bridge, it’s hold financial asgood to see you.’ philanthropy... sets,” Bridge said.

It doesn’t matter they’re invested Juan Gonzahow much monin Tucson lez, board chair ey you have. of Hughes Fedhad “I’ve – Jeff Bridge eral Credit Union many loans there added “Over the and I knew that Member Since 1984 years, we have I’d get the best Hughes Federal Credit Union served as a strong rate and I’d be partner with the treated well,” plant, helping employees move to said Bridge. “They knew who I Tucson, establish credit and purwas and asked how much I needed. chase a home.”

Credit unions overall stand out over “In the 1980s and 1990s, we banks. Hughes is the Tucson family helped Hughes Aircraft Company credit union.” recruit and bring employees based That has extended to his kids. in California to Tucson during a “My two children became adults depressed real estate market, makand I took them there for car loans. ing it difficult for newly transferred I’ve had the best experiences. It’s employees to purchase a home in how you’re treated. You build relaTucson,” Gonzalez recalled. “The tionships and it’s special.” credit union provided those employBiz

“

”

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BizTECHNOLOGY

PCC Aviation Technology Center Ready to Soar Filling a Talent Gap The Pima Community College Aviation Technology Center is nearly ready to soar with a $15-million expansion slated for completion this spring.

The project, located on 12 acres at the Tucson International Airport, will double the size of the facility to 80,000 square feet of cutting-edge hangar, lab, classroom and administrative spaces. The $15 million expansion is thanks to a budget allocation by Gov. Doug Ducey and support by the legislature.

“Our fast-growing aviation and aerospace industries need highly trained workers and we’re pleased to partner with legislative and business leaders to expand our programs,” said PCC Chancellor Lee Lambert.

“Training workers for 21st century jobs is critical if we want to continue to expand and diversify our economy in Southern Arizona.”

The new aviation facility marks the completion of Phase 2 of the four-phase Pima Community College Center for Excellence in Applied Technology comprised of the 45,000-square-foot Auto Technology facility, a 60,000-square-foot Science and Technology Building, and the 100,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Building currently under construction at the Downtown Campus.

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help us to meet the demand of local employers,” said Greg Wilson, Dean of Applied Technology at PCC. “As we have seen with the opening of the Automotive Technology facility, we are also starting to attract students from out of state, which will help increase our enrollment and serve even more employers. Our job, and the job of the community, will be to keep those students here.”

The PCC Aviation Technology Center seeks to help fill a nationwide manpower gap in the growing aviation technology industry. This field addresses maintenance and repair of aircraft equipment, systems used in aircraft operations and other aspects of aviation, and encompasses training and the use of drones.

Degree offerings at the Center include an Associate of Applied Science in Aviation Technology and a variety of certifications including Aircraft General Mechanics, Aircraft Airframe Mechanics, and Aircraft Powerplant Mechanics. Other certificates include Avionics and Structural Repair.

The aviation technology sector is expected to grow 11% annually over the next decade and is estimated to reach a valuation of $471.8 billion globally in 2021.

“Aviation in Southern Arizona is a huge industry, and we are severely lacking maintenance technicians.

The manpower shortage is really a nationwide issue, and we are trying to do our part to equip our industry

partners with the manpower they need,” said Jason Bowersock, Academic Director of Aviation Technology at PCC. “With Southern Arizona’s focus on defense and aerospace, expansion of scalability to train and produce a skilled workforce is critical,” Bowersock says the PCC Aviation Technology Center is distinguished by the state-of-the-art facility and amenities it offers students at its Tucson International Airport location.

“Even prior to the expansion, our training facilities for students − which include the hangar, lab space and equipment − were far above average,” said Bowersock. “You find some programs certified to conduct the same training out of abandoned strip malls and car dealerships, and our students can look out our back door and see aircrafts flying in and out and get a true perspective about what they will be doing in the future.”

That perspective is honed by hands-on experience in the hangars that prepares students for jobs in both general and commercial aviation.

“We have 18 aircrafts of various makes, models and manufacturers and four transport category aircraft − 727s and turboprop aircraft − designed to transport people,” said Bowersock. “Our students do a good portion of their training on those particular aircrafts, so when they continued on page 126 >>>

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By Loni Nannini

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From left – Greg Wilson, Dean of Applied Technology at PCC; Demion Clinco, Former Chair,Current Vice-Chair, PCC Governing Board; Libby Howell, Executive Director, Media, Communication & Government Relations; Lee D. Lambert, Chancelor, Pima Community College; Dr. Ian Roark, Vice President, Workforce Development; Jason Bowersock, Academic Director of Aviation Technology at PCC

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“

With Southern Arizona’s focus on defense and aerospace, expansion of scalability to train and produce a skilled workforce is critical.

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– Jason Bowersock Academic Director of Aviation Technology Pima Community College

continued from page 124 leave our program they have commercial experience. The majority of students are seeking employment in commercial aviation since it has the highest ceiling.”

PCC programs funnel employees into the local job market for companies like Bombardier, Ascent Aerospace, Aerovation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Skywest Airlines. It’s also a resource for national and international companies such as United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaskan Airlines.

The Center is a valuable asset to both the aviation industry and the entire Southern Arizona economy, according to Dave Querio, president and CEO of Ascent Aerospace, which provides full-service aircraft maintenance, modification, storage and reclamation.

“This expansion is obviously important to us and the community in that it will create a more highly technical workforce to support the aviation industry and expand our training capabilities to encompass drones, non-destructive testing (NDT) and other technologies,” said Querio, who is also chairman of the advisory board for the Aviation Technology Center.

As one of numerous industry partners, Ascent assists the center in tailoring the curriculum to industry needs, providing guidance with emerging industry trends, and collaborating with students as prospective employees.

“We do everything we can to encourage workforce development and retention,” Querio said. “The aviation and aerospace industry is very robust in Southern Arizona and it is important to keep these potentially high-paying jobs here. It is not only great for the industry, but for the Southern Arizona economy. It helps keep the economic motor running in Arizona.”

Creation of a future-ready workforce will be further enhanced by a $490,000 Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers Workforce Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration. continued on page 128 >>> 126 BizTucson

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BizTECHNOLOGY

continued from page 126 PCC’s Aviation Technology Center was one of only 15 programs nationwide to receive a grant. The award will fund curriculum development and equipment required to administer an NDT Program that will train students to inspect and validate the integrity of critical aircraft structures and components. The program is slated to begin in Fall 2023.

In addition, a $450,000 grant from the Thomas R. Brown Family Foundation will fund development of a drone program that will have applications for large construction projects, agriculture, law enforcement, entertainment, the military and other aspects of aviation.

“The use of drones across various industries is widespread and continually growing,” said Bowersock. “We are developing a curriculum to train students to operate and maintain unmanned aircraft systems and are creating certifications in specific areas such as agriculture, survey and mapping.”

The various programs and classes at the Center are designed to appeal to a range of ages and life stages, from high schoolers involved in the Pima Joint Technical Education District (JTED) Program and post-secondary students to adult learners who require the convenience and flexibility of night classes.

Veterans are also highly sought by employers, according to Bowersock.

“When they finish training, students with zero experience in the aviation industry outside of the training we have provided them can immediately find employment making a decent wage, and some have job offers six months before completion of training,” Bowersock said.

Ultimately, the future of the Aviation Technology Center is bright, with job prospects for students soaring.

“We want Tucson and Pima County to be a hub to attract additional business to this area and we can only do that if we have a skilled workforce,” Bowersock said. “Companies considering Tucson to grow their businesses look at our facility and want to know that we have the talent pool and resources available to support them. We are an integral part of the economic development process.”

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BizCONSTRUCTION

N E W

T O

M A R K E T

Project: Doughbird and Flower Child Location: 2960 N. Campbell Ave. Owner: Common Bond Development Group Contractor: W.E. O’Neil Construction Architect: Nelson Partners Architects & Planners Completion Date: November 2022 Construction Cost: N/A Project Description: The new 8,019-square-foot building with site work will house two Fox Restaurant Concepts restaurants in Tucson: Doughbird and Flower Child.

Project: Springhill Suites by Marriott Location: UA Tech Park Owner: HSL Properties Contractor: CHASSE Building Team Architect: Swaim Associates Completion Date: January Construction Cost: N/A Project Description: A four-story, 100-room hotel is planned for the UA Tech Park at the Bridges. Tech Parks Arizona has finalized a deal with HSL Properties to develop a Marriott-branded hotel at the corner of Kino Parkway and Tucson Marketplace Boulevard.

Project: Primavera Foundation New Office Building Location: 702 S. Sixth Ave. Owner: Primavera Foundation Contractor: Lloyd Construction Architect: Poster Mirto McDonald Completion Date: May 2021 Construction Cost: $2.7 million Project Description: Primavera Foundation’s new administration building encompasses 10,000 square feet, two stories, is energy efficient and ADA accessible.

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Project: Location: Owner: Contractor:

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Architect: Completion Date: Construction Cost: Project Description:

Poster Mirto McDonald December 2023 $17 million This will be a 77-unit affordable apartment complex for families and funded with tax credits.

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BizTOOLKIT The Case for Building a Coaching Culture Today

By Troy Jacobson “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

- Peter Drucker In today’s workplace, more and more leaders are aware of the culture they are building within their organization and its impact on the bottom line. While having the right business strategy is still paramount to success, culture has an undeniable importance as well.

Of the various leadership styles, a “Coaching Style” is one that is taking center stage as a way to build an effective culture while also optimizing the performance of individual team members. Coaching can be defined as helping people discover their blind spots, identify obstacles to achieving better results and develop their own solutions to problems. When coaching is used as a performance management tool, it also

tends to facilitate several positive outcomes related to culture including:

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Builds Stronger Relationships: Coaching is about connecting with people on a more personal level and discovering what drives them to succeed.

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Enhanced Trust: Good coaches foster a sense of trust with people and trust is foundational to more effective team dynamics.

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Empathy: Coaching allows for managers to step into their team member’s shoes, and see the world from their perspective.

•

Support: Coaching shows team members support and care for their personal and professional growth.

The discipline of Coaching as a performance management tool is one that all leaders can develop, but it takes time and patience. Most people haven’t received formal training in Coaching and the nuances of effective Coaching are hard to grasp unless practiced and refined. Implementing a training program for leaders focused on Coaching techniques is a good first step for many organizations to take.

Ultimately, when Coaching is deployed as a performance management technique throughout an organization, people report they are heard more, feel supported by their leaders and that their professional growth is prioritized. All of this contributes to a high-performance culture.

Biz

Troy Jacobson, CEO of The Jacobson Leadership Academy is a business and executive leadership coach, working closely with CEOs and their leadership teams for organizations throughout Tucson and Southern Arizona. You can learn more at www.troyjacobson.com or troy@troyjacobson.com

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BizBRIEF

First Interstate Bank Merges with Great Western Bank Michael Adams First Interstate BancSystem, Inc., parent company of First Interstate Bank, announced that it has completed its previously announced merger with Great Western Bancorp, Inc., parent company of Great Western Bank. The combined holding company will operate under the First Interstate name and brand with the company’s headquarters remaining in Billings, Mont. Michael Adams will continue his role as Market President of the bank.

“This is an historic day for our 54-year-old company,” said Kevin Riley, FIBK President and CEO. “We are excited for this partnership with Great Western and believe our expansion into this new footprint will continue to build

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shareholder value over the long-term.

As a result of this transaction, First Interstate truly becomes the premier community banking franchise in the West.”

Immediately following the closing, Great Western Bank was merged with and into First Interstate Bank. Great Western Bank branches will continue to operate under the Great Western Bank name as a division of First Interstate Bank. The conversion of bank systems and branches is expected to occur in May 2022. After this conversion, Great Western Bank branches will be branded as First Interstate Bank branches.

Karlyn Knieriem and Scott Erkonen will join the combined holding company as Chief Risk Officer and Chief Infor-

mation Officer, respectively. In addition, five directors from GWB have joined the combined holding company’s board of directors, effective immediately: • James Brannen • Frances Grieb • Thomas Henning • Stephen Lacy • Daniel Rykhus Over the coming months, FIBK will provide GWB clients with comprehensive information relating to the conversion of their accounts in May 2022.

Until then, FIBK and GWB clients will continue to be served through their respective branches, websites, and mobile apps.

