Biztucsonsummer2017 by BizTucson Magazine

SUMMER FALL 2012 2017

THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

SPECIAL REPORT: Hotbed of Innovation Tech Launch Arizona Tech Parks Arizona SUMMER 2017 • $3.99 • DISPLAY UNTIL 08/30/17

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BizLETTER

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Volume 9 No. 2

Publisher & Owner

Steven E. Rosenberg Brent G. Mathis

Creative Director Photo: Steven Meckler

Mayor Jonathan Rothschild is in his fifth year as the elected leader of our city. Rhonda Bodfield reports on the man Tucson Metro Chamber President and CEO Mike Varney calls the “hardest working mayor I’ve ever met.” Tony Penn, president and CEO of United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, said the business community’s relationship with the city has improved under Rothschild’s leadership. “By showing itself to be a good partner to business – and accountable to taxpayers at the same time – the city has become a better environment for new businesses to plant a flag and for existing business to thrive,” Penn said. Penn cited the recent Bloomberg report that had Tucson as having the country’s third-fastest job growth as evidence of the difference. “It’s very important that our economy is one that will attract business. I like to say the best remedy for poverty is a living-wage job.” Penn was volunteer chairman of the board for the Tucson Metro Chamber during the mayor’s first term. Joe Snell, president and CEO of Sun Corridor Inc., credits the mayor for his commitment to economic development. “Under Mayor Rothschild’s tenure, the City developed a comprehensive economic development plan with a focus on talent, infrastructure and business environment. The City recognizes the importance of having a friendly, predictable business environment, a streamlined approach to development services and permitting processes attractive to new and expanding businesses.” Speaking of economic development, Snell and his team scored another big “win” for the region. The Site Selector’s Guild held its 2017 conference here this spring. “It’s like hosting the Olympics of economic development. Only we don’t have to build a stadium,” he said, summarizing the impact of hosting the Guild’s conference, which was attended by a prestigious group of site selection and economic development consultants utilized by Fortune 500 corporations. Guild President Phil Schneider shares “The Five Key Truths About Site Selectors” with us. Southern Arizona showcased its most recent “wins” – the relocation of Caterpillar’s Surface Mining & Technology Division which will bring 600 jobs, and the expansion at Raytheon Missile Systems which will add 1,900 jobs – as Caterpillar’s Ben Cordani and Raytheon’s Greg White explained why their cor-

porations chose our region, in a panel discussion. For a glimpse of the future, check out our Special Report “Hotbed of Innovation,” which dives deep into the University of Arizona creating an ecosystem of innovation with Tech Launch Arizona and Tech Parks Arizona. Commercializing technology at this Top 25 research institution is taking off as there are now 50 UA-born startups at various stages of development, from infancy to thriving enterprises. BizTucson welcomes the new UA President Dr. Robert C. Robbins. Editor Donna Kreutz along with journalists Romi Carrell Wittman and David Pittman take us into the labs, onto to the solar fields and around the globe with the exciting details. If you’re looking for the “wow” factor, begin with “Six Companies Out to Change the World,” on page 76. After Raytheon and the UA, DavisMonthan Air Force Base is the third leg of our region’s economic stool. Pittman introduces you to the ultimate “power couple.” Base commander Col. Scott Campbell and his wife, squadron commander Col. Kim Campbell could be the most dynamic defense duo you’ll ever meet. Start on page 56. You’ll love their story. And on a lighter note, entrepreneurs Jeffrey Kaiserman and Stephen Ochoa, founders of Frost – A Gelato Shoppe, are scooping up the sweet taste of success well beyond their trio of local stores. Their franchise model has expanded nationally and globally. By year’s end there could be 18 locations open, maybe more. Intrepid reporter Valerie Vinyard did this chilly investigation into Frost and a half dozen local creameries. Enjoy! Steven E. Rosenberg Publisher & Owner BizTucson

Contributing Editors

Jay Gonzales Donna Kreutz

Contributing Copyeditors

Elena Acoba Diane Luber Dave Petruska

Contributing Technology Director

Mike Serres

Contributing Project & & Event Coordinator

Maricela Robles

Contributing Writers

Elena Acoba Lee Allen Rhonda Bodfield April Bourie Larry Copenhaver Mary Minor Davis Jay Gonzales Chuck Graham Tara Kirkpatrick Christy Krueger David Pittman Steve Rivera Valerie Vinyard Romi Carrell Wittman

Contributing Photographers

Angela Faruolo Amy Haskell Jim Irish Brent G. Mathis Chris Mooney Byron Myers Paul Tumarkin

Member:

Arizona Builders’ Alliance DM-50 Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce Marana Chamber of Commerce Sun Corridor Inc. Tucson Advertising Federation Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 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 © 2017 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

FEATURES

SUMMER 2017 VOLUME 9 NO. 2

COVER STORY:

50 MAYOR ON A MISSION

DEPARTMENTS

4 20

BizLETTER From the Publisher

BizFASHION Ravenna’s Chic Old West Designs

BizVIEWPOINT Brent DeRaad, Visit Tucson

38 42 50 56

BizDESSERT Frost: The Cold & The Beautiful The Ice Cream of the Crop BizLEADERSHIP Mayor Builds Relationships & Trust Initiatives Making An Impact BizMILITARY Davis-Monthan’s Power Couple

BizBIOSCIENCE A Spark Away From Greatness

BizSALES Sales Guru Jeffrey Gitomer

BizVIEWPOINT Reaching Out For Research

BizCUISINE The Nest of The Story

BizAWARDS 107 Tech Launch Arizona I-Squared Awards

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108 110

BizAGRICULTURE Growing Secure, Sustainable, Sensational Foods Locally Grown Mushrooms

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BizTRIBUTE Rick Fink

WOMEN WHO LEAD BizEDUCATION 116 Cheerleaders For K-12 Educators Celebration of Education Heroes BizLEADERSHIP 122 Business Builder: Lea Marquez-Peterson BizMANUFACTURING 124 Iron Lady Stands Tall

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67 SPECIAL REPORT

67 HOTBED OF INNOVATION Tech Launch Arizona & Tech Parks Arizona 72 The Vision 74 From Lab to Market 78 Six Companies 85 UA Creates Ecosystem of Innovation 86 Tech Parks For Today & Tomorrow 90 Hubs of Technology 130 132 134

BizDOWNTOWN New Hotels Coming Downtown HealthOn Broadway Opens Hexagon Mining Chooses Downtown

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BizDESTINATION 5 Key Truths About Site Selectors Tucson Makes Lasting Impression BizCONSTRUCTION New To Market

146 BizEDUCATION Q & A with Chancellor Lee Lambert BizTRIBUTE 150 Pat Connors BizAWARDS 152 A Couple Helping Kids BizHONORS 154 Unsung Heroes: Police Officers, Staff

BizMEDICAL 126 Dr. Gerald Goldberg Receives National Award

BizAWARDS 156 BBB Torch Awards 160 Cornerstone Awards

BizMILESTONE 128 Law Firm Adjusted with the Times

BizTRIBUTE 162 Lisa Hilton

ABOUT THE COVER Mayor on a Mission Jonathan Rothschild, Mayor City of Tucson Photo & Creative Design by Brent G. Mathis www.BizTucson.com

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65 Jimmy Lopez

PHOTOS: BRENT G. MATHIS

Part-owner Mi Nidito

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BizCUISINE

The Nest of the Story Mi Nidito celebrates 65 years in business By Valerie Vinyard When Jimmy Lopez’s grandparents opened Mi Nidito in 1952, the tiny building on South Fourth Avenue had room for a mere four tables, for a total capacity of 12. The name, which is Spanish for “My Little Nest,” was picked because of the restaurant’s diminutive size. “When they first started, it was so small, my grandmother said it reminded her of a bird’s nest,” said Lopez, who is now a partowner. “They hung in there. I’m glad they did.” Business was tough the first couple of years, Lopez said, perhaps giving credence to the original idea from Lopez’s grandfather to open a tortilla factory instead. “Grandpa wanted to open up a tortilla factory; my grandmother wanted the restaurant,” Lopez said. “You know who won that argument … I think it worked out for the best.” Indeed, it did. Soon enough, Mi Nidito became a bustling restaurant. In fact, the original 12-seat space now serves as the waiting area for diners. Over the years, surrounding lots were purchased and rooms were added, resulting in today’s Mi Nidito being a 4,200-squarefoot restaurant with a capacity of 90. Two parking lots on the north and south of the South Tucson restaurant help corral the continued on page 22 >>>