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‘A Gift Back to Tucson’

Former Lawyer Develops Two Downtown Hotels

PHOTOS BY BRENT G. MATHIS

By April Bourie Moniqua Lane is a former lawyer turned developer/owner/operator of two Downtown Tucson hotels. She’s also a neighborhood collaborator who has been able to transform what she calls “weird, little, ugly parcels of land” into two hotel projects − the Downtown Clifton Hotel, which she opened in 2015, and The Citizen Hotel, which opened in February.

Before going into hotel development, Lane was an attorney living in Armory Park and working in the Barrio. She walked across the vacant lot near what is today’s Downtown Clifton every day to and from work.

Looking for another career path in 2012, she learned from a mentor in her law office that a piece of property was coming available during a probate case. After seeing it, she decided it was her opportunity to do something meaningful.

The transition didn’t come easy.

“I came into this as a young black woman with no experience. That meant I had to start with marginal places,” she explained. It also made it difficult for her to obtain a loan, and she ended up self-financing the project through her family.

The property had been serving as transitional housing for the homeless, and she had to be creative in transforming it into a hotel where people would want to stay overnight. She looked to the personality of the property for guidance.

“Each location is trying to say something to the people who live, walk and drive by and stay in my hotels,” she explained. “People will have a different experience at each hotel even though the two properties are within a half-mile radius of each other.”

She worked with designer Clifton Taylor to create the design that would amplify the Downtown Clifton’s personality. “He is a character, and fixture downtown,” said Lane. “He does all my design. I give him a concept, and he gives it nail polish and puts flesh and bones on my ideas.”

They decided to renovate the original 10 rooms to give them a true Tucson feel, with a “masculine, ranch, bunkhouse” look. In fact, the original 10 rooms are called the “bunkhouse rooms.”

Lane and Taylor were standing in the parking lot before the hotel opened when she asked him what she should name the hotel. “No one has more stories than you,” she told him. He agreed, and the Downtown Clifton Hotel was born.

She quickly determined that a 10-room hotel was not going to be financially viable at the location, and in mid-2016 decided to expand the hotel.

“I knew I would need to add amenities to achieve a higher price point, so we added a kitchen, bar and a courtyard surrounded by 22 rooms,” said continued on page 138 >>>

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BizENTREPRENEUR

Moniqua Lane

Developer Downtown Clifton Hotel & The Citizen Hotel

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PHOTOS BY BRENT G. MATHIS

BizENTREPRENEUR

continued from page 136 Lane. “I could feel that the lot where we built the expansion had a place in the community at some point in time, and it wanted to be that way again.”

During the planning phase, she met often with Armory Park Neighborhood residents, and she came to realize she was right about the importance of the property to the neighborhood.

“One person described it as the ‘living room of the neighborhood,’ ” said Lane. “It was sweet to hear people say, ‘I learned how to ride a bike in this lot,’ or ‘I played baseball in this lot.’ It was a terrific opportunity to give life back to a corner.”

In 2018, another opportunity to purchase a “weird” property downtown presented itself in the form of the old Tucson Citizen building, just about a half mile north of the Downtown Clifton. After purchasing the building, she discovered just how weird the building was.

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renovate the building. I didn’t listen, but everyone was right.” Unique to most Tucson buildings, this one also has a basement.

During the renovation, Lane was studying to get her sommelier certificate with her friend Sarah Fox, who along with her husband Rob, owns Sand Reckoner Winery out of Willcox.

Sarah asked Lane if she knew of any 5,000-square-foot basements available for rent in the area. “Not only do I know of one…I own one,” Lane said.

After the Foxes looked at The Citizen Hotel’s basement, they decided it would be perfect for cellaring operations and a tasting room.

Wine has become the expression of The Citizen Hotel. In addition to Sand Reckoner being located in the basement, the hotel also offers a variety of wine tastings, dinners, and educational opportunities to the public. Daily wine tastings are held for guests only. The staff are sommelier 1 certified.

The design of the building allows people on the mezzanine to look down on the bar, which looks down on the basement where the wine barrels are stored.

Lane is not the kind of person who takes a break after finishing a big project like The Citizen Hotel. She has several upcoming projects, including a possible glamping opportunity next to Sand Reckoner’s vineyard in Willcox, creating a jazz/supper club in the basement of another downtown property, and working with Randi Dorman, Ice House Lofts developers. Lane and Dorman are developing the bungalow block on Broadway east of Downtown to create the Tucson Gastronomy Collective, a foodie hub that showcases Tucson’s culinary prowess.

“I’m a Tucson native, and I have always felt a real debt and gratitude to the entire Tucson community for me being who I am,” Lane said. “I’m not sure that I would have been able to be prepared to seize the opportunity to do what I do somewhere besides Tucson.

From a young age I knew I wanted to stay here and give to the community.

Real estate ended up being the vehicle for that. My intention with every property is a gift back to Tucson.”

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BizTECHNOLOGY

Matt Ramsey President LOGIN

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ADVERTORIAL

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LOGIN Thrives with Personal

Touch

20 Years of Relationships In a market dominated by much-larger competitors, Tucson-based LOGIN relies on personal service to satisfy its Southern Arizona customers.

LOGIN offers phone and internet service, networking, colocating and cloud and data solutions to businesses. That pits the company, which has 25 employees, against national and international corporations that have countless resources and seemingly unlimited marketing budgets. It’s almost impossible to watch a network or basic cable program that doesn’t have commercial breaks with ads from a big-name internet service provider. www.BizTucson.com

No matter, said LOGIN President Matt Ramsey. Years of experience have shown that a smaller provider can compete if it delivers on its promises.

“We can do everything the big boys do,” he said. “What has worked well for us is being transparent and doing the right thing. It builds up a lot of capital.”

Ramsey’s interest in technology started when he was a student at the University of Arizona in the early ’90s. He spent much of his time on campus at the computer lab where he learned the ins and outs of the new technology.

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By Rodney Campbell

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TESTIMONIALS

continued from page 141 “I was fascinated by the internet,” Ramsey said.

“I have worked with LOGIN for more than two decades. They’ve provided everything from bandwidth to co-location to VoIP to telecom engineering services. There is simply no better or more trustworthy company in Tucson.” − Ryan George, CEO, Simpleview

“We are so pleased to have LOGIN as our technology partner at La Suprema Works & Events. The LOGIN team is very responsive, provides customized solutions and is conveniently located to serve our evolving needs. Their unique combination of skills and abilities elevates our member experience and we are grateful for them!” − Katina Koller, Chair, Vistage Worldwide Group

“LOGIN’s response to our needs to provide employees with the ability to work remotely has been nothing shy of outstanding. It was quick, accurate and exactly what we needed when we needed it. For those rare times we’ve had issues in the past, they are always very friendly, super responsive, and get to a fast resolution. We truly value our relationship with LOGIN and are happy we chose them for our communications needs.” − Chris Kobran, Senior VP, HealthTrio

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“I just dove headfirst into educating myself. I needed to know how it worked.”

That education led to an internship at a local internet service provider and a job at a business-to-business company. Eventually, he and a business partner started LOGIN in 2001, not long before the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. Since no one was in the mood to celebrate at the time, LOGIN’s Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting was put off. Practically forgotten, the ceremony was finally held in November 2021.

The past two decades have been more than a prelude to a Chamber celebration. LOGIN grew its staff, moved into a larger facility, expanded its offerings and studied which businesses would best benefit from its many services. e learned over the years what our customer archetype is,” said Ramsey, who bought out his business partner in July 2019. “We’ve done a lot of education internally to target and pursue the right customers.”

Part of that education includes making sure customers are familiar with the products and services they receive. Sometimes, LOGIN’s support complements a company’s own IT department. Other times, LOGIN is their tech team. That can lead to budget issues if the company’s first move is to call their vendor.

“We had a customer who required a significant amount of support,” Ramsey said. “They loved our responsiveness and we helped educate them to become a better consumer.”

Ramsey said LOGIN considers clients to be partners. He and his team holds check-in calls with customers throughout the year to discuss their pain points and ensure that LOGIN’s services are meeting their needs.

One of LOGIN’s early clients is a local OBGYN who has delivered Ramsey’s children and stepchildren. Another has been a customer of Ramsey’s for more than 25 years, predating his time owning LOGIN. That business uses a larger national provider to connect to LOGIN’s network. When that carrier’s service began causing the business to experience connectivity issues, LOGIN provided an alternative at no charge, solving the issue and keeping a customer happy.

Ramsey says his company “lives for local relationships.”

“We run into clients and partners around town or at the grocery store,” he said. “What do you want that interaction to be like?”

LOGIN has seen its positive online reviews climb over the past few years. Its customers have been quick to post positive reviews about LOGIN and are happy to share stories about happy collaborations.

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BizTECHNOLOGY “I’ve worked with LOGIN for over 15 years and there is a reason for that,” said Ed Farias, system administrator for Visit Tucson. “They are simply the best at what they do. As long as I have a choice as to which provider we will use for voice and phone, the choice will be LOGIN.” Challenges crop up daily; Ramsey calls the internet “fluid.” Along those lines, a couple of LOGIN’s customers have had their servers flooded by water leaks. Nationwide, a Google crash caused massive problems in late 2021.

COVID was the biggest challenge of all, sending people across the country home to work in 2020. The change was sudden, especially for small businesses that were understandably worried about how the pandemic would impact their finances. LOGIN’s customers had a partner that was ready to help with the transition and eliminate downtime.

“We made necessary changes to voice infrastructure for people to take their phones home,” Ramsey said. “When you take a phone home and hook it to your DSL connection, the voice quality might not be great.

We rapidly introduced a soft phone, where you download a piece of software to use on your laptop or cell phone.”

With the ability to offer a stable connection to all of its clients, LOGIN’s newest venture is managed video surveillance. The service includes hard-wired, high-definition cameras that can capture images that can deter would-be criminals. Better yet, those cameras are backed up to remote servers, offering reliable security.

“What’s the first thing someone does when they break into a business?” Ramsey said.

“They break the surveillance cameras. All of that that information has to be backed up offsite.”

LOGIN’s suite of services mirrors that of larger providers. As a company that works every day with its local customers, that hometown connection gives them an advantage.

When clients call for support, there’s a good chance they will know the person on the other end of the line.

“We have a very tight relationship with customers,” said LOGIN Chief Operating Officer Joe Fico. “They find it easier to work with us. Working with the bigger companies is a pain. When something happens, we can set up a ticket for them in the middle of the night. If power goes out, like if a car hits a pole, we keep track of the status. When the power comes back on, everything will be fine.”

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Built for Now and the Future LOGIN Maintains Flexibility for Customers

By Rodney Campbell When Joe Fico joined LOGIN four years ago, his first assignment was to coordinate a move that would give the business a better path to the future.

cut expenses while maintaining service levels. For example, LOGIN buys routers, switches, phones and other equipment in bulk and passes savings along to clients.

No pressure.

“Tucson’s a great place, but a bigger city is where you usually see larger data centers,” he said. “We’ve managed to stay competitive with those places. By keeping our costs down, we can keep our prices down.”

The company’s now VP of operations was the project manager for LOGIN’s transition to a new, larger location in Tucson. The company was moving into the building that once served as the Diocese of Tucson’s television broadcast station and, later, the studios for KMSB-TV. “We had to move from our old data center,” Fico said. “LOGIN needed to remodel this building from the ground up, so they brought me on to design a new data center and manage the project from concept through our live migration. I worked with the architect, engineers and construction company. LOGIN had been in the old building for 15 years. We want this one to last at least that long.”

The present home and the redundancy of systems the team has built into the infrastructure gives LOGIN better flexibility to serve customers and prepare for growth.

“We can easily build out additional data center space in this building,” he said. “I had the building infrastructure designed so that we could expand with new sections when needed.”

As the head of operations for a small business, Fico searches for ways to ADVERTORIAL

Fico said many of LOGIN’s customers are on contracts that last three years or more. He said it’s important for the company to make them feel their infrastructure is current the entire time.

“We don’t want a customer at the end feeling like they’re on old technology,” he said. “From beginning to end, they’re on the best technology.

We’re always planning long-term.”

Jonathan Shepley was brought in as LOGIN’s VP of sales and marketing just after the pandemic started. He said the combination of the right facility, a strong team and a well-planned vision make it easier to recruit and retain clients.

“When we give tours to prospective partners, they see a couple of things: pride in the way the place is built and organized, and the redundancy when we need to serve them,” Shepley said. “We take our reputation as seriously as they take theirs. It builds a tremendous amount of trust that we know what we’re doing. They know their data is in a safe place.”

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BizINVESMENT

Desert Angels: A Changing Dynamic

By Jay Gonzales The concept of angel investing has always had a touch and feel to it for the investors who are taking a chance on a new technology that might be worthy of the risk of thousands, even millions of dollars.

But as the COVID-19 pandemic put the clamps on in-person meetings over the last couple of years, the Desert Angels, a 22-year-old local angel investment group, had to change its dynamic to be able to keep supporting companies who are trying to get their innovative products to market.

The basic premise hasn’t changed, said Desert Angels CEO JoAnn MacMaster, who was hired by the group in 2020. Desert Angels members are looking for opportunities to support new companies and, in the end, make money.

“The important connection is between the investors and the founders, and, of course, the investors and the investors,” MacMaster said.

Out of necessity, the Desert Angels had to do more business online and engage through an online platform to keep a flow of information and, thus, opportunities for the investors and the companies coming to them for investment. As a result, MacMaster said, angel groups across the country are in more communication with each other and they’re learning a lot from each other.

“The depth and breadth of what we see and how we connect with other angel groups around the country has completely changed,” MacMaster said.

“Suddenly (members) see how the process works at other angel groups around the country, and they’re finding really great opportunities and bringing those back to us.”

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But still, there are plenty of great opportunities here that are at various stages of the funding process. MacMaster said the Desert Angels invest an average of $4 million to $6 million a year.

In 2021, they invested $4 million in 15 deals.

The importance of this kind of investment being available locally cannot be overstated, said Richard Austin, CEO of Reglagene, a company developing an innovative brain cancer treatment that is an alternative to invasive chemotherapy.

Joann MacMaster CEO, Desert Angels “We would not have a company” without the Desert Angels, said Austin, a scientist who also is a Desert Angels member. “The philosophy we went in with was, you have to win at home before you can win anywhere else. If we couldn’t get backing in Tucson, there’s no reason for people in California or Texas or anywhere else to write a check.”

Getting funding from the Desert Angels sometimes comes with the added benefit of expertise to run the business.

Like Reglagene, RxActuator, which has received Desert Angels funding, and

RaeSedo, which is in the funding process. Both have Desert Angels members among their lead management.

Mark Banister, the inventor of a wearable pump that can efficiently inject medication in animals, knew Harry George long before the two took the technology to the Desert Angels.

George is an accredited investor, a Desert Angels member, and now chairman of the board for RxActuator.

“Basically, he’s helping guide the company,” Banister said. “Also, whenever we need to do another (funding) raise, Harry’s the point man on that.”

“I helped with the business plan, and I reached out to the investors that I’ve worked with in the past,” George said of his role in helping to raise about $2.5 million so far with about half of that from the Desert Angels.

Mike Sember said he knew right where to go when it came time to securing the funding that would allow RaeSedo, which is developing an asthma treatment, to move its product to the next step. The technology is the brainchild of University Arizona scientists Julie Ledford and Monica Kraft.

“From the very beginning with this company, I never thought of going anywhere for money other than grant money,” said Sember, a longtime entrepreneur in the pharmaceutical industry and also a member of the Desert Angels.

“The easiest gateway is to work with your local angel group,” Sember said.

“The more that we − the angels − can support these local companies the better the quality of what we will see from an investment perspective. It’s feathering our nest as well as feathering the nests of the companies.”

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SPECIAL REPORT 2022

THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

University of Arizona

College of Science

C H A N G I N G

T H E

W O R L D

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BizSCIENCE

College of Science

Changing the World

Discovery and Innovation at the Core of UArizona’s ‘Most Important College’

By Mary Minor Davis

With more than 8,000 students and 18 degree programs, the University of Arizona College of Science anchors nearly all of the world- and life-changing research done at UArizona, says President Robert C. Robbins.

Its 15 departments, four schools and five major disciplinary areas of study intersect at some point with the entire UArizona community. www.BizTucson.com

“The College of Science, in the past decade, has become the most important college,” Robbins said. “The coming together of the physical, biological, aerospace, digital and behavioral sciences is tremendous and provides the foundation from which all of the collaborative research that occurs at the university is conducted.” continued on page 152 >>>

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continued from page 151 In 2021, U.S. News and World Report ranked UArizona as one of the top 100 research institutions in the world, coming in at 99 out of over 1,700 institutions. It ranks number 42 in the United States and number 22 among public universities.

Carmala Garzione, a geologist who was named dean of the College of Science in March 2021, said one of the most remarkable characteristics of the college is that “every single program has its strengths in research, and most are highly ranked in terms of their curriculum. There’s not a single asset that isn’t a treasure.”

The latest rankings for UArizona programs from the National Science Foundation put astronomy and astrophysics at No. 1 in the U.S., physical sciences at No. 5 and NASA-funded activity also at No. 5. Also, within the College of Sciences, biological and biomedical sciences was ranked No. 21, geosciences, atmospheric sciences and ocean sciences were No. 29, science and engineering fields were No. 35, life sciences and chemistry each came in at 152 BizTucson

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The coming together of the physical, biological, aerospace, digital and behavioral sciences is tremendous and provides the foundation from which all of the collaborative research that occurs at the university is conducted.

–

”

Dr. Robert C. Robbins President University of Arizona

No. 39 and computer and information sciences were ranked No. 45.

“At the heart of this success are our faculty and researchers, whose creativity and determination drive discovery and innovation, creating positive, real-world impacts and knowledge for a more resilient future” said Betsy Cantwell, SVP for research and innovation.

Robbins said the College of Science − and UArizona as a whole − is well positioned to lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or 4IR. 4IR is known as the convergence of the physical, biological and digital worlds, and experts believe it will dominate our work and home lives in the future.

With this infrastructure in place, the challenge looking forward is to ensure investment in the core facilities so that new knowledge discoveries can be made, translated into making the world a better place, Robbins said.

“We have the reputation as a worldclass university and the College of Science is recognized as a world-class leader in many areas,” he said. “We need to retain that reputation to continue to continued on page 154 >>> www.BizTucson.com

PHOTO: COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

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continued from page 152 attract talent in both faculty and students.

“Underpinning all of the other areas at the University is a strong foundation for humanities and the sociological sciences that provide the fundamental multiplier. These will all support training the next generation into making the world a better place.”

Physics and Space Sciences Thanks to its world-renowned astronomy and lunar and planetary sciences departments, UArizona has been at the forefront of space science since 1923 when the Steward Observatory on the main campus was officially dedicated. Today, students investigate the properties of time, solids, liquids and gases to gain a deeper understanding of the universe.

UArizona ranked top 10 for Space Science in the 2021 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities, ranking No. 2 among public U.S. universities and number 10 in the world.

“It is gratifying to see the University of Arizona listed alongside many of the world’s premier academic research institutions,” said Robbins at the time the ranking was announced last October. “Our university is home to many breathtaking scientific innovations, and it is upon this foundation that our faculty members seek to make further extraordinary discoveries.”

Life & Molecular Sciences Life and molecular science take an integrative approach to the study of cells, genetics, chemistry and biochemistry.

Through curricula, lab research, field studies and more, faculty and students are challenged with providing interdisciplinary solutions to problems related to disease, the environment, agriculture, engineering, genetic expression, health, quality of life and more.

Earth Sciences The College of Science’s earth sciences programs play a critical role in understanding the interplay between natural earth processes and human activity that reveal the impacts of humans on Earth and how to mitigate and adapt to some of the most rapid changes in climate, environment, and biodiversity that our planet has ever experienced.

Garzione said the college has departments and programs in hydrology and atmospheric sciences, geosciences, and tree continued on page 156 >>> 154 BizTucson

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PHOTO: COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

Neural, Cognitive & Behavioral Sciences “We have a lot of strength and diversity of research and education in mind, brain, and behavior,” Garzione said of the Neural, Cognitive, and Behavioral Sciences programs.

“The University of Arizona was recently awarded a $60 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to create and lead a national network on precision aging to better understand the effects of aging on the brain in different people and develop more effective treatments. It’s just one example of the power of our myriad strengths across psychology, neuroscience, cognitive and health sciences in general.”

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BizSCIENCE continued from page 154 ring research that are highly regarded both nationally and globally. The combined strengths of these programs enable integration of solid Earth, Earth surface, biosphere, atmosphere, and ocean processes to reveal how these have shaped the long-term evolution of our planet and how human influences are modifying the Earth system today and in the future.”

Mathematics and Computational Sciences With the explosive growth of computing and all things cyber, the College of Science’s mathematics and computational sciences programs teach students the latest in computer science, applied mathematics, statistics and data sciences methods and applications.

“We provide academic programs in statistics and data science at the undergraduate level, but we are looking strategically at data science at the graduate level that will enable placement of our students at the forefront of research,

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Every single program has its strengths in research, and most are highly ranked in terms of their curriculum.

There’s not a single asset that isn’t a treasure.

”

Carmala Garzione Dean College of Science University of Arizona –

development, and application of data science methods in industry and academia,” Garzione said.

These methods apply to a broad range of STEM, social sciences, and humanities disciplines are fueling the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Garzione said that on top of continuing to build on strengths in the College of Sciences in the five broad fields of study, the College has the added priority of ensuring that opportunities and support are in place for students that come from virtually any location, background, or lived experience.

“Our efforts now are charting a course for our future that attracts students, faculty, and staff with a diversity of experiences and perspectives that celebrate our diversity and encourage careers in be sciences,” Garzione said.

“We believe that diverse perspectives and experiences will enable us to identify our next big research and educational opportunities to ensure that we continually evolve our strengths in a way that makes us highly impactful.”

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Dean Carmala Garzione

Honoring a History of Excellence in the Sciences

PHOTO BY BRENT G. MATHIS

By Mary Minor Davis Being named dean of a world-renowned research and academic unit would be a heady experience for anyone. For Carmala Garzione, dean of the University of Arizona College of Science, it was also a homecoming.

Garzione, who prefers to be called “Carmie,” did her master’s and Ph.D. work at UArizona in the 1990s. “I was a geologist by training and found the strengths at UArizona to be broad and more integrative across the geosciences, rather than focused in separated disciplines,” she said.

After her training at UArizona, Garzione found herself developing collaborations with atmospheric scientists, oceanographers and biologists. She said the experience in graduate school and beyond brought home how interconnected the sciences really are.

“I credit the University of Arizona with cultivating that interdisciplinary spirit that inspired me to push outside of my disciplinary comfort zone and connect with other areas of science,” she said, noting that the collaborative environment and the subsequent success of that partnership was one of the main attractions for accepting the dean’s post.

After earning her doctorate, Garzione went to the University of Rochester as an assistant professor in the department of earth and environmental sciences. Within 10 years she was chair of the department. Last spring, she returned to UArizona from the Rochester Institute of Technology, 158 BizTucson

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where she served as the inaugural associate provost for faculty affairs.

There, she focused on faculty development, sustaining teaching excellence and the recruitment and retention of diverse and strong research-oriented faculty. She also developed a Department Chair Leadership Development Series in collaboration with department chairs and other key units across campus.

Garzione was the first in her family to attend a four-year college and the first of her three siblings to earn a degree. Raised in Maryland by parents of Italian descent, she knew college would be her pathway to earning a better life.

As a young girl, she liked to collect rocks and fossils. Attracted by the layered minerals in her own backyard, she cleaned them up and wondered how old they were and how they formed. She was 7 years old when she saw her first mountains on a trip to the Appalachians.

“I was struck by the shape of the stream and river valleys and the mountain peaks, and the layers in the rocks that made up the mountains. I wondered what all of this information could tell us about how the mountains formed,” she said.

While an undergraduate at University of Maryland, with no idea where a geology degree could lead, several faculty members took Garzione under their wing and, more importantly, into their research labs. “I just became enamored with this dual role of

research and teaching. What could be better than asking fun questions and getting to play in the field and the lab to try to find answers?” she said.

“Carmie is one of those rare breeds who has led extraordinary science and produced unbelievable scientific outcomes, publications and so on,” said UArizona Provost Liesl Folks, who led the recruitment process for the new dean. Garzione was selected from a distinguished field of more than 30 candidates.