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continued from page 21 hordes of patrons looking for a parking space. Now in its 65th year – on July 3, to be exact – there looks to be no end in sight. Lopez estimated 3,600 diners are served each week at Mi Nidito – and the restaurant is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. “It’s an historic site,” Lopez said. “We have very good food, reasonable prices and a friendly atmosphere. It’s a tradition to a lot of people in Tucson.” He remembers when he started working at Mi Nidito 45 years ago. “My grandmother was getting older and my dad thought she needed help,” said Lopez, now 63. “I was in high school, and when I graduated, he asked if I wanted to try it.” Lopez agreed, in part, because it tripled his income from the printing shop where he was working. In addition to the locals and tourists, the restaurant has attracted more than its fair share of celebrity diners. The Travel Channel’s “Man vs. Food” was filmed at Mi Nidito in 2009. But perhaps the restaurant is best known for then-President Bill Clinton stopping in for lunch in 1999. Lopez remembers Clinton’s visit. “He went and said ‘Hi’ to everyone in the dining room, and then he went back in the kitchen and said ‘Hi,’ ” Lopez said. “We were popular before that, but he put us on the map. He gave me advertising I couldn’t pay for.” During his visit, Clinton displayed a voracious appetite. It resulted in Mi Nidito adding an oversized menu option – the $15.50 Presidential Plate. The loaded platter comes with a bean tostada, beef taco, chili relleno, chicken enchilada and beef tamale. Though Clinton indulged at the time, rice and beans don’t come with the dish, undoubtedly showing mercy to a diner’s stomach capacity. Other celebrities and political figures have stopped in over the years. Hopeful diners who put their name on the list for a table, which often comes with a 90-minute to two-hour wait on weekends, are welcome to peruse the photos and descriptions on the restaurant’s walls. They’ll see pictures of Lopez or his dad with Willie Nelson, Gabrielle Giffords, Julio and Enrique Iglesias and most recently, a February visit from Gov. Doug Ducey. At 11:30 a.m. on a recent Saturday, the wait time already was about 20 minutes, and couples and families milled around inside and outside the restaurant. Lopez said that diners can start lining up around 10 a.m., even though the restaurant doesn’t open for an hour. One occasional visitor had friends visiting from El Paso, Texas. Dominga Barrio, a 52-year-old Tucson resident, said Mi Nidito is a mandatory stop for tourists. “This is one of the places you have to take visitors to Tucson,” Barrio said. “The food is great, and the history is so interesting.” Once the patient patrons are seated at one of the booths or tables, they’ll have a chance to look over the expansive menu. Offerings include appetizers, soups, combination plates and a la carte items. Lopez said the current hot item is Combination No. 7, a flavorful juicy www.BizTucson.com

BizCUISINE birria – or shredded beef – plate that comes with corn or flour tortillas, rice and beans. Ever since a customer inadvertently bumped into a server, upending a loaded tray, servers have used carts to deliver food and drinks. During their meal, diners could hear music that includes mariachi, Creole and tunes from the 1980s. Lopez said his now-retired father served as his guiding force in the business. “All those years I spent with him have really helped me to manage a successful business,” Lopez said. “He taught me patience and to be nice to customers and employees.” Lopez took classes in marketing, finance and bookkeeping at Pima Community College to learn more about the business side of things. Mi Nidito employs 46 workers, including Lopez’s brother, who helps manage the restaurant. Lopez is No. 3 in a line of eight brothers and one sister, but most of his siblings have chosen another path. He has three children himself, including one son who works as a server at the restaurant. The menu doesn’t really change, but Lopez needs to raise prices 5 to 10 percent each year to cover rising costs. He said the recent increase in the state’s minimum wage has added almost $5,000 to each payroll. Lopez is grateful for Mi Nidito’s success but is quick to praise other eateries in the area. “There are a lot of great Mexican restaurants in Tucson,” he said. “We’ve been very fortunate.”

Biz

Mi Nidito Address: 1813 S. Fourth Ave. Phone: (520) 622-5081 Website: www.minidito.net

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Summer 2017 > > > BizTucson 23

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w e S t s We

BizENTREPRENEUR

Ravenna’s Chic Old West Designs By Mary Minor Davis Jenna Miller grew up in an idyllic era of the Southwest. A Sierra Vista cowgirl, she spent her youth riding horses and, she said, “playing outside with the dirt.” Her mother was a seamstress and wanted to teach her girls to sew, but Miller never felt the desire to pick up the sewing needle as a young girl. Yet at the age of 20, she moved to northern Arkansas and spent 10 years working on a dairy farm. There, she met a woman who quilted and taught her the basics of sewing. “For some reason, at that time in my life, I just developed a passion for sewing, and I started teaching myself, mostly through trial and error,” she said. “I would go to department stores and turn clothing inside and out to see how things were made, and then I’d go home and try to mimic patterns. That’s continued on page 30 >>> 28 BizTucson

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Jenna Miller Owner Ravenna Old West

Craig Hensley www.BizTucson.com

Photography by Byron Myers of Aeon Digital Arts. Props provided by Kenn Barrett. Models: Julia Wieck, Beth Messenger, Bobbi Jeen Olson, Robert Fields, Craig Hensley, Jenna Miller. Backdrops courtesy of www.GammonsGulch.com and Desert Streams Ranch.

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PHOTO: BYRON MYERS MODELS: JULIA WIECK, BETH MESSENGER, BOBBI JEEN OLSON, ROBERT FIELDS, CRAIG HENSLEY, JENNA MILLER.

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continued from page 28 how I taught myself to come up with my own designs.” Miller returned to southeast Arizona to care for her mother, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In the beginning, sewing was a hobby. She’d make her clothes and wear them around town. Then friends started asking her to make things for them, including wedding dresses. After returning to Arizona, she visited Tombstone and started paying attention to the Victorian dresses the reenactors were wearing. That led to her to make her first Victorian-style black velvet dress that would change the course of her career. “It was the start of a lot of opportunity,” she said. The wrangler by day and stage actress by night “started wearing that dress in shows that I was in around Tombstone and at the former Apache Spirit Ranch (now Tombstone Monument Ranch).” Then a German filmmaker shooting a documentary about the ranch saw Miller in the dress and hired her to be in his production. Not long after that, Miller and her husband, Craig Hensley, were cast in a local film together. On the day of the costume fitting, Miller wanted to wear her black velvet dress despite her husband’s protestations that the costume designer on set wouldn’t approve.