“She’s also been very committed to leadership and being a great administrator,” Folks said. “She’s very thoughtful and intentional about leadership, and she knows the university environment. She’s brilliant, and we are fortunate to have her back.”

Looking ahead, Garzione is engaged in a strategic planning process with all departments within the college. Her goal is to engage faculty in identifying a path forward, one that includes continued research and educational investment. She also wants to preserve and expand the collaborative environment she loved so much as a student.

“I want students to view UArizona College of Science as a place of unique breadth, strength, and interdisciplinarity in the sciences − a place to feed their curiousity,” she said. “I also want students to understand the vital role of each of the disciplinary areas in the college in reshaping our world and our society, and improving people’s lives.”

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I want students to view the College of Science as a place of unique breadth, strength, and interdisciplinarity in the sciences − a place to feed their curiousity.

”

Carmala Garzione Dean College of Science University of Arizona

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Seeking Better Brain Health Precision Aging Network to Research How Brains Age

PHOTOS BY BRENT G. MATHIS

By Loni Nannini Future prescriptions for better brain health are what the University of Arizona hopes to generate from its a five-year, $60 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. The goal of the grant is to create the Precision Aging Network and develop interventional strategies that will potentially revolutionize aging globally.

UArizona will lead research institutions nationwide in the effort. Carol Barnes, a UArizona Regents Professor of psychology, neurology and neuroscience, is principal investigator for the project.

“When the study is finished, my dream is to develop algorithms to identify different groups of people who can benefit in very specific ways from prescriptions developed by the Precision Aging Network based on genetics, environment, lifestyle and other variables,” Barnes said. “We want to give people

specific actions they can take to help maintain brain health and participate in their own brain-health outcomes.

If we can bring these prescriptions to patients during well visits with doctors, it will be wonderful for patient quality of life as well as for healthcare systems, communities and economies.”

Barnes is a renown pioneer in the field of cognitive aging research and is the director of the UArizona Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute. She views UArizona’s leadership role in the network as affirmation of four decades of work and a testament to the talent of its researchers.

Barnes will oversee teams from the UArizona College of Science and other colleges and institutes across campus, along with network members from Arizona State University, Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, Baylor College of Medicine, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Miami and the Phoenixbased Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope.

“This is the largest study on cognition with the most geographically diverse population in U.S. history. It will take into account populations from rural and urban areas, as well as different socioeconomic statuses, races and ethnicities, educational levels, and ages,” said Barnes.

For longitudinal studies, parCarol Barnes ticipants ages 18 years and older UArizona Regents Professor of will be recruited and tracked Psychology, Neurology & Neuroscience throughout their life spans to College of Science discover factors that impact cogUniversity of Arizona nitive changes.

“This will allow us to see the

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trajectory of the aging process, and whether it is a healthy trajectory or shows faster decline. If we understand those variables for individuals and groups of individuals, we may be able to help modify changes in cognition with age,” said Barnes.

The rich data set will provide the foundation for the Precision Aging Network, which takes its name from the concept that medicine can be precisely tailored to individuals’ genetics, environments and lifestyles.

“Traditionally we take a one-size-fitsall view of aging and assume that everyone is the same, but that is not true,” said Lee Ryan, head of the UArizona Department of Psychology and an associate director of the Precision Aging Network. “Men age differently than women, and I age differently than you.

We want to try to understand these differences and take an individualized approach to interventions.”

While much is unknown about the aging of the brain, one certainty is that it is incredibly intricate.

“There are so many individual factors that interact in complex ways – from physical health and disease factors to lifestyle and genetics. That is why we need large samples of people for the study,” Ryan said.

A key component of gathering data is the MindCrowd research project (mindcrowd.org), an online testing website launched by TGen in 2013 to study human memory and risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. For the Precision Aging Network, the MindCrowd portal has been expanded to include additional tests and surveys that provide extensive information on study participants. continued on page 162 >>> www.BizTucson.com

JOIN THE PRECISION AGING NETWORK

Anyone 18 or older can join the study on brain health led by the University of Arizona.

Visit mindcrowd.org for more information.

“

Men age differently than women, and I age differently than you.

We want to try to understand these differences and take an individualized approach to intervention.

”

Lee Ryan

Head of the UArizona Department of Psychology Associate Director of the Precision Aging Network College of Science University of Arizona www.BizTucson.com

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BizSCIENCE continued from page 160 The network is on track to surpass an initial goal of 350,000 participants and possibly reach 500,000 over the next five years.

Ryan said MindCrowd’s virtual reach is an invaluable asset in boosting diversity of the study. “People in urban areas near universities are able to come to labs to participate in studies, but this allows us to reach out to those who live in outlying areas who might otherwise never be part of the research,” she said.

Getting a wealth of data points for each participant in this way may lead to the discovery of new treatments as researchers analyze these real-time results. Additionally, a subset of participants will be invited to participate in more in-depth studies at some of the network’s university partners.

“We will do in-depth physical testing that involves biomarkers, MRIs and testing of physical abilities, and examines factors such as eating habits, sleep quality, activity levels and lifestyle to bring depth as well as breadth to the study,” said Ryan.

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Technology has significant future applications in this precision-medicine effort on healthy brain aging, she added.

Smart watches or smartphone apps could evaluate an individual, who then gets a customized profile of risk and a specific intervention plan.

The ultimate goal of the Precision Aging Network is to optimize cognition and memory for as long as possible, regardless of lifespan for all individuals.

“We want to close the gap between cognitive healthspan and human lifespan,” Barnes said.

That goal becomes increasingly relevant as Americans continue to have longer lifespans.

“Less than 15% of people over age 71 will experience dementia, but the other 85% may experience cognitive impairment to varying degrees,” Ryan said. “Some retain their brain health well into their 80s and 90s, others experience moderate impairment, and still others experience enough impairment to interfere with their daily lives, impacting their independence and quality of life. That is the 85% we want to

focus on.”

Discovering factors that improve brain health at any age may decrease the risk for Alzheimer’s and have implications for neurodegenerative diseases, traumatic brain injuries and other disorders.

“In normal aging, you don’t lose your brain cells. You lose the function in the connections made between cells, so a lot of our effort is going into making sure those circuits between brain cells are preserved. Neurons communicate through synapses, and if they aren’t functioning, it is bad for cognition,” said Barnes.

“There are 33 Alzheimer’s disease centers across the United States, but there is nothing else like the Precision Aging Network that is designed to understand the normal brain and cognitive health. We are trying to reverse that trend and study those of us who do not have neurodegenerative diseases in order to determine whether we can prevent, predict or slow the progress of unwanted changes.”

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Flandrau’s New Look Science Center, Planetarium Ready to Introduce Science to All Ages

PHOTOS BY BRENT G. MATHIS

By Loni Nannini Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium is a gateway to the galaxy and to the world of science at the University of Arizona and beyond.

The vision for Flandrau, said Executive Director Kellee Campbell, is to revitalize the center in a multiyear plan with new, interactive science-focused exhibits to serve visitors of every age for decades to come.

“For close to five decades, Flandrau has been an integral part of bringing the community to the University of Arizona and creating opportunities for people to experience the sciences,” Campbell said. “As we look toward the next 50 years, we are confident it will continue to play an important role in the community and in inspiring future scientists.”

“We are a planetarium and have deep roots in space sciences, but as a science center we also like to explore all areas of science beyond astronomy. Currently our exhibits also explore earth sciences, ecology and biology,” she said.

The 28,000-square-foot facility completed a two-phased renovation improvement project in 2016 that included upgrades to the 146-seat Eos Foundation Planetarium Theater. Last year, work wrapped up on a facility-wide renovation of public spaces, including new carpeting, paint and lighting. “Wild World of Bugs,” a first-rate formative educational exhibit, opened as the most significant exhibit investment in decades. Plans are in the works for a re-envisioned 1,200-square-foot marine exhibit with interactive discovery programs – including multi164 BizTucson

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ple salt water tanks – slated to open in fall of 2022, along with multipurpose spaces for school tours, educational programs, birthday parties and other uses.

“This is all made possible by partnerships with foundations, businesses and other donors and supporters who believe in Flandrau’s vision for the future,” said Michael Luria, assistant dean, corporate and community engagement for the UArizona College of Science. “They understand the value of science and believe that it is an important venue for the entire community, along with a real opportunity to introduce STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) to young people. You never know what will ignite the spark of learning and curiosity, and this is an opportunity to bring students in so they can experience science holistically: Touch it, see it, and feel it.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 23,000 of the 68,000 annual visitors to Flandrau were students in kindergarten through grade 12 on field trips.

“As part of the university, we have a unique opportunity to collaborate with departments and faculty members across the campus to engage undergraduate students in education and outreach by facilitating interactive workshops for the K-12 community,” Campbell said. “It is a powerful opportunity for all of the students to learn about science in a really engaging way.”

Flandrau connects its exhibits with school curriculum to provide a deep learning experience. “For example, through ‘Marine Discov-

ery,’ students in middle school learn about marine science in class,” said William Plant, Flandrau director of exhibits. “Then when they come to the science center, they are able to explore aspects of marine life and sharks in a hands-on way through multiple stations – these include activities like dissection of a squid – before they go to the planetarium and see an immersive 360-degree, full-dome film about sharks. That is very cool and very intentional on our part.”

Insect Discovery provides a similar window into the world of insects and entomology. “Wild World of Bugs” offers a larger-than-life diorama of a fungus farm created by desert leafcutter ants. There are displays of prepared insect specimens from the UArizona Insect Collection. Hands-on exploration teaches concepts such as camouflage in the “Cryptic Critters” activity and “Reaction Time Challenge,” which allows students to compare how fast a human reacts with an insect’s reaction.

Plant said the immersive experiences are designed to motivate students and expose them to prospective careers and educational pathways they might not otherwise encounter.

“We want the kids to see that this is what science looks like. We want them to realize that it is interesting and fun, and think, ‘Someone who looks like me is doing this and maybe it is something I want to pursue,’ ” Campbell said.

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Kellee Campbell

Executive Director Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium University of Arizona

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BizSCIENCE continued from page 164 people. Luria said the comfortable and welcoming vibe often inspires return trips by children and their families, who may also explore other university museums, facilities and events.

“Flandrau is a very accessible educational experience that is fun and familyfriendly,” he said.

While many may associate Flandrau with kids, world-class science on display offers something for visitors of every age, according to Campbell.

She encourages long-time Tucsonans, those who are new to the area and UArizona students to investigate the one-of-a-kind exhibits, many of which highlight the work of scientists and researchers at the University of Arizona College of Science and venues such as the UArizona Tree Ring Research Lab, Mt. Lemmon Sky Center, the Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory and other university-affiliated entities.

“One of the many benefits of being part of the University of Arizona is the ability to collaborate with scien-

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We want the kids to see that this is what science looks like.

We want them to realize that it is interesting and fun.

”

– William Plant Director of Exhibits, Flandrau Science Center & Panetarium University of Arizona

tists from all disciplines and bring their ground-breaking science and research into our exhibits and planetarium shows to share with our community,” Campbell said.

Shows in the Eos Foundation Planetarium Theater also cater to a range of ages and tastes. Favorites include “Tucson Sky & Beyond,” an astronomical look from Southern Arizona, and “Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon,” a laser light music show driven by the rock band’s hits.

Moving forward, Luria believes that expanded outreach and educational programming, increased collaborations, implementation of facility rental opportunities for special occasions, and exploration of innovative new partnerships will enable Flandrau to better serve the UArizona community and the community at large.

“It has been a transformative couple of years for Flandrau and that will continue for years to come,” he said. “The college is committed and UArizona is committed and we are now bringing foundations and organizations in the community to join that partnership. It is one way that business and industry can engage with the College of Science that directly impacts the community.”

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Making Connections New Career Center Touches Students, Alumni, Employers

PHOTO BY BRENT G. MATHIS

By Loni Nannini The new Career Center at the University of Arizona College of Science is on the job with an action plan to serve as a core resource for students and employers alike.

“We are setting up the Career Center to function as a hub-and-spoke system,” said Michael Luria, assistant dean, corporate and community engagement for the College of Science. “We are the hub for students, employers, faculty, staff and alumni. If you are a company with an internship opportunity, employees that want to be mentors, or if you are looking for talent acquisition, you can use the Career Center as the point of contact for students from four schools and 15 departments within the College of Science.”

Luria is overseeing development of the Career Center, which represents one of four pillars – along with recruitment, retention and curriculum – of the Student Success Initiative being implemented by Carmala Garzione, dean of the College of Science since June 2021.

Slated to open in fall 2023, the center will serve over 7,500 undergrads and nearly 1,000 graduate students affiliated with the College of Science.

Comprehensive resources will include assistance with career preparation and action plans; exploration of career and continuing education pathways; facilitation of mentorships and internships; research opportunities that align with undergraduate research programs, and connection with internal and external partners, including industry and alumni.

The driving force behind the project is development of resources in the best interests of students, according to Bridget Wade Radcliff, the center’s founding director.

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To realize that vision, the center will partner with alumni, faculty and staff, students, public and private industry, and other employers to create programs that meet student goals and current and future needs.

“These partnerships will allow us to remain at the forefront and ensure that students are prepared not just with the technical skills they need to be successful, but also the transferrable skills they will need,” said Wade Radcliff. “We all know the jobs that most of these students will be working in 10 to 15 years don’t exist because of changes in technology, so we need to give them the best foundational skills we can to allow them to be successful, flexible, resourceful and resilient as they move forward in their careers.”

Collaborations through the Career Center will also serve as important bridges between the community and the university, said Luria.

“Our mission is to make it easier to connect with College of Science students in meaningful ways,” he said.

“We have the opportunity through industry and employer connections to share more about what we do and the value we create within the community.”

For employers, the Career Center can help businesses scale internship programs and explore innovative options such as work-study and co-op programs. Additionally, the Career Center will provide outreach to assist employers with creative recruitment.

“Of particular interest to local employers, the Career Center will focus on career opportunities for students who want to stay in Tucson with meaningful jobs,” Wade Radcliff said. “The Center can help companies that don’t necessarily think College of Science students are a source of talent to realize that the

skills our students learned throughout their education often align with their needs.”

Building bridges with employers also involves cultivating relationships with alumni, which can result in mentorships, internships, case studies in which students are challenged to solve real industry problems in the classroom, and other opportunities.

Internally, the Career Center will coordinate with faculty to ensure that the transferable skills necessary for success are integrated into curriculums. Plans are also in the works for employers to partner with faculty to incorporate realtime industry advances in academic experiences.

“For all of us to be successful in what we are doing, we need to meet the students where they are,” Wade Radcliff said. “The easiest way to do that is in the classroom and through other activities connected to academics. It is really important to think holistically about what a student is doing and the small tweaks we can make to help create a full-circle experience for students within their academic journeys.”

Meeting students where they are includes expanding equity and access to at-risk and disadvantaged students who may have additional priorities that require their focus.

“We want to reach all students in the College of Science, including those with additional commitments outside the classroom, students fully online, and students that don’t know how to navigate these paths,” Wade Radcliff said.

“It is an incredibly intimidating process, especially for students who have different expectations for themselves from family members. Every student is important, and we are here to help.”

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Bridget Wade Radcliff Founding Director College of Science Career Center University of Arizona

Bridget Wade Radcliff pictured with UArizona senior Samantha Mathis, who will graduate in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science – Computer Science, Bachelor of Arts – French Language; Literature and Cultures emphasis Minor in Information, Science, Technology & Arts. www.BizTucson.com

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BizSCIENCE College of Science Lectures Dr. Robert C. Robbins

Science on Display at UArizona

By Loni Nannini

Bringing Science to Life: College of Science Lectures and Science City The free, annual College of Sciences Lecture Series held each spring in Centennial Hall highlights topics in cosmology, neuroscience, transformative science, life science, evolution and climate change. It marked its 17th season in 2022 with “Minerals,” an in-depth overview of the building blocks of the solar system, earth and civilization. Find more information online at www.science. arizona.edu/community-engagement/public/arizonascience-lecture-series.

Adults and children of all ages can find hands-on science inspiration at Science City at the Tucson Festival of Books. Comprised of thematic “neighborhoods” that span the worlds of science and technology, Science City features more than 100 free, hands-on activities, demonstrations and opportunities to meet renowned authors and researchers. Visit www.sciencecity.arizona.edu/ openhousetours for more information.

Rooted in UArizona − Laboratory of Tree Ring Research: LTRR The Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, located in the Bryant Bannister Tree-Ring Building at 1215 E. Lowell St., is open to the public for free tours led by volunteer docents. The lab is the birthplace of dendrochronology, the study of human societies, ecosystems and the earth’s climate using the growth rings of trees.

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PHOTO: COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

In an increasingly virtual world, the University of Arizona College of Science continues its concerted effort to promote outreach that encourages people from all walks of life to experience science in real-time through settings unique to the desert Southwest.

“The College of Science offers real opportunities to increase engagement and boost awareness with members of our community,” said Michael Luria, assistant dean, corporate and community engagement for the College of Science. “Many people are not aware of the fabulous opportunities for everyone in the public to engage in science happening in real-time in our own backyard.”

The engagement opportunities − many of which are free − provide a portal to a multitude of world-class research in earth and environmental sciences, space sciences, ecology, biology and more.

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BizSCIENCE continued from page 170 The discipline was pioneered at UArizona in 1937 by Andrew Ellicott Douglass, an astronomer whose interest in predicting climate futures led him to examine rings of trees to see how they were shaped by weather.

“One of the fascinating aspects is that an astronomer who started using growth rings of trees and developed the science of dendrochronology then made his biggest breakthroughs in archeology, which speaks strongly to the interdisciplinary tradition that we uphold today in the LTRR,” said David Frank, director of the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research.

For more information, including an online Tree-Ring Talk Seminar, visit www.ltrr.arizona.edu.

Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum Tumamoc Hill

A Rainforest in the Desert: Biosphere 2 Just 30 minutes from north Tucson on Highway 77 sits Biosphere 2, the world’s largest controlled environment dedicated to understanding the impact of global climate change on complex systems. Open every day except Christmas and Thanksgiving, one of the many things visitors will find is a fully established rainforest inhabited by more than 100 species of plants.

“We can make changes in temperature, moisture and carbon dioxide to allow researchers to gain greater understanding of the intricacies and complexities that impact not only one individual species, but the whole system,” said John Adams, deputy director at Biosphere 2.

For more information, visit www.biosphere2.org.

Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum Just minutes from campus on the lower level of the Pima County Courthouse, the newly opened Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum literally rocks.

With 2,200 specimens on display and another 20,000 in-house for research and education, the museum also boasts NASA’s largest moon rock on loan for display and a one-of-a-kind gemstone tapestry featuring 26,000 perfectly matched diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires.

“We have interactive displays that show the importance of mining and explain how technology uses minerals in everyday life,” said Eric Fritz, executive director of the museum. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, visit www.gemandmineralmuseum.arizona.edu.

Science in Place at Tumamoc Hill A walking trail, a cultural trail and a research lab, the Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill is minutes from campus just west of A Mountain. It is the world’s only outdoor lab representing the formal pursuit of science specifically focused on desert environments and cultures.

Started in 1903, the lab features more than 6,000 individual saguaros and 12 10-meter-square plots of naturally occurring flora that have been monitored for more than 100 years. The site is home to 30 additional active research projects and natural history collections which catalogue important faunistic and floristic changes to the continued on page 174 >>>

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PHOTO: COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

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BizSCIENCE Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter

continued from page 172 desert Southwest over the last 50,000 years.

“It is an experiment in finding ways to tell the story of science in place, and we are excited and committed to making that work relevant since the culture of this space is relevant to all of society,” said Benjamin Wilder, director of the Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill. For more information, visit www.tumamoc.arizona.edu.

Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab

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Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab Beneath the east side of Arizona Stadium is a globally renowned center for creation of the world’s largest optics for telescopes on the ground and in space, The Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab. The one-of-a-kind lab, which is part of Steward Observatory, offers insight into the fabrication of cuttingedge mirrors for telescopes − including seven 8.4-meter mirrors for the $2 billion Giant Magellan Telescope project slated for completion in 2029. Each $30 million mirror takes a year to cast followed by at least three years of surface generating and polishing.

The Mirror Lab also offers a lens into astronomy at UArizona − which receives $100 million to $140 million annually − and the overall astronomy industry in Arizona.

“The economic impact of the astronomy industry is like a Super Bowl coming to the state every year and half or two years,” said Buell Jannuzi, director of the Steward Observatory and head of the Department of Astronomy at UArizona.

Public tours of the Mirror Lab, which were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are slated to reopen soon. Visit www.mirrorlab.arizona.edu for more information.

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PHOTO: COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, located at 9,157 feet in the Catalina Mountains just a short drive from Tucson, offers visitors experiences in the natural history of the Sky Islands by day and a view into the universe by night with two of the largest telescopes available to the public in the Southwest − the Schulman 32-inch and the Phillips 24inch telescopes.

“Everything we do is to help people appreciate why we study astronomy and to relate our current understanding of the universe to our existence in the past, present and future,” said Alan Strauss, director of the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter.

The SkyCenter offers several public outreach opportunities such as SkyNights, a five-hour program for youth and adults that includes an astronomy lecture and guided navigation of the night sky; Virtual Private Star Parties offering at-home night viewing through the Schulman Telescope and educational conversation with astronomy professionals; Astronomer Nights observing programs and much more. To buy a ticket or register for an event, or for more information, visit www.skycenter.arizona. edu.

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Michael Luria

Assistant Dean Corporate & Community Engagement College of Science University of Arizona

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Galileo Circle Engages Community with Science Scholarships Help Create Opportunity Galileo was the original polymath: astronomer, physicist and engineer.

The College of Science’s Galileo Circle aims to build on the enormous contributions of one of the world’s greatest scientists by fostering an engaged community with a shared love of science.

Founded in 2001, the Galileo Circle’s mission is to nurture the future of science, says Dale Schoonover, assistant director for Donor & Alumni Relations with the College.

“Our mission is to provide unique experiences to our members who love science, and as our dean says, want to feed human curiosity,” Schoonover said.

“These are individuals who understand that science improves our lives and our world.”

Each year, the Galileo Circle supports 150 to 175 students who each receive scholarships of $1,000. Donors, both from the business community and individuals, also support faculty research with an average award of $5,000. In all, more than $200,000 is awarded annually. In addition to individual contributions, the Galileo Circle is also supported by 24 named endowments whose principal balances now total more than $2 million.

“It’s pretty amazing that we have members of our community establishing these endowments which create a lifetime of support for our faculty and students,” Schoonover added.

The Galileo Circle is just one of many opportunities for engagement with the College of Science and its vast reach around the University of Arizona campus and the community.

“It’s exciting to share the breadth

and diversity of the College, from the science being taught, the skills our students graduate with, and the renowned research taking place daily,” said Michael Luria, assistant dean, corporate and community engagement for the College of Science. “The combination of teaching, research and science engagement paired with the contributions to local workforce development by our graduates create great value for our local and regional communities.”

The Galileo Circle scholarships are highly selective, with less than 2% of College of Science graduate and undergraduate students receiving an award. Students must be nominated by a member of the faculty, in addition to demonstrating academic excellence.

When Rhiannon Olivarez Kidwell heard she had been nominated, she was overwhelmed. “I was blindsided by the nomination,” recalls the 20-yearold premed student. “I had read about the scholarship, but thought it was ‘up there’ for the ‘phenomenal’ students and then I saw my name on the list.”

Kidwell, who was nominated by her principal investigator while working in the lab on virus research inspired by COVID, is an honors student majoring in molecular and cellular biology and neuroscience.

“To get that validation, to know that people believe in you and your goals, and your science, it’s humbling, and it gives you the drive to keep going even when your classes are hard,” she said.

Kidwell was chosen among her peers after a rigorous selection process that included a personal statement from the nominator, as well as a resume of

academic achievements. She started at UArizona as a molecular and cellular biologist, then added neuroscience to further study the body’s interaction at the neurological level. The California native is pursuing a medical career in pediatrics.

Galileo Circle currently has about 300 members. Schoonover wants to grow that base and she wants to attract a younger community who seek unique experiences that feed their interest in science. She would also like to increase the number of endowments. Faculty support, as well as growing the number of annual scholarships for students, is also a priority.

“When we have our annual scholarship event and our donors get to meet these students, they’re always blown away by how incredible they are in their academic pursuit, their passion − it’s wonderful to see,” Schoonover says.