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“It had just never been done,” said Hensley, an experienced actor. “Here’s me thinking I know everything about the business and telling her no, they won’t let you wear your own dress, they have a professional costume designer. But I told her if she wanted to wear it, go ahead.” And she did. At the fitting, the costume designer, Paula Rogers, asked Miller where she had gotten the dress. When she explained she’d made it, Rogers hired her on the spot, launching Miller’s career in costume designing. “I’ve been working for Paula ever since,” Miller said. “She’s been my mentor for costuming.” In just a couple of years, Miller’s resume filled quickly with more than 50 local, regional and national theater, television and film credits – plus photo shoots for companies including Nike and National Geographic Traveler. Recently, a short film titled “Common Threads” shot entirely at Old Tucson received six awards at the Best Short Films Competition in La Jolla, California, including best costume design by

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Miller. She also worked on the soon-tobe-released “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” a Kix Brooks production shot at Old Tucson, at Casino del Sol and in Bisbee. “I’ve seen a lot of nice costumes, and I’ve worn a lot of nice costumes, but until that day (when Miller met Rogers) I didn’t have an appreciation for how good the work was that she was doing,” Hensley said. “I do now.” Meanwhile, Miller continued to design clothing and decided it was time to launch her own designs. Since 2013, she’s been working toward this goal, building her resume and launching her e-commerce site, Ravenna Old West. Now the public can purchase her designs online. “My company works a bit differently than regular factory-made clothing stores in that we will be periodically rolling out new themes rather than clothing lines,” she said. “Since I specialize in costuming rather than fashion, my clothing will be produced in themes that depict different Western scenes and moments in the history of continued on page 33 >>>

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PHOTO: BYRON MYERS MODEL: BETH MESSENGER

BizENTREPRENEUR

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BizENTREPRENEUR

“

These designs are my imaginings, my musings brought to life. That Western world in my head is vast. It is the wild-west world of Ravenna. My goal is to bring everything of the Old West into the New West, to create something that’s never been. –

”

Jenna Miller, Founder, Ravenna Old West

continued from page 31

the West, kind of like the theme of a movie.” Her first line, “Bandida,” which means “Bad Girl” in Spanish, represents strong women who helped shape the West – like Belle Star, Calamity Jane and Nellie Cashman. “Along with the ‘gritty cowgirl’ influence this theme of clothing has, it is also heavily infused with Spanish/Mexican influences inspired by the Mexican vaqueros and señoritas who helped shape the West, so the garments have lots of conchos and Spanish detailing,” she said. Coming from a ranching history, Miller said her designs draw from her experience, her ancestry and the cultures she’s grown up with. One thing she stresses about her clothing is that it will never be produced in a factory setting because she said people are drawn to the quality of her clothing. Everything will be hand-made in Tombstone by seamstresses. This is particularly important, she said, as some of the techniques used to age and dye for depth and dimension are very meticulous and the translation would get lost in factory production. Some of the other themes Miller is launching include

• •

A new men’s line, “The Diego” “Purdies, Parades & Petticoats,” featuring corsets, petticoats, bloomers and saloon-girl costumes depicting the women performers of the West

• “Victorian

Orchard,” offering bright linen and lace Victorian-influenced designs

•

“Prairies & Plains,” which she said depict the women of the prairie towns and pioneers

•

“Black & White in the Badlands,” an entirely black-andwhite pallet of Western-punk designs that she said are “edgy and extravagant. This will be my personal tribute to Tim Burton.”

Miller said she has an endless store of designs in her head and wants to bring as many as she can to life. “These designs are my imaginings, my musings brought to life. That Western world in my head is vast. It is the wildwest world of Ravenna. My goal is to bring everything of the Old West into the New West, to create something that’s never been.” Biz www.BizTucson.com

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BizVIEWPOINT

By Brent DeRaad

“

Visitors spend $2.2 billion annually in Pima County, making travel one of the region’s largest and most lucrative industries

”

– Brent DeRaad President & CEO Visit Tucson

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Community Effort Can Grow Meetings Business

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Visitors spend $2.2 billion annually in Pima County, making travel one of the region’s largest and most lucrative industries. An estimated one-third of that spending – more than $700 million each year – comes from meetings held at hotels and resorts throughout our region. As a business community, we all can contribute to growing this industry with the tremendous assets we have at our disposal – our weather, our amenities, our friendliness, our food. At Visit Tucson, the primary travel marketing, sales and promotion agency in Pima County, we have a team of national sales managers that partners with area hotels and resorts to market and sell Tucson and Southern Arizona to meeting planners throughout the United States and Canada. We target meetings that fit into a primary hotel or resort that has the sleeping rooms, meeting space and other amenities sought by these customers. We pursue a variety of groups, including corporate, association, incentive, government and sports, along with societal, military, education, religious and fraternal meetings, which are known as SMERF groups. We start by generating awareness among targeted meeting planners that metro Tucson is an ideal location for their meetings. This is where you, the business community, comes in. Any information we can get about the business meetings, conferences and places you visit is helpful to us to follow up with decision-makers to determine if we can bring those meetings to Tucson. Our high-end resorts and full-service hotels, sunny year-round weather and unique Sonoran Desert climate can generate interest. Add in amenities for meeting delegates, such as cycling, hiking, world-class attractions and culture, and eating at our outstanding, locally owned and operated restaurants, backed by Tucson’s designation as the only UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the U.S., and we make a compelling case. As you can imagine, though, cities throughout the nation compete every day for these groups, and each has its own unique value proposition. Phoenix/Scottsdale, Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francis-

co, Salt Lake City, Portland, Austin, Denver and Dallas are among our formidable meetings competitors. The number of nonstop flights, a city’s geographic location, and hotel rates are just some of the variables considered by planners when siting their meetings. And, let’s face it, planners often select cities based on where their delegates want to go. The more those delegates know about Tucson and Southern Arizona, the more likely it is they will want to participate in conferences held here. We have found that the most effective way to book meetings in Tucson is to bring in decision-makers to tour our region. To combat misperceptions about our desert, we created an incentive program with our hotel and resort partners called “You Fly, We Buy.” Visit Tucson reimburses meeting planners for a portion of their round-trip airfare to Tucson when planners visit our region with meetings opportunities we can accommodate. We have found that well over half of the planners who participate in the “You Fly, We Buy” program book at least one Tucson meeting within five years of their site visit. We believe our marketing is doing a good job of educating meeting planners and leisure travelers about what Tucson and Southern Arizona offer. We encourage them to “Free Yourself ” in our region. For customers in our top feeder markets of New York, Chicago and Seattle, by visiting Tucson they can rejuvenate in a place that looks and feels very different than their daily realities. So we ask that if you, your business associates or friends are traveling to take part in meetings and conferences, please provide Graeme Hughes, VP of Sales at Visit Tucson (GHughes@VisitTucson.org), with whatever information you can about those conferences. Our team will follow up with the meeting planners and work toward hosting those events in our beautiful city. Please help us grow metro Tucson’s meetings business. The visitor industry employs 24,000 people in Pima County and generates millions of dollars annually in municipal, county and state tax revenue. With your help, we can make these numbers grow.

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By the Numbers Year opened: May 2005 Locations: 14 (16 by year’s end) Franchises introduced: October 2009 Franchise cost: $500,000 for turnkey operation Gallons of milk used per year: 100,000+ Shovels for gelato cups and samples used per year: 11 million People served at each location: 500 to 1,500 daily Flavors daily: 38 Flavors in Frost’s dossier: 100+

PHOTOS: BRENT G. MATHIS

Most popular flavors: Chocolate and Sea Salt Caramel 2017 expansion in United States: Austin, Texas (February) Albuquerque, New Mexico (April) San Diego, California (May) Rancho Cucamonga,California (end of summer). International expansion: More locations in the Middle East Plans to open Frost in Mexico, India and Canada Philanthropic efforts: Frost regularly donates product and gift cards to schools and events. Each year Frost is involved in The Event for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson and fundraisers for Diamond Children’s Medical Center and Angel Charity for Children. 38 BizTucson

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BizDESSERT

The Cold and the Beautiful Frost’s Reception Has Been Anything But Icy By Valerie Vinyard From left

Jeffrey Kaiserman & Stephen Ochoa Co-Founders & Co-Owners Frost – A Gelato Shoppe