“We want people to experience the College of Science first-hand in a myriad of settings.”

That experience can ultimately include taking the talents of the college’s graduates and putting them in positions that benefit businesses here either with extraordinary employees or extraordinary research emanating from the college.

“The College absolutely has a role to play that benefits our local community,” Luria said. “We can assist community partners from an economic development standpoint by showcasing the talents of our students and the ongoing research that relates to companies who are considering relocating or expanding to Tucson.”

Biz

Engage with the College of Science through our outreach venues, Career Center and the Galileo Circle.

Learn more at science.arizona.edu/community www.BizTucson.com

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PHOTO BY BRENT G. MATHIS

By Mary Minor Davis

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2022 FATHER OF THE YEAR HONOREE

Top row: Gavin and fiancé Chloe Middle row: Sarah, Ally, Gwynn and husband Kevin Bottom row: Axel, Matt, Jeff, Cindi and Trent 182 BizTucson

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BizHONOR

Brig. Gen Jeffrey L. Butler 162nd Wing Commander Morris Air National Guard Base

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey L. Butler ‘Faith, Family, Service’

By Steve Rivera For Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Butler, it’s always been about family.

“I feel like I’ve always erred on the family side,” said Butler, commander of the 162nd Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard. “I’m a Wing commander so I run a base. My message to my airmen is faith, family, service – with those priorities.”

It’s something he’s taken to heart throughout his career, even “kicking the Air Force to the curb a little bit early in my career.”

He prioritized situations to help his family. He’s given his time back since, but he also didn’t try to be what he called a “careerist,” but rather a family man who can also give back to the service.

Butler is a 2022 Father’s Day Council Tucson Father of the Year.

He’s the leader of men and women who have duties to fulfill, but also lives to live. He said there has to be a balance.

“I’ve seen a lot of peers, a lot of superiors and a lot of subordinates lose their families,” he said. “There’s nothing harder than marriage, but there’s also nothing that can give back more. I tell my airmen that the most powerful human dynamic on Earth is family. I get the best service out of people who have a strong family.”

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Butler and his wife, Cindi, have six kids – Trent, Gavin, Gwynn, Ally, Sarah and Matt – and Axel, an “adopted” son the family took in after his mother passed away. They have lived a great life full of love and fun and tough love.

They think of him as this strong man with an even stronger work ethic forged after growing up working long hours on a farm in Rocky Ford, Colo.

“I was talking to the kids recently and they were saying, ‘Daddy can be so strong,’ but he can also be really tender too,” Cindi said. “The relationships are super warm and inviting.”

Butler said his days – and the kids’ days during their youth – started at 6 a.m. and ended about 3:30 p.m. with the luxury of Cindi being able to homeschool the children.

“I’d speed home to what I felt was a whole half a day with the kids at home,” he said. “It was sweet to have that job where I could be home a lot and get a lot of kid time in each day. I was able to take leave for every birthday and we’d turn it into a whole day.”

Butler said he was impacted by a story he heard of an airman was who was killed while flying. The airman had an 8-year-old son. In an interview, the boy said his dad never made any of his birthdays.

“That prioritized me,” he said. “Before you know it (the kids) are gone. It’s

sweet to do things for them and have daily time.”

Like the days when he was the birthday pirate, where he’d steal the presents and the guests would chase him down to capture the gifts. Or the time he was the birthday cow and all the kids would take a ride.

Cindi said her husband “carried the balance really well” of being a fun dad and a strong dad.

“He’s a strong guy but also one who will do anything for them,” she said.

He’d also make sure they knew the value of hard work.

“I have the three girls and three boys, so I wanted my boys to know what hard, manual labor was,” he said.

“They would say I was a little bit driven but also, they’d say I’m fairly humorous.

I like to joke around too.”

“My kids fell in love with North Island in San Diego, and we’d do water survival training there every summer,” he said. “They’d camp and then we’d hit the beach for two or three days. It was a lot of fun and a lot of nostalgia.”

And they created memories, something that has always been important to Butler, because being a “dad means everything to me. It’s interesting how powerful a father’s seat is, especially if you are engaged as your family grows up.”

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From left – Top row: Mikel Candrea, Jaylen Candrea, Tina Candrea, Mike Candrea, Ryan Tilton Bottom row: Josiah Parker (Standing) Michelle Candrea & Kaitlin Tilton (Seated) Family missing from photo due to newborn: Sean & Cassie Tilton plus newborn George Tilton 184 BizTucson

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2022 FATHER OF THE YEAR HONOREE

BizHONOR

Mike Candrea

Former Head Coach UArizona Women’s Softball Team

Mike Candrea Finding balance between coaching, parenting

By Steve Rivera For nearly four decades, Mike Candrea said he wanted to be a mentor and a role model for those he helped lead and shaped into the world.

That was not only for the women he helped turn into All-Americans on the University of Arizona softball diamond, but for his two children – now adults, Mikel and Michelle, and later his stepsons, Ryan and Sean.

Making an impact was important.

Candrea is a 2022 Father’s Day Council Tucson Father of the Year.

“I’ve always wanted to be a good provider and set a good example,” Candrea said. “If you call that mentoring, that’s probably as close to mentoring as you can be.

“I think even more so with your players, you have an opportunity to be much more vocal, have more opportunities to converse and communicate because you’re preparing for a game; whereas, with your own kids, sometimes you find yourself leading by providing and then giving them support when they need it.”

Finding that right balance of being there and being able to provide for the family is a part of parenting that he loves. It was about discipline, structure, love and support.

“I think any coach that you talk to will tell you that the hardest part is trying to balance your own kids with the ones you are coaching,” he said. “That was always the struggle. I can’t say I always got good at that because there was always that mileage between Tucson www.BizTucson.com

and Casa Grande.”

Candrea preferred to live in Casa Grande for more than 20 years and commute every day to coach at UArizona. It wasn’t until the last third of his coaching career that he decided to move to Tucson.

Still, he was there for his kids as much as possible. And they would be there for him, too, at the softball fields here, there and everywhere following their dad, who turned out to be a Hall of Fame softball coach and the winningest softball coach in the world. Candrea announced his retirement last summer after 1,674 wins and eight NCAA titles.

He’s been married to Tina for 15 years and is stepfather to Tina’s sons, Ryan and Sean.

“He has always been just great with advice,” Tina said. “He has more wisdom than most people I’ve ever spoken to. And sometimes not doing anything, is his advice. He’ll say pray about it or think about it a little longer or don’t make a rash decision.”

Mikel, the son of Candrea and his late wife, Sue, was part of UArizona’s softball coaching crew a few years ago as a volunteer coach and later worked for the late Jerry Kindall, coach of the UArizona baseball team. Mikel now gives softball lessons. Michelle, who grew up playing softball, is a Pilates instructor.

Mikel said he and his sister are grateful for their dad because he’s “as bighearted as they come.”

“There are so many things I have

used throughout my life (that) my dad has taught me, from work ethic to character to integrity,” Mikel added. “It’s about doing what’s right all the time.

He has a heart that cares more about others than himself.”

Added Michelle: “I’ve been his No. 1 fan since I’ve been a little girl. He’s the same as a father as he was a coach: caring, loving and the giver of the best life lesson advice..”

It’s what Ryan has admired about his stepfather.

“It’s hard for me to imagine a better role model than Mike − his dedication, perseverance and commitment to excellence helped shape my own personal outlook on life,” Ryan said. “I consider myself blessed to call him my stepdad.”

Sean echoed Ryan’s sentiment.

“Mike has always been supportive of my athletic endeavors throughout the years, always coming to my high school football games,” he said. “Mike is the most hardworking guy I know. He cares deeply about softball and University of Arizona athletics.

It was all part of his role of being a dad and a coach. It’s long been his way, the Candrea way.

“It’s an honor and compliment for what we all grow up to try to be, to be able to have a great family and be a good dad and be a good mom,” he said.

“I never dreamed I’d get to this point to where I’d get honored for it. I’m very humbled to be singled out.”

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Lindsey, Paul, Nelie and Megan Dias

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PHOTO: KENYA KAETZ-GLENN

2022 FATHER OF THE YEAR HONOREE

BizHONOR

Paul Dias

President/Owner Dias Management Inc./McDonald’s

Paul Dias From ‘Crew Kid’ to Restaurant Owner, Paul Dias’ Best Job is ‘Dad’

By Romi Carrell Wittman Paul Dias is more comfortable watching football than being in the spotlight.

Back in 2020, before the pandemic, Dias’ wife, Nelie, scheduled a dinner out with friends on the night the San Francisco 49ers were playing the Arizona Cardinals, he was a bit perturbed.

“We were out on the patio and I couldn’t watch the game,” said Dias.

He’d resigned himself to only catching glimpses of the game on the distant television in the bar. He was surprised when he saw his youngest daughter, Lindsey, approaching the table carrying balloons and flowers. He assumed she was at the restaurant for a friend’s birthday. When he was told he’d been named a Father of the Year, he was speechless.

“Once that happened, the game wasn’t important anymore,” said Dias, laughing.

He was immediately humbled by the honor. “It was very rewarding, too,” he said. “We have a successful business, but outside of that, awards aren’t my thing.

I try to give them to my employees and the people around me to give them the praise they deserve. But as for me, I’m a little uncomfortable with it, with recognition. But I am very grateful for this one.”

Dias has spent his life building a very successful business. Today, as president and owner of Dias Management, he manages 22 McDonald’s franchises across Southern Arizona.

Born in Portugal, Dias immigrated to the U.S. with his parents as a toddler. www.BizTucson.com

His family settled in California and, later, he met his wife, Nelie, at Turlock High School in California’s Central Valley. Around the same time, he got his first – and, as it turns out, only – job at McDonald’s. He began as what he calls a “crew kid” and worked his way up into management.

The restaurant’s owner, Dennis Graspointner, became a mentor of sorts to Dias, and Dias helped Graspointner expand from one McDonald’s restaurant to 15. “He was like a second father to me,” he said. “My parents taught me my values, my morals, my Catholic upbringing and my work ethic, but they had immigrated to a country where they didn’t know the language and didn’t know the ins and outs of running a business. That’s where Dennis filled in.” Dias turned to Graspointner to learn about life’s biggest decisions – buying a house, getting married, starting a family.

In 2003, after working for Graspointner for 15 years, Dias told his boss he was ready for the next stage of his career – owning his own McDonald’s franchise. Dias moved his young family, which now included the couple’s two daughters, Megan and Lindsey, to Alamosa, Colo. It was a very remote part of the state, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions of Dias’ life.

Dias got the restaurant on its feet financially and, in 2007, had the chance to purchase five McDonald’s restaurants in the Tucson area.

Dias said he owes his business success

to his wife’s support. “While I was busy building the business, she was at home being the mom, dad, CEO, CFO and COO of the house,” he said. “We made a great team. She deserves more credit because I couldn’t be the father or businessperson I am without her support.”

Dias is especially proud of his daughters’ achievements. Megan, 24, graduated from the University of San Francisco with a business degree and a minor in legal studies. She’s currently working for a large marketing agency in the Bay Area. Lindsey, 20, is currently a sophomore at Texas Christian University.

“Megan is the first person in the family to graduate from college,” Dias said.

“We are so proud.”

Dias said he believes the Father of the Year honor is a message from God. “Perhaps God is giving me a pat on the back,” he said with a gentle, appreciative laugh. “It’s the one role, the one job that you’re really chosen for and one in which you don’t have a whole lot of say.”

He said he’s thoroughly enjoyed the challenges that have come with fatherhood. “Being a father is fundamentally the most important role I have on earth.

The father I am today is not the father I was when I started,” he said. “This recognition is very special to me because I value that role so much. It’s the coolest job in the world and it’s a role that never ends.”

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Kendra Hunley, Devyn Hunley, LaMonte Hunley and Stephanie Hunley

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LaMonte Hunley VP Operations Arizona Health

LaMonte Hunley Former NFL Star Credits Parenting Team with Wife

By Rodney Campbell

One 2022 Father of the Year recipient owes much of his success to the women in his life.

Former University of Arizona AllAmerican and Arizona Health owner LaMonte Hunley was greatly influenced by his mother and three older sisters – strong female role models who made sure he stayed on the right track while growing up in Petersburg, Va., a small community with limited options for young people.