Business partners Jeffrey Kaiserman and Stephen Ochoa were headed out of town in mid-April when they made a stop at one of their 14 gelato shops, performing a little quality control, tasting a shake and serving up some of their creamy product. The two partners in Frost – A Gelato Shoppe have made their mark locally, nationally and internationally – with their newest addition in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is where they were headed when they stopped at their Oracle Road location and chatted up the employees. “Our goal was to develop a concept and a brand,” said Kaiserman, 37, of the company that now has two franchises in Kuwait. “We also wanted to develop a theme: When you walk in, it’s cool, it’s blue. Everything is made fresh daily on-site. It’s the total package – the product, the presentation and the service.” Now an international brand, Frost first opened in Tucson in May 2005. With five locations in Arizona, three of those in Tucson, its potential remains relatively untapped with its detailed and consistent branding. The two imported a master gelato chef from Bologna, Italy, to serve as Frost’s corporate chef. Nazario Melchionda now lives in Tucson to create and perfect Frost’s gelato recipes. Each of the locations is about 1,500 square feet, and Kaiserman said 500 to 2,000 people visit each of Tucson’s stores daily. The local stores have a total of about 45 employees. Kaiserman and Ochoa met in second grade while attending Manzanita Elementary School in Tucson. A friendship developed over the years, and the two attended the University of Arizona, both graduating with communication degrees. Kaiserman originally wanted to be a sportscaster, but he didn’t want to work nights or weekends, said Ochoa, chuckling. “Now all I do is work nights and weekends,” continued on page 40 >>>

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Where to find Frost – A Gelato Shoppe United States Albuquerque, New Mexico Austin, Texas (2 locations) Dallas, Texas Gilbert, Arizona Highland Park, Illinois Naperville, Illinois Phoenix, Arizona San Antonio, Texas San Diego, California Tucson, Arizona (3 locations)

continued from page 39 laughed Kaiserman. “Seven days a week.” Though “gelato” translates to “ice cream” in Italian, in the United States the two terms mean different things. Both contain water, fat (either milk or cream) and sugar, which are mixed together and churned. Gelato uses more milk and less cream than ice cream and generally doesn’t use egg yolks, which are common in ice cream. Gelato has more milk compared to ice cream and, in turn, has less fat. Kaiserman said he has heard from Italians and people who have visited Italy who say that Frost’s gelato is as good, if not better, than true Italian versions. And the two maintain high standards of customer service. Manager Talia Peckham, a 20-year-old UA student, has worked for Frost about five years. “Our biggest priority is customer service,” said Peckham, noting the importance of bringing out water trays and samples to hot and hungry customers. “People notice the little things. This job has taught me so much about the real world.” In October 2009, Frost made fran40 BizTucson

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chises available. The $550,000 franchises are “turnkey” operations, meaning Frost will set up the infrastructure and training before turning it over. They understand the importance of maintaining Frost’s presentation and recipes for quality and continuity. When a new store opens, they provide two weeks of on-site support to help set up and train employees. Franchisees also must purchase the same brands of products and equipment from Italy, including the sleek glass cases that showcase the 38 flavors of gelato. Frost’s reach also has gone worldwide – about 8,000 miles away – where two locations have been established in Kuwait, one in Kuwait City. The company’s website indicates a number of other franchises are in the works throughout the Middle East and in the United States. Back in Tucson, the gelato remains many Tucsonans’ favorite frozen treat. “I can’t get enough of their flavors,” said Charlie Cottingham, a 32-year-old customer service representative who was meeting friends at Frost’s Oracle Road location. “It’s delicious but seems more healthy than regular ice cream.” If you do an ounce-by-ounce comparison, Cottingham is correct. Gelato is lower in calories, fat and sugar by the ounce. Because gelato boasts a higher

density and subsequently a more intense flavor than ice cream, people tend to be satisfied eating fewer ounces. Both ice cream and gelato contain healthy nutrients, such as protein, calcium, phosphorous, potassium and B vitamins. Kaiserman provides a simple reason why gelato is served with a spade, which resembles a flat, squared-off “spoon,” instead of a rounded spoon – to better deliver the flavors. Alas, some flavors haven’t worked. Ochoa remembered a green apple flavor and a walnut version that didn’t fly with tasters. Because of their quality control, Frost has been voted best ice cream/gelato shop by local publications for 11 years running. “First, be best, then be first,” said Ochoa, quoting his dad, Steve. Frost – A Gelato Shoppe www.frostgelato.com 7131 N. Oracle Road (520) 797-0188 7301 E. Tanque Verde Road (520) 886-0354 2905 E. Skyline Drive (520) 299-0315

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PHOTOS: BRENT G. MATHIS

Middle East Kuwait City (2 locations)

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Ice Cream Crop The

of the

Local Shops Serve Up Homemade Treats

By Valerie Vinyard Isabella’s Ice Cream Chelsea Wood walked in Isabella’s Ice Cream on Fourth Avenue with her almost-2-year-old daughter, Sydney, after reading positive reviews on Yelp. After answering Wood’s questions and making her a coffee-flavored ice cream sandwich with homemade cookies, owner Kristel Johnson deftly won them over before they took the first bite. “This is amazing, that’s for sure,” said Wood, a 29-year-old student. “I like that they make it here. I like that they’re ecofriendly.” Her daughter also seemed to be a fan, although she was wearing almost as much of the vanilla with sprinkles and Oreo ice cream as she was eating. Johnson can relate. She has two daughters of her own, after all. In fact, Isabella’s is named after now-15-yearold Isabella Johnson. Johnson and her husband, Dominic, started the business in 2010 after buying a 1920 Ford Model T and converting it to a dessert truck. Now they have two vintage trucks that travel to corporate events and birthday parties. Isabella’s Fourth Avenue shop, formerly The Hopyard Deli and Market, opened in November 2016. You can order the all-natural ice cream at about 15 local restaurants, and all 13 of Arizona’s Whole Foods stores carry some of Isabella’s flavors. The company also hooked up with online delivery services such as GrubHub, so you can get your Isabella’s fix without leaving the house. 42 BizTucson

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Dominic & Kristel Johnson Co-owners Isabella’s Ice Cream At the shop, Johnson churns about 200 gallons a week in either 3- or 10-gallon batches. Eighteen flavors are available in the shop, and flavors are rotated out from about 40 recipes. Besides small ($3.50), medium ($5) and large ($6.50) cups, Isabella’s sells sundaes ($7.50), shakes ($5.50), sandwiches ($5) and popsicles ($3). A pint costs $7, and fresh waffle cones are $1. “It’s hard work, but we love it; it’s fun,” Johnson said. “I really like coming to work every day. Ice cream is happy.” Isabella’s Ice Cream www.isabellasicecream.com 210 N. 4th Ave. (520) 440-3583

Cashew Cow Mia Sarnowski couldn’t eat regular ice cream without getting sick. Being lactose-intolerant, the 22-yearold student wasn’t able to process the dairy found in most ice creams.

Enter Cashew Cow, which sells ice cream without the cream. In other words, it’s an oasis for people like Sarnowski. Cashew Cow transforms raw cashews into a handcrafted, dairy-free ice cream base, resulting in a surprisingly sweet and non-nutty flavor. The base is then combined with any variety of different ingredients to create the 10 or so flavors. Its flavors change regularly and might include strawberry, lemon poppyseed, chocolate chip cookie dough and cookies and cream. Mango and orange dream are seasonal offerings. Jennifer Newman opened the unique shop in December 2014. Her flavors especially are loved by people who have lactose, gluten or soy allergies. A current favorite is the kahlua almond fudge, according to ice cream maker Mark McKenna. “Everyone’s usually speechless,” said McKenna, 25. “Some of these people www.BizTucson.com

PHOTO: TOM SPITZ

Cashew Cow

Linda & Ken Sarnoski Co-owners The Screamery

Hub Ice Cream Factory

Giovanni Rizza Owner Giovanni’s Gelato Café

haven’t eaten ice cream in years.” McKenna said that his vegan-friendly creations have no cholesterol and zero grams of saturated fat. The shop also makes waffle cones. A scoop costs $4.25, two are $6.50, a pint is $12 and a quart costs $20. Ice cream cakes can be special ordered. Cashew Cow www.cashewcow.com 16 S. Eastbourne Ave. (520) 344–2269

Hub Ice Cream Factory The first premium ice cream shop and restaurant on Congress Street in recent years opened on Valentine’s Day in 2011. Over the past six years, Hub Restaurant and Ice Creamery has continued to offer mouthwatering ice cream flavors that include perennial favorites such as bourbon almond, oatmeal cookie dough and salted caramel. www.BizTucson.com