“Women were always my guiding light and influence. They have always had a great impact on my life,” Hunley said. “My mom was a mother and father to me. My sisters made sure everyone was taken care of.”

It’s no surprise that Hunley and his wife of 31 years, Stephanie, have two daughters who are both successful women. Kendra, 30, and Devyn, 27.

Kendra earned her undergraduate degree from UArizona and master’s from Grand Canyon University. Kendra works for Progress Residential as a recruiting coordinator. Devyn played soccer and earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at El Paso and master’s at ASU. Devyn works for Zanes Law “My oldest daughter has a lot of similarities to me,” Hunley said. “We both have strong compassion for people. We want to nurture people. (Both daughters) have pieces of me.” Hunley added www.BizTucson.com

that Devyn has his competitive gene.

Stephanie Hunley, who LaMonte calls “my everything, my foundation,” is a retired fourth-grade school teacher with the Tucson Unified School District. The Hunleys stressed the importance of education and self-sufficiency while raising their daughters.

“Both my wife and I are very proud of them,” he said. “We tried to raise our kids to become independent. There’s a big difference between how the world treats men and women.”

Hunley grew up with nine siblings.

His mother, Scarlett, had her hands full, but she was up to the challenge. Her guidance helped lead Hunley and his older brother, Ricky, to successful football careers at the UArizona and later, the NFL. LaMonte played three seasons for the Indianapolis Colts and one for the Miami Dolphins. Ricky spent seven years in the league as a member of the Denver Broncos, Phoenix Cardinals and Los Angeles Raiders.

“My mom taught us to listen before we opened our mouths,” LaMonte said.

“We were gifted with two ears to listen and one mouth to speak.”

The Hunley kids still had their say.

Scarlett didn’t believe in making decisions by herself when the whole family would feel the impact.

“That’s the thing about growing up around my family – we always did things as a group,” LaMonte said. “Whether it

was family or personal, my mom would gather us to make a decision.”

Hunley said playing sports as a youngster and coming from a large family gave him the perspective he needed when he became a parent. Both require teamwork whether on the football field or at home sharing what the family had with six brothers and three sisters.

“There’s no room to be selfish when you’re part of a team,” he said. “You’re dividing yourself from everyone else.

Being around sports allowed me to be the man I am today. I’m never going to think about myself before someone else. If I let my team down, then everyone suffers.

“I apply the same philosophy at my company and the Tucson community.”

Hunley’s family and friends made it a special occasion when they let him know about his Father of the Year honor. His two daughters came to Tucson to head up the entourage that gathered at Arizona Health to spring the surprise on him.

“I saw a flock of people coming down the hall with my daughters and wife leading the way,” he said. “They had balloons and I knew it wasn’t my birthday. They then gathered in my office and let me know the reason they were there. My mom and sisters were on the phone through FaceTime. I was speechless and very honored.”

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PHOTO: BY AMY HASKELL

2022 FATHER OF THE YEAR HONOREE

From left – Kelly, Phil & Sabrina Swaim

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Phil Swaim

President Swaim Associates

Phil Swaim Architect’s Family is His Strongest Foundation

By Rodney Campbell Phil Swaim picked up many qualities from his father, Robert. Swaim’s dad instilled in him a commitment to working hard, having compassion for others, and finding a successful career in architecture.

The younger Swaim and his wife, Sabrina, made sure they encouraged their daughter to establish many of those same traits. While Kelly Swaim, now 24, may not have chosen an architecture career, she shares interests with her father, including a love of being outdoors and playing sports.

“Kelly started skiing when she was 2,” said Swaim, principal at Swaim Associates. “She would follow me anywhere and everywhere.”

Father and daughter still bond through sports, especially soccer. Kelly played the sport at Sabino High School and dreamed about competing in college at the Division 1 level. But Phil said his daughter had to make a tough choice: She could do two of three things – perform well in the classroom, have a social life, or play soccer. Kelly opted for classes and a more typical college life when she picked Northern Arizona University.

With his daughter’s move, Swaim went through soccer fan withdrawal.

Just like his parents, he always carved time out of his busy schedule to watch his daughter on the pitch.

“When Kelly was playing growing up, I was an assistant coach,” Phil www.BizTucson.com

Swaim said. “I was the guy out there shagging balls. I don’t think I missed a game. When I was growing up, I was a bicycle racer and baseball player, and my mom and dad were always there.”

Just as his parents encouraged him to strike out on his own by attending the University of Oregon, Swaim and his wife saw value in Kelly going to Flagstaff for college. She was a four-hour drive away, enough distance to have an independent life.

“It’s a challenge as a parent to let children grow on their own,” Swaim said. “You want to make sure things are perfect for them and you can’t always do that.”

Swaim became president of his family’s company in 1992, continuing a tradition of success started by his father three decades earlier. After his father merged his company to form one of the largest architecture firms in the state in the 1960s, Robert Swaim went on his own, even operating out of the family’s home for several years starting in 1969.

“Dad was a fascinatingly talented architect,” Swaim said of his father, who is now 92. “He told me, ‘If you love it, there’s nothing like it.’ ” Swaim Associates is one of the premier architecture firms in Arizona.

Swaim said he’s trying to pare his busy schedule to 60 hours a week in order to ensure more time at home. Kelly spent the last semester of her college career in Tucson taking online classes from NAU.

“One of the big challenges is how to balance home life and business life,” Swaim said. “Especially after taking over the business. One of the things I always made a priority was to be there for Kelly’s soccer games or track events, graduation or birthdays.”

Using his resources to help underserved communities also motivates Swaim. Ian McDowell, VP and Tucson regional director for Sundt Construction, has worked with Swaim on numerous projects and appreciates the architect’s willingness to donate his time.

“I worked on a project to add the DEK hockey rink at Doolen Elementary School next to the Boys and Girls Club,” said McDowell, who heads Sundt building efforts in Tucson. “The goal was to install the rink at no cost to TUSD or the Boys and Girls Club. Phil took a personal interest and donated his services and the services of his company to help us make the rink a reality. He never submitted a bill. In fact, he never even asked. I think giving back is just in his DNA.” Lending a hand has been Swaim’s priority in his professional and personal lives. Just as his dad was his role model, he wants to be the same for his daughter.

“You want to be helpful.… It’s similar to being a father,” Swaim said. “Dad has always had incredibly high morals and that’s the way I’ve wanted to live.”

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From left – Renee Gonzales, CEO, Long Companies, John Murtaugh, CEO, Realty Executives Arizona Territory James Robertson, Senior Commercial Aassociate Broker, Realty Executives International

Real Estate Still Hot, But Inventory Lagging CCIM Projects Continued Demand for Real Estate

PHOTOS COURTESY CCIM

By Tom Leyde The outlook for the real estate industry in Tucson and Southern Arizona is positive, but persistent problems related to the COVID-19 epidemic will continue to slow growth.

That, in a nutshell, is what industry experts predicted Feb. 24 at the 30th annual Commercial Real Estate Forecast at Tohono Chul, an event sponsored by the Southern Arizona Chapter of Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM).

Realtors will see industry growth in 2022, event speakers said. However, supply chain problems, labor shortages, longer construction times and a shrinking home inventory are likely to continue.

Melissa Lal, president and co-owner of Larsen Baker, a local commercial real estate firm, said malls will continwww.BizTucson.com

ue to decline, but new businesses such as golf stores, consignment stores for recycled clothing and restaurants, will continue to pop up.

While online shopping will continue to boom, Lal said, “a revolution in retail is in the swing. Retail is something totally different now.”

The new retail, she said, is driven by the three “Vs” − visibility, vehicles and vibe. And, she said, retail is more than just shopping. It’s medical appointments, car service appointments, haircuts, facials, manicures and pedicures.

“Mixed use is the new retail trend,” Lal said. She pointed out St. Philips Plaza at North Campbell Avenue and River Road as the best retail space in Tucson. It has restaurants, boutiques and wine shops around its outdoor treelined plaza.

“The manifestation of services is the new retail,” Lal said.

Those services will be widely used by Tucson-area residents and new residents moving to the area. “Who’s Moving to Tucson From Where & Why?” was the focus of the event’s second half.

“They’re coming from all over the West Coast and Seattle,” said Renee Gonzales, CEO of Long Companies.

Because more people are working from home due to the pandemic, they can work anywhere, Gonzales said.

Coming from areas with higher home prices, they can move, buy a beautiful home, work or retire here and have cash in their pocket.

On the downside, home inventory remains a problem, Gonzales said.

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BizREALESTATE ket at the pace they were coming on the last three or four years,” Gonzales said.

The difference, she said, is there are more buyers snapping them up.

“Right now, we’ve got some houses coming on the market that are sold in hours or some in 30 days.” The longer listings, she said, means “it’s not priced right or … needs a little work or something along those lines.”

Panelist John “Jeff” Murtaugh, CEO of Realty Executives Arizona Territory, agreed that the housing market is tight.

He said his firm listed a home recently and quickly got 59 applications.

Although the U.S. has a deficit of housing units, there is growth in the market in the Tucson area.

“It’s growing everywhere,” Murtaugh said, “everywhere you can find available places to build houses.”

But growth is slower. “We’re just short of houses,” Murtaugh said. “It’s the same all over the U.S.” During the Great Recession, he said, the country had a shortage of 2 million homes and that’s not going to change for a while. Plans to raise interest rates, he said, will not help the situation.

When the housing market crashed in 2006 and 2007, Murtaugh said, a lot of housing developments got crushed. “I think it’s going to take us a long time to work our way out of this,” he said.

Gonzales said many people had plans to buy new homes but are sitting on sales of their homes. “They’re sitting in their house and they’re waiting for the other house to go on the market.” That’s because new construction that was supposed to be done three months ago is taking longer. Also, she said, people are staying in their homes an average of six years now instead of seven, thus contributing to the inventory shortage.

“There’s just so many challenges on that note,” Gonzales said. “We can all drive around Tucson and see all the new construction happening, but it seems to take so much longer and it’s creating a backlog. I don’t see any change in the near future.”

On the demographic side, Gonzales noted that people are buying houses earlier in life as well as buying their dream home after retiring. “They want to change it up and get into something 194 BizTucson

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other than what they’re currently in.”

Is affordable housing possible in the Tucson area? the panelists were asked.

“I think in Tucson this is a problem,” Gonzales said. The average salary in Tucson is around $65,000 and there has been a 22% increase in the cost of housing compared to a year ago.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to provide housing for people that are making that average salary,” she said. “I think the multi-family opportunity will help us out tremendously.”

“

...a revolution in retail is in the swing.

Retail is something totally different now.

”

– Melissa Lal President & Co-owner Larsen Baker

So what should Tucson-area developers be focusing on?

“Homes, homes, homes,” Murtaugh said. “We need a lot more units, whether it’s apartments or houses. We need them all.”

Tucson’s downtown, Gonzales said, is up and coming and it would be good for developers to include multi-family units in new multi-story buildings.

“It would be good if builders considered that, to build where people want to live and where people could walk to a restaurant,” she said. “That’s what our

young generation wants to do. They want to live and work and play where they can walk, and I think there would be an opportunity there.”

James Robertson, senior commercial associate broker at Realty Executives International, moderated the panel and summed up the housing issues.

“There’s no one solution,” he said.

“We have to realize there’s no one answer. We will solve this problem. We know the problem is here. We will solve it and we will continue on.”

Other topics covered at the event: Industrial Real Estate Market Forecast Vacancy has fallen from 5.3% in 2007 to 4.3% in 2022. Inventory is up 15%, from 39 million square feet in 2007 to 45 million square feet in 2022.

Rent growth is up 43%, from 55 cents per square foot in 2007 to 79 cents per square foot in 2022. New construction includes 311,000 square feet, led by two projects near Tucson International Airport.

In Marana, Amazon is building a 220,000-square-foot distribution center on 65 acres at the northeast corner of Ina and Silverbell roads.

The Development Market Brian Underwood, director of planning at The Planning Center, said lots of rental properties are in the works as housing availability and affordability continue to be a challenge. Multi-family development will continue. Demand for in-fill development and density will increase. There has been an increased demand for high-rise, multi-family housing downtown. And converting properties to other uses will continue. $1 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill The bill signed by President Joe Biden will aid Arizona’s economy, with $5 billion going into highway projects, including widening of Interstate 10.