But the demand never stopped growing. So, in May 2015, Hub Ice Cream Factory opened across Congress Street to meet the outcry for Hub’s housemade frozen desserts. Hub’s website aptly describes its stable of 300-plus recipes: “We play with scratch-made flavors that evoke childhood memories, the Tucson desert’s eclectic cultures, and good old-fashioned yumminess.” Yummy, indeed. The 22 flavors available daily at Factory have included such far-flung options as a caliche ice cream, which was a dark chocolate ice cream with a spicy kick. Of course, the popular standbys also are available for lessadventurous palates. Scout Harrison, the 21-year-old front-of-house manager at Factory, said its two sorbet flavors are switched out weekly, while ice cream flavors are rotated out every three to six months. continued on page 44 >>>

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continued from page 43 “Our ice cream uses a very heavy whipping cream,” Harrison said. “They whip it around about 25 mph, so there are fewer air bubbles and not as many ice crystals.” That means there’s more ice cream packed into every 4-ounce cup, which costs $4 and comes with one or two flavors. An 8-ounce cup can include three flavors and costs $6.50. Fringe desserts like choco tacos and make-your-own ice cream sandwiches offer options beyond the dish or waffle cone. With the recent addition of The Screamery, three premium ice cream shops along Congress Street might seem a bit much. But Harrison said the competition hasn’t affected business. “We have really unique flavors,” said Harrison, noting that they once created a Skittle-flavored ice cream for the Tucson Children’s Museum. “They have their loyal customers and we have our loyal customers.” Hub Ice Cream Factory www.hubicecream.com 245 E. Congress St. (520) 622–0255 Hub Restaurant and Ice Creamery www.hubdowntown.com 266 E. Congress St. (520) 207–8201

The Screamery With its fourth location slated to open May 25 in the Arizona Pavilions near Cortaro Farms Road and I-10 exit, The Screamery is expanding like, well, wildfire. The local chain is owned by Ken and Linda Sarnoski, who opened their first location in July 2014 on Tucson’s eastside. According to The Screamery’s website, the Sarnoskis wanted to make ice cream the “old-fashioned” way using simple, natural ingredients. This includes using milk from grass-fed cows, which tends to be sweeter and richer. Linda Sarnoski said the “grass-fed ice cream’s” milk comes from California’s Organic Valley. The Screamery also pasteurizes its milk on-site to maintain better control over its flavors. The go-to flavor here is the sweet cream honeycomb, which tastes like dessert heaven with a slight crunch. Employee Danielle Carpenter, 22, said The Screamery uses raw organic honey from Marana to help create that flavor. “It has really become our signature flavor since we opened,” said Sarnoski, noting that flavor has won three consecutive ice cream showdowns at Maynards Market and Kitchen. Twenty-four flavors were at the Congress Street location on a recent weekday. Carpenter said that they make everything from scratch, including pasteurizing their own bases. All of The Screamery’s ice cream is created at the Broadway and Houghton Road location, so only 16 flavors are available for sale there to make room for the equipment. A scoop costs $4.50, a double is $6.75, a pint costs $10.75 and a quart is $20. Additional menu items include ice cream nachos, floats, sundaes and even a flight of flavors, where six sample-sized scoops allow diners to try a variety of flavors. continued on page 46 >>> 44 BizTucson

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A Scoop for a Cure A scoop of ice cream can help kids in need of a smile and a cure. The Hub Restaurant and Ice Creamery and its neighboring affiliate, Hub Ice Cream Factory, are chipping in to benefit child and teen cancer patients in the name of Kelsey Taylor Luria, the popular teen who succumbed to acute myeloid leukemia two years ago at the age of 18. Kelsey publicly and bravely battled the disease and left behind a legacy of good by creating the Bald Beauties Project to positively impact children and teens in three ways: • Providing photo shoots for those who lose their hair because of treatment as a way to “gain courage, strength and confidence while also enabling them to feel beautiful even without their hair” • Providing age-appropriate gifts for children and teens who are hospitalized • Raising funds for research into acute myeloid leukemia. In Kelsey’s memory, the Hub ice cream shops created a “Queen Bee” flavor, taking the nickname Kelsey was given in the hospital because of her love of honeycomb candy. The Queen Bee flavor is described as vanilla bean base, honeycomb toffee and dark chocolate shatter. For every scoop of “Queen Bee” sold, the shops will donate 25 cents and for each pint sold the donation will be a $1 to the Bald Beauties Project. The effort began in March and will go through July. To learn more about the Bald Beauties Project go to: baldbeautiesproject.org.

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Merchandise for sale includes $20 T-shirts available in a variety of colors. Some of The Screamery’s flavors can be found at Whole Foods locations, too. Kenny Reynaldo, 28, recently enjoyed a scoop of cookies and cream with a homemade waffle cone at The Screamery. He likes the convenient locations. “One of them is near my work, and one of them is near where I live,” he said. “It’s so good. I can’t eat here too much, or I’d need a second job.” Sarnoski said that no stabilizers or fillers are added to make the ice cream bigger. “We’re going back to a simpler time where ice cream is made with simple ingredients,” she said. “Our mouths aren’t getting confused by chemicals or flavors.” The Screamery www.thescreamery.com 2545 E. Speedway (520) 777–3080 50 S. Houghton Road, Suite 120 (520) 721-5299 250 E. Congress St. (520) 207–7486

Sullivan’s Eatery & Creamery Sullivan’s Eatery & Creamery power couple wins the longevity award in this super-premium group. It all started in 1986 for Jerry Sullivan and his wife, Kathy. The two moved to Tucson from Fargo, North Dakota, and purchased a Swenson’s that had been in business since 1977. Jerry had been in the corporate world at a manufacturing company, and the two wanted to open a business. For years, they operated the Swenson’s at Oracle and Orange Grove roads. The Sullivans eventually extricated themselves from the franchise and reinvented themselves as Sullivan’s Eatery & Creamery in December 2012. During the first six months with a new name, Sullivan, now 74, said sales were flat. He believed it was because when people saw the

name change they assumed the original owners were gone, and it “took a while to figure out how to get the most for my advertising dollar.” Once a flier was mailed out, sales took off. “It’s very good,” he said. “What we have is something you don’t see anywhere else in Tucson – 25 to 30 different sundaes, shakes, malts and old-fashioned fountain products.” To create the “nice and thick and rich and tasty” ice cream, Sullivan’s uses a high-fat ice cream mix that’s 16 percent butter fat. One of Sullivan’s most popular flavors is Swiss orange chocolate chip, although cookie dough and birthday cake batter options also attract fans. Four or five of the 35 flavors available are rotated out every month. The creamery also sells two sherbets, generally raspberry and rainbow, as well as one sorbet, which often is mango. “We have a good flavor selection,” he said. “There aren’t a lot of places in Tucson where you can get ice cream that’s made on premises.” Everything is made in-house except for sherbets and sorbets. Employees make the ice cream every Monday, Thursday and Sunday. Sullivan’s employs 25 to 30 people total. The restaurant’s capacity is 64, and it continues to offer American comfort food. “A lot of people come here because they can eat and then have ice cream,” said Sullivan, noting the restaurant’s burgers also have been highly rated. Sullivan’s prices are competitive: A scoop costs $3.35, a one-scoop sundae is $4.90, a two-scoop sundae is $6.35, hand-packed pints are $4.75 and hand-packed quarts are $7.15. Sullivan’s Eatery & Creamery www.sullivanseateryandcreamery. com 6444 N. Oracle Road (520) 297–9974

BizDESSERT Giovanni’s Gelato Café By Elena Acoba A 2-year-old gelato shop in Oro Valley may have Giovanni Rizza’s name on it, but it’s his wife, Agnes, who makes the magic that fills the case at Giovanni’s Gelato Café. Agnes worked in a gelato shop in Chicago for many years, mixing the creamy confection for sale. Giovanni worked in real estate and had done business in Tucson for 20 years before the couple moved here in part to open their own gelato place. “We had the idea to come here because it’s the right climate for gelato,” Giovanni said in his heavy native Sicilian accent. “In Chicago in the winter you don’t sell gelato.” Giovanni’s Gelato Café is in the corner of a shopping and business center that Giovanni owns just north of the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort. All of the recipes come from Agnes’ head, he said. Patrons will find fruit flavors like cherry and pineapple, at least seven versions of chocolate, and nut flavors such as hazel and almond. The signature flavor is Giovanni’s Gelato with coffee, chocolate, coconut, raisins and rum. Yum. The best-seller, he said, is salted caramel. The couple insists on using ingredients – except for milk and sugar – imported from Italy, where, Giovanni maintains, they are tailor-made for gelato. “That’s the one that invented gelato, in Italy,” he said. “In America they don’t have ingredients for gelato, they have ingredients for ice cream.” The shop also sells espresso and cappuccino from Italian-imported machines, as well as cannoli. A fourounce cup of gelato costs $3.99; six ounce, $4.99; eight ounce, $5.79; a pint, $10.85, and a quart, $17.85. Gelato can be served in a waffle cone for an additional 75 cents. Giovanni’s Gelato Cafe www.giovannisgelato.net 10110 N. Oracle Road (520) 328-8809 www.BizTucson.com

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BizMEDICINE

Roche Gets FDA Approval for Biomarker Test Roche Tissue Diagnostics, known locally as Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., has received FDA approval for a complementary biomarker test that may help in the fight against a type of bladder cancer. Urothelial carcinoma is the most common type of bladder cancer and, according to the American Cancer Society, is the fourth most-common cancer in men in the United States. The VENTANA PD-L1 (SP263) Assay will be used as a complementary diagnostic to provide PD-L1 status for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who are being considered for treatment with the FDA-approved anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy IMFINZI™ (durvalumab), which is made by AstraZeneca.

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PD-L1 is a protein involved in the suppression of the immune system, which can impact the body’s ability to fight cancer. Understanding the expression of PD-L1 in tumors can help iden-

tify patients most likely to benefit from immunotherapy. The test evaluates patient PD-L1 status using both tumor and immune cell staining and scoring within the tumor microenvironment, providing clinicians with information that may guide treatment decisions. “Urothelial carcinoma is an area of significant unmet medical need,” said Ann Costello, head of Roche Tissue Diagnostics. “We are very pleased the VENTANA PD-L1 (SP263) Assay has received FDA approval as it will serve as a powerful tool to help inform physicians about appropriate treatment options for their patients.”

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Tucson Subaru presented a check for $69,534 to Tucson nonprofit Youth On Their Own as part of Subaru’s national Share The Love event. It’s the third consecutive year that YOTO has received the cash award from Tucson Subaru as part of the national event. YOTO received a check of $64,000 in 2016 and one for $38,000 in 2015. YOTO board members were on hand at a ceremony at Tucson Subaru to formally accept the check. YOTO has been a dropout prevention program for over 30 years that supports the high school graduation of homeless, unaccompanied youth in the Greater Tucson region from the sixth

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grade to 12th grade (up to age 21) by providing financial assistance, basic human needs and guidance. With community contributions and support, YOTO has helped more than 15,000 students stay in school and remain focused on the goal of graduation, paving the way

to become self-sufficient, productive adults within their communities. Subaru of America donated $20 million to national and local charities in its 2016 Share the Love event, bringing the total donated over the past eight years to $70 million. During the event, customers who purchased or leased a vehicle during the two-month period selected one of several charities to receive a donation. The annual Share the Love event donated money to four national charities – ASPCA, MakeA-Wish, Meals On Wheels America and National Park Foundation – and more than 600 local charities.

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PHOTO: COURTESY YOUTH ON THEIR OWN

Tucson Subaru Supports Youth On Their Own

PHOTO: BRENT G. MATHIS

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Mayor Builds Relationships & Trust By Rhonda Bodfield

When Jonathan Rothschild made his initial bid for Tucson mayor in 2011, the city was facing a deep crisis of confidence. Over and over, the candidate heard the city was headed in the wrong direction with crumbling roads, lagging jobs and an icy relationship with business interests. Despite his 180-day plan pledging to work more closely with business, economic development www.BizTucson.com

leaders werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure the Democratic attorney was the man to start untangling the Gordian knot. Truth be told, although Rothschild had been a business and estate planning lawyer for 30 years, he was only passing acquaintances with many key business leaders in a social setting. He didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a deep familiarity with the players and continued on page 52 >>> Summer 2017

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BizLEADERSHIP Mayor’s Initiatives Making an Impact By Rhonda Bodfield When Mayor Jonathan Rothschild talks about the city’s focus on luring new business to town, he can talk development incentives and borderlands trade with the best of them. But beyond that, the mayor is credited with partnering with other organizations to build stronger community programs - from improving education to health and wellness and the environment. “When I ran for office, I told people I could promise them this – that I would work hard, every day, for the city I love,” Rothschild said in his State of the City Address this year. “In this, I am not alone. I’ve been so encouraged by the number of people I see, every day, who are working to make Tucson thrive.” Businesses and individuals looking for more opportunities for engagement may consider the following mayoral initiatives:

Help for Homebuyers Home ownership helps stabilize neighborhoods. The mayor’s office routinely holds events that share information about assistance programs to help low- and middle-income Tucsonans get into a home.

Steps to Success re-enrollment walks Working with Tucson Unified School District, the mayor’s office helped coordinate five walks in which teams knocked on the doors of recent high school dropouts. Since it began in 2014, the program has brought nearly 550 students back to school, with 76 of them graduating.

Support for Davis-Monthan The mayor’s office has encouraged stronger coordination between city and base emergency response teams, and is supporting programs to help civilian spouses find work as well as others designed to improve the quality of life for airmen who serve.

STEM internships The mayor’s office and the University of Arizona STEM Learning Center are working together to increase STEM internships locally. Obtaining an intern has been streamlined to a one-page process. Ending veteran homelessness Tucson is one of 25 cities nationally leading the effort to end veteran homelessness, with the mayor’s office partnering with more than a dozen agencies. Since the program began in 2013, just shy of 2,000 homeless veterans have been assisted.

10,000 Trees The mayor has worked with Trees for Tucson and other partners to encourage the planting of thousands of trees to help reduce heat and improve the environment. The program reached 10,000 trees in late 2014 and continues to build more shade canopy since – including at schools – with the assistance of donors. Tucson Moves a Million Miles The mayor encouraged Tucson to get moving, introducing Tucson Fitness Month and challenging community members to collectively log millions of miles of physical activity.

Second Chance Coalition Through work with other partners, the mayor’s office continues to support events that assist people re-entering the community after incarceration. Each job fair typically results in 60 to 90 people being hired, making them less likely to reoffend. Great Start program In collaboration with school districts and nonprofits, the mayor’s office is working to reward achievement by students who might otherwise not be able to afford to visit a museum or attend a play or concert. The program provides admission for the student and one adult. The mayor also is working to increase the number of mentors who will support children in need of role models.