Other benefits include: $500 million for renovating land ports of entry along the state’s southern border; improvement of public water systems; $54 million for wildfire management; $54 million to replace lead pipes; and creation of highspeed internet access in rural Arizona communities.

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PHOTO COURTESY CCIM

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2022 Lifetime Achievement Award

BizHONORS 2022 GOOD SCOUT AWARDS Three community leaders will be honored this spring as the Catalina Council, Boy Scouts of America, observes the 22nd anniversary of its Good Scout Awards.

PHOTO BY CHRIS MOONEY

Mark Irvin will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, Paul Dias the Good Scout Award and Angie Ziegler the Distinguished Citizen Award.

Honoring Mark Irvin

By Tom Leyde “Achievement” could very well be Mark Irvin’s middle name, considering the number of projects in which he’s been involved during 35 years in Tucson.

And now, the Boy Scouts of America, Catalina Council, has chosen him for its Lifetime Achievement Award.

Irvin is the founder and CEO of Mark Irvin Commercial Real Estate, a Tucson real estate development company that includes his wife, Janine, as a designated broker and his son Christopher, as a sales associate.

A short list of Irvin’s activities and honors includes: • Greater Tucson Leadership’s Man of the Year 2020

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President of the Rotary Club of Tucson during its 100th year

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Vice chair/secretary of Rio Nuevo Multi-Facilities District, the downtown Tucson redevelopment program that is wrapping up improvements at the $70 million-plus Tucson Convention Center

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Former president and interim CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson

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•

Recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama in 2011 Irvin was involved in the unshuttering of the Arizona Hotel near the Tucson Convention Center and the remodeling of the military lounge at Tucson International Airport. He played a major role in bringing to Tucson a Caterpillar regional office, the Tucson Roadrunners hockey team, the Tucson Sugar Skulls indoor football team and the Arizona Bowl game.

A native of Dallas, Irvin grew up involved in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts.

“I think Scouting is an amazing program,” he said. Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, he said, were responsible for his love of the outdoors. “I just had such a great positive experience and it’s affected me my whole life.”

A graduate of Southern Methodist University, Irvin earned a degree in business, finance and real estate in 1986.

He moved to Tucson that year and was a founding partner with PICOR Commercial Real Estate Services. He left to start his own firm in 1995, which is consistently recognized as a top Tucson commercial real estate broker.

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The event is the council’s largest annual fundraiser, raising almost $500,000 for Scouting activities in the Tucson area, said Jeff Hotchkiss, Scout executive of the Catalina Council.

The Catalina Council was founded in 1919. Last year, some 2,300 young people were involved in Tucson-area Boy Scouts programs, led by almost 1,000 volunteers. The council had 96 Eagle Scouts last year, including some of the first young women to win the esteemed award.

2022 GOOD SCOUTS AWARDS LUNCHEON Friday, April 22, 2022 Lunch & program 11:00AM – 1:00PM Tucson Convention Center Copper Ballroom 260 S. Church Ave. For more info: Tracey Smalling Tracey.Smalling@scouting.org www.catalinacouncil.org

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BizHONORS 2022 Good Scout Award

Honoring Paul Dias

By Tom Leyde Paul Dias’ life story reads like the quintessential American dream.

After arriving in the U.S. from Portugal with his family at age 2, Dias would go on to own 22 McDonald’s restaurants in the region, showing what hard work and determination can achieve.

His involvement in the community has earned him the Good Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America, Catalina Council, to be presented April 22.

“I’m not a recognized or award kind of guy,” Dias said. “I feel a little uncomfortable ... one of the basic things (McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc) preached is that we have to be involved in our community.”

Dias’ restaurants stretch from Mara198 BizTucson

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na to Tucson, Green Valley to Vail and Sahuarita. His company, Dias Management, sponsors soccer clubs and contributes to Tucson youth athletics.

After his family initially settled in Southern California, Dias was 16 when his sister married a Turlock, Calif. dairy operator. To keep the family together, his family also moved there. While attending Turlock High School, Dias began working at McDonald’s as a crew member.

After high school, he studied business at a community college, but after two semesters, he decided the training that McDonald’s offered him would help him become a business owner.

The McDonald’s owner for whom

he worked eventually owned 15 restaurants, and Dias supervised five of them.

After 15 years, Dias opened his own McDonald’s in Colorado.

“We just kind of put our faith in McDonald’s … and it all worked out for the best,” he said.

After more than three years in Colorado, Dias sold his restaurant and moved to Tucson and bought additional restaurants. That was 15 years ago.

Dias is a firm believer in the Boy Scouts programs.

“It teaches ethics and morals and respect necessary for success as an adult and as a youth,” he said. “We would like to continue to play a part in the role of youth success.”

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BizHONORS 2022 Distinguished Citizen Award

Honoring Angie Ziegler

By Tom Leyde Angie Ziegler is a strong believer in the benefits of Scouting.

The former Cub Scout den mother and Marana resident is one of three community leaders who will receive Good Scout Awards by the Boy Scouts of America, Catalina Council, on April 22.

“I just think our community needs more organizations like Scouts to help our young people develop those leadership skills we need in our society,” Ziegler said. “They teach values and ethics and morals.”

A native Tucsonan, Ziegler and her husband, Jon, owned and operated General Air Control for 27 years. The Tucson-based niche company has prowww.BizTucson.com

vided HVAC testing, adjusting and balancing services since 1981.

Ziegler became involved in Scouting in the mid-1980s when her son was a Cub Scout. Besides being a den mother, she helped train new Scout leaders. Her involvement lessened as her children grew up and got involved in sports, but she’s continued to support Scouting programs financially.

In 2004, she was invited to sit on the Good Scout Award Committee, and she continued in that role through 2020.

“It’s (Scouting) a good way for young men and women to have mentors in their life,” she said. “These young men and women desperately need mentors in their life.”

Especially in the age of COVID-19, she said, “Our kids are losing connectivity with their community. Social media is their outlet. In Scouting, they’re enjoying the world as it’s supposed to be enjoyed. It’s real uplifting to hear kids’ stories. It gives you hope for the future.”

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BizTRIBUTE

Mark Berman

“A man of love, vision and humility”

By Tom Leyde The life of Mark Steven Berman was celebrated outside the Tucson plumbing supply business he led for decades: Benjamin Supply.

The poignant comments about Berman’s personality and his buoyant spirit at his Feb. 10 celebration of life truly illustrated the deep loss his employees, family and friends felt.

Berman, 67, died Feb. 7 after a twoyear battle with cancer. Words used to describe his personality included “kind,” “caring,” “friend,” “mentor,” “visionary,” “humble” and “committed.”

He considered his employees as equal family members, so much so that he wouldn’t allow their business cards to include their job titles.

Berman was born into the plumbing supply business. His parents, Martin and Ruth Berman, moved to Tucson from New York and in 1950 bought Benjamin Supply. They turned it into an established downtown business.

When Martin Berman died in 1986, Mark took over the business. It eventually moved to its present location, in the historic Tucson Warehouse and Transfer building at 100 E. Sixth St. At the service, in between the noise of trains rumbling past the business and blowing their horns, Benjamin Supply employees, industry colleagues and Berman’s wife of 32 years, Dr. Judy Riley, spoke of their memories and love of Berman.

Tina Roesler, marketing and showroom manager for Benjamin Supply, said Berman was “a man of love, vision and humility. He was a committed member of the community and an awesome boss. … It was my absolute plea200 BizTucson

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sure to work for him. … He truly was a hero.”

“He was a kind man and we are better persons for knowing him,” said Ernie Guthrie, GM of Benjamin Supply.

“He truly treated everyone with the same level of kindness and respect,” said Jeremy Smith, sales manager at Central Arizona Supply in Scottsdale.

“We have lost an icon in the plumbing industry as well as a personal icon for all of us.”

“We are a big family and he treated us like family. We are family,” said Juanita Machado, VP of operations at Benjamin Supply. “He will be greatly missed.”

Berman began his battle against cancer in March 2020, the same time that

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.

Riley said Berman, after being hospitalized, thought he would return to work one day, but the cancer returned four times.

She said Berman remained optimistic and resilient until he realized the disease could not be cured. She read a statement from Berman.

He said he was grateful that he could practice his passion for photography. He and Riley traveled internationally and he recorded their trips with his cameras.

A number of his photos were displayed at the memorial service.

“The company will continue to succeed,” Berman was quoted as saying.

“I cannot be prouder that I led you all these years.”

Riley spoke of her husband’s excellent sense of humor and his commitment to Benjamin Supply and its employees.

“His employees and his business were a major focus of his life,” she said.

Berman, she said, loved the City of Tucson and University of Arizona sports. He attended UArizona where he studied architecture.

He was committed to his daughter’s sports activities and that of his nephew.

His daughter, Alexandra Martin Berman, is assistant women’s basketball coach at Emory University.

“The hardest thing for me is to imagine being without him in my life,” Riley said. “It would mean the world to him to know that this (celebration of life) is happening. Thank you for all the support you have given us these last two years,” she told the gathering.

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BizTRIBUTE

Norman S. Fenton

Civil Servant, Community Philanthropist

By Mary Minor Davis Tucson is mourning the loss of a revered civil servant and community philanthropist. Judge Norman S. Fenton passed away in January at the age of 98.

“My dad took great pride in being a judge and was adamant that our judicial system was the best and fairest in the world,” said his son, Jon Fenton.

“Growing up, I was amazed at how much time he would spend reading and reviewing stacks and stacks of papers for his cases.”

After serving 25 years on the court, retiring in 1992, Fenton founded Courts Are Us in 2004, a youth employment program aimed at educating high school students about the legal system. Fenton founded the program against riots and unrest in California and elsewhere; he wanted to teach youth that the legal system could be fair.

“I founded Courts Are Us because I wanted to show how real courts are good places run by hard-working people who believe in justice,” said Fenton in an article for Arizona Attorney magazine in 2004. “I wanted young people to have the opportunity that very few people get—to see the inner workings of the court system and get paid for it.”

Judge Jeffrey T. Begin, a presiding Pima County judge, said of the program and Fenton, “Courts Are Us has employed more than 800 local students,” he said. “Along the way, the program has demystified the court system, created youth ambassadors for the justice system and given those who sometimes needed it a step in the right direction. It also provides important work, life skills and essential career training. We will miss Judge Fenton’s wise counsel, enthusiastic contributions, heartfelt kindness and, most of all, his overwhelming belief in the inherent good of every person he encountered.”

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The program, now in its 28th year, is part of Pima County Community Services, Employment and Training through its One Stop Youth Employment Center.

His devotion to the law was unmatched by his devotion to his family, said Jon. “Without a doubt, family was what he prized more than anything,” he said. “His nearly 100 years allowed him to pass his love of family and his can-do attitude to all of us.”

The younger Fenton said that outside of the courtroom, Judge Fenton was a fan of the local swap meets and yard sales, a passion that built up quite a collection.

“When my dad wasn’t pitching batting practice or playing tennis on the weekends, we were usually at a swap meet or yard sale looking to find ‘treasures’. He had a vast collection of watches, pens, bottles, jewelry and assorted antiques.

Jon added he was well-known by the vendors, and would often buy a certain item just to give them some business.

“But make no mistake, he did like a bargain and rarely paid full price!“

Fenton was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and attended Syracuse University where he received his law degree and met his future wife, Marjorie. In 1957, they moved to Tucson, where Fenton would enjoy a career in the courts, and make significant contributions to the community. While serving as presiding judge of the Pima County Conciliation Court from 1970 to 1985, he spearheaded the development of the Conciliation and Mediation Program for Families in Dispute. In 1985, he became the first president of the non-profit Tucson Historical Preservation Foundation. He was a founder of Tucson’s first Boys Club, later becoming the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, and served as president of the board of directors at the time the Steve Daru branch building was dedicated in 1963. He remained a longtime supporter of this organization.

According to an article in the Jewish Post, “Fenton made the New York City All-City high school football team, loved to ride horses, and was a rock star at the antique fairs and swap meets where he enjoyed finding hidden treasures which he often gifted to family, friends, and organizations.” His last official act was officiating at his youngest grandson’s wedding in December 2020, the Post reported.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the future. Donations in his honor can be made to Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, Steve Daru Branch, the Jewish Community Foundation for the benefit of the Jewish Community Relations Council, or the Norman S. Fenton Endowment at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law.

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