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continued from page 51 wasn’t steeped in the issues they believed were barriers to growth. The Tucson Metro Chamber picked another horse. But the day after Rothschild handily swept the election, Chamber CEO Mike Varney received a call from the mayorelect, inviting him to come to his office. The invite went something like this: “It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We’ve got a lot to do.” “That was a demonstration of class I will always remember and it kicked off what has been a positive, productive relationship ever since,” Varney said. Tony Penn, the president of United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona who served as chair of the Tucson Metro Chamber for part of Rothschild’s tenure, similarly recalled those initial conversations – much of them focused on the slow, decidedly unsexy work of analyzing codes, certifications and licensing requirements. Processes were streamlined. Lag time was reduced. “By showing itself to be a good partner to business – and accountable to taxpayers at the same time – the city has become a better environment for new businesses to plant a flag and for existing business to thrive,” Penn said, adding that the recent Bloomberg report calling out Tucson as having the country’s third-fastest job growth is evidence of the difference. “It’s very important that our economy is one that will attract business. I like to say the best remedy for poverty is a living-wage job.” Rothschild acknowledged it took a lot of dialogue to begin establishing trust – and that worked both ways. “I really tried to communicate to city staff why sometimes the private sector can be frustrated with the public sector, but also tried to explain to the business community that there was a reason why public sector had to behave as it did. There was really a wariness from both sides.” continued on page 54 >>> www.BizTucson.com

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continued from page 52 Rothschild persisted, committed to trying to come to a place of engagement. “That doesn’t mean we’re always going to agree,” he said, “but there needs to be a willingness to listen to other points of view, give everyone a say and find some compromise along the way.” Of course, trust also comes with success – and the city has had some notable wins. Rio Nuevo’s evolution as a can-do redevelopment agency has created a new environment for their mutual work. Caterpillar came. The Roadrunners ice hockey team signed on. Downtown incentives evolved. The Tucson Convention Center hit the refresh button. “Over time, what I learned,” said Rothschild, “was that if we’re going to be successful in building that business community – including attracting new business to town and helping the new businesses that were here – you have to work in partnerships, whether that’s with the county, with Sun Corridor, with Rio Nuevo.” The change has been remarkable. Mark Irvin, who serves as the secretary of the Rio Nuevo board outside of his commercial real estate efforts, supported Rothschild in his first election. At the time, Irvin was dismayed at the toxic relationship between the city and his board – with the two entities embroiled in litigation and consumed by distrust. “I told him, ‘Jonathan, I will support you on one condition – when you are elected, you’ll be part of the solution and will help Rio Nuevo and the City of Tucson settle our differences and move forward in a productive manner.’ He agreed. And he has not let me down. We’ve learned to work well together to really harness the horsepower of the community. It just took getting everyone on one page.” Rothschild wrought converts from critics in three parts – open communication, coalition building and plain hard work. Stories are legion about emails time-stamped before 5 a.m. He’s usually in his office by 6:30 a.m. weekdays and on the go from there until 7:30 p.m., plus a half dozen weekend events and speaking engagements. Varney called him the hardest working mayor he’s ever met. “You can’t punch a clock and be a good mayor,” Rothschild said. “To do this job right, you have to work like that. The trick is to make sure the things you’re working on re-energize you.” One of those moments happened when the citizens supported the city’s road bond at the ballot. “It not only showed citizens were willing to place their trust back in city government,” Rothschild said, “but it also gave the city the opportunity to show we could be trusted. And we have. We’ve done what we said we were going to do.” Ted Maxwell, president of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, credits the Mayor with “continuously putting all he has into making Tucson a better place. No matter the issue he is addressing – whether it is finding a way to fix roads, encouraging kids to stay in school, helping homeless veterans or working to increase trade with Mexico – Jonathan Rothschild shows up and does all he can to make a difference.” Rothschild has not been afraid to share big goals. When he took office, he said he wanted to make a difference in education – a statement that to some sounded hollow, given that the city council doesn’t have responsibility 54 BizTucson

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BizLEADERSHIP for school boards or funding for dry-erase markers and school buses. But the mayor worked with local districts to build a volunteer base to knock on doors to get kids back in school, to get tickets for families to experience the arts or to tie them more closely with social service programs. “Having a healthy education system is critical if you want to have a healthy business community,” Rothschild said. For Lea Márquez-Peterson, president and CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, that kind of willingness to collaborate to achieve hard goals is admirable. “The mayor has a white board in his office where he very visibly keeps his priorities and goals,” MárquezPeterson said. “Even with all the notes and the circles, there’s a real transparency in what direction he’s going. I stand there really pretty unabashedly and look at the board to figure out where I fit in there. I applaud that kind of openness.” She’s also been impressed with his work in building relationships – not just with other business interests and even working toward a more aligned city council – but with his focus on Mexico. Joe Snell, president and CEO of Sun Corridor Inc., credits the mayor for his commitment to economic development. “Under Mayor Rothschild’s tenure, the City has developed a comprehensive economic development plan with a focus on talent, infrastructure and business environment. The City recognizes the importance of having a friendly, predictable business environment and a streamlined approach to development services and permitting processes, in order to be attractive to new and expanding businesses.” When Bob Logan assumed leadership of the DM50 last year – a civic organization designed to support DavisMonthan Air Force Base and its $1.5 billion impact to the local economy – one of his first official acts was to reach out to the Mayor. Borrowing a page from Clovis, New Mexico, which rallied to protect Cannon Air Force Base from a base closure round, DM50 was looking for a way to demonstrate community support for the base through a multi-pronged community effort. “Mayor Rothschild is a great partner. Today business, nonprofits and the public sector are working together to provide a Youth Center for Excellence for the youth on base. Whether from an advocacy standpoint, or just assisting in helping us clear any bureaucratic obstacles we may encounter, we are very appreciative of his 100-percent engagement on this important initiative.” Rothschild said he has no intention of coasting on the string of recent victories. He rattled off a list of new goals, including issuing a call for strengthening community-based mentoring for kids in need. Mentors ideally would supplement the work being done by youth advocacy nonprofits and would potentially serve as role models who would steer youngsters to internships and summer programs and good decisions along their journey to college. “We’re always looking for ways to be better,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a question of being efficient, quicker. Sometimes it’s a question of building alignment, such as the work we’re doing with the county. A lot of the time, it’s just about continuing to develop the economic development infrastructure of our community. Everyone is out there hustling to get the same business. We have to put in real effort if we’re going to be successful.” www.BizTucson.com

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Col. Scott C. Campbell

Commander of the 355th Fighter Wing Davis-Monthan Air Force Base

Col. Kim Campbell

612th Theater Operations Group Commander Davis-Monthan Air Force Base 56 BizTucson

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BizMILITARY

Davis-Monthan’s Power Couple

Married Colonels Serve Country and Focus on Family By David Pittman They are literally the predominate power couple in all of Tucson and Southern Arizona, but most people here know little to nothing about them. Meet the Colonels Campbell, a powerful force at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base:

• Col.

Scott Campbell, 43, is the installation commander at D-M and also commands the 355th Fighter Wing, the military unit that operates the A-10 jet aircraft at the base. He is a command pilot with more than 3,200 flight hours in various jet aircraft. Like his wife, he has flown in support of Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

• Col.

PHOTO: CHRIS MOONEY

Kim Campbell, 41, is commander of the 612th Theater Operations Group and the 474th Air Expedition Group, which provides oversight and administrative support for U.S. Air Force operations in Central America, South America and the Caribbean. She is a senior pilot with more than 1,600 hours in the A-10.

How does a married couple rise through the ranks of the military to such a high level? It isn’t easy and few have done it. It takes courage, commitment, mental toughness, loyalty, patriotism, obedience and sacrifice – lots of sacrifice. The high-ranking duties the couple have today require frequent travel to faraway places. “One week I’m going to www.BizTucson.com

Turkey and she’s preparing to leave for Guantanamo Bay,” Scott said. “Then she’s traveling to Honduras and I’m planning a trip to Capitol Hill. My front office is constantly trying to balance our schedules.” The Campbells said their marriage has provided one huge career benefit: They each have access to the other’s knowledge and counsel on professional leadership and military matters. “Each of us understand the other’s job and the difficulties and challenges of command,” Kim said. “It’s easy to bounce things off one another because each knows the stresses of command and the circumstances the other is facing. When you get to this rank, it’s nice to get home at night and have a sounding board for tough decisions.” The Campbells were married Sept. 18, 1999. However, during the first five years of their marriage, with the exception of one month in 2002, the couple lived apart and saw one another for only brief periods at a time. “We’ve spent a lot of time apart, so we’ve learned not to take our time together for granted,” said Kim. “Couples with demanding jobs in the civilian world probably experience that as well. But the unique part about the military is deployments, and you don’t always have a say in where you’re going.” “Most commanders didn’t want us to be deployed together,” said Scott. “It goes back to WWII when three brothers serving in the Navy were all killed on the same ship at the same time.” Scott and Kim met at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and became friends. Scott graduated in 1995, Kim in 1997. “We didn’t date while attending the academy,” Scott said. “We started dating after she graduated.”

Upon leaving the academy, Kim attended graduate school at the University of London, while Scott completed his A-10 pilot training at D-M and was assigned to Pope AFB in Fayetteville, North Carolina. After two years of long-distance dating, which included extensive old-school letter-writing and several trips across the Atlantic for both, the relationship evolved into a long-distance marriage. Days after the couple’s wedding, Scott was deployed to Kuwait and was flying missions as part of Operation Southern Watch. The Campbells were finally stationed together in January 2002 at Pope Air Force Base. But they lived together for only a month before being separated again. The couple served in different A-10 squadrons that were alternately deployed to the Middle East. “We were together in January and I was deployed in February,” Scott said. “When I came home, Kim was deployed.” Their squadrons traveled back and forth between Afghanistan and Iraq. They saw one another for only short periods of time. “There was one sevenmonth period when we spent only five days together when we overlapped in Kuwait,” Kim said. Through all their combat missions, the closest either came to the ultimate sacrifice occurred April 7, 2003, the day the A-10 Kim was flying over Baghdad was hit hard by a surface-to-air missile that put some 300 holes into the jet and sent shrapnel into the aircraft. “The weather was not good, so we descended below the clouds to better see the target area,” Kim recalled. “Our guys on the ground were taking fire from the Iraqi Republican Guard. We continued on page 58 >>> Summer 2017 > > > BizTucson 57

BizMILITARY continued from page 57 made a couple passes and decided to get above the weather and reassess things. I had shot some rockets and as I came off target I felt and heard a huge impact at the back of the jet. “I immediately lost all hydraulics. In the A-10 the hydraulics is what controls our flight system. But we do have a backup system called ‘manual reversion.’ I switched that over and was able to get the jet flying again. But there was a good few seconds where the jet wasn’t responding, I wasn’t climbing and I looked down at Baghdad and thought, ‘I might have to eject.’ ” Kim emerged unscathed from the A-10 after turning it around, flying another hour and landing it in Kuwait. For her actions that day she was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Finally, in 2005, the Campbells were in the same place at the same time for more than a few days. They were stationed at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, where they lived together for three years. Scott described their time at Nellis as “the perfect setup. “I taught at the weapons school and Kim was assigned a position in the A-10 Test and Evaluations Squadron,” he said. “Neither of those units was deployable and we had a home together.” Minus deployments, which have been many, they’ve been together ever since. For a year starting in June 2008, the couple was at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, where they attended the Army Command and General Staff College. It was there that their first child was born. The Campbells with their infant son spent three years at D-M from June 2009 to July 2012 serving as commanders of two different A-10 squadrons. “While we were here at D-M, I deployed for six months to Afghanistan when our first son was about one and a half years old,” Kim said. “Scott had just taken squadron command.” “It was a challenging time,” said Scott of his stint as a single parent and new squadron commander. When the Campbells’ second child was born, the situation was reversed. “Scott was deployed for a year when our second son was born and I had the two kids by myself and was working full time. That was tough,” Kim said. “But this is something military families do on a regular basis.” The couple’s two boys are now ages 8 and 4. “We couldn’t have gotten where we are without help,” Kim said. “Nannies, friends, co-workers and family have bailed us out in getting through some of the tougher times of deployments – or as we call it, ‘single-parent ops.’ ” Both Kim and Scott said their biggest priority today is keeping their family together. “We’ve had friends that have gone through the same situation we are in and some reached the point where someone had to step aside,” said Scott. “Our number one concern is what’s best for our family.” “Our kids are very young and we want to make sure we’re available for them,” Kim said. “This has been our career for a long time. We’ve always decided we’d take things one assignment at a time because it’s stressful to look too far ahead.”

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BizBIOSCIENCE

“

I think Arizona has established that this is a core capability that we have in biosciences. We’re putting all the things around it. It’s going to light a real fire.

”

– Phil Wickham Executive Chairman Kauffman Fellows

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Capital Gains Bioscience a Spark Away from Greatness By Jay Gonzales Arizona is just a spark away from being a national and even worldwide center of innovation in the biosciences industry thanks to a recent trend of increased collaboration across several fronts creating opportunities, said Phil Wickham, who was in Tucson in April as the keynote speaker at the Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Luncheon hosted by the Flinn Foundation. “I think that Arizona is doing all the right things,” said Wickham, a University of Arizona graduate with a long history as a venture investor and startup entrepreneur. Wickham currently serves as executive chairman of the Kauffman Fellows, an organization whose mission is to develop the next generation of leaders in venture capital. “I think Arizona has established that this is a core capability that we have in biosciences. We’re putting all the things around it,” he said. “Then typically what happens is someone is going to come in, some catalyst – be it a fund, be it the next hot company – and it’s going to light a real fire. That would be my guess. Arizona is like a pile of really dry kindling waiting for a spark.” While the state has a geographic disadvantage of not being at the center of venture capital hotbeds like the Silicon Valley, Boston or New York, it still can be in position to attract capital if it can continue to build on the momentum of recent years of collaboration between public and private entities to attract business to Arizona. “Geography has its good points and its bad points,” Wickham said. “You have lower cost of development. You have attractive quality of life. All of those things are good.” But what can be a barrier is all the “noise” of startup firms that compete worldwide for the precious venture capital dollars needed to launch their technology, he said.

“The thing that’s very hard for people in Arizona to understand is how noisy it is for the venture capital firms that would be looking at companies coming out of Arizona,” Wickham said. “There’s just so much going on, so much noise, that creating a signal to rise above that noise is a challenge.” Over his 20 years in the venture capital environment, Wickham said he has seen a noticeable shift in the level of collaboration taking place in Arizona among public and private entities, where there were once silos causing dysfunction and creating impenetrable barriers. “It’s the reputation that every ecosystem has that doesn’t function,” Wickham said. “It’s human nature for people to silo themselves into communities. You’re a department of a university or a corporation, you’re not inclined to share and collaborate. It’s not human beings at their best, but it’s how human beings operate under ambiguity. “What happens when information starts to flow and they get a taste of collaboration and innovation is that a lot of that threat goes away because you realize I’m not protecting anything and all I’m doing is blocking myself from all this potential once these ideas start to flow.” Wickham said the success of the biosciences industry in Arizona is in the hands of the locals who need to build on the momentum and be seen as interesting, attractive and welcoming for outside investors looking for the next big thing. “There’s a lot you can do as an ecosystem to help capital find you,” he said. “I think the growth of things like regional accelerators are really important if they’re well run. It’s not hard to get somebody from a money center to fly to Tucson or Scottsdale or Phoenix or Flagstaff and look at 12 great companies. If those companies are interested, they’ll come back, and if they aren’t, they won’t.” Biz www.BizTucson.com

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BizTECHNOLOGY

Southern Arizona Tech + Business Expo The Southern Arizona Tech + Business Expo returns to the Tucson Convention Center on Wednesday, Oct. 25. The Expo, hosted by the Arizona Technology Council, is in its fifth year and will provide a platform for regional technology leaders to showcase their latest technology or business process innovation and services. The AZTC will also honor three Southern Arizona companies for their achievements in helping to transform their respective industries through innovation and new products and promoting the technology sector in the region. The awards are for Southern Arizona Innovator, Manufacturer and Member of the Year. “The Expo offers the region’s technology leaders an opportunity to elevate their presence in our business community,” said Alex Rodriguez, VP of the Arizona Technology Council’s

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Southern Arizona office. “It is a great representation of our diverse membership base with companies from Phoenix and Southern Arizona coming together to create more economic growth in Arizona.” The Expo will once again feature the Company Technology Innovator Presentations. The 10-minute format allows companies to take center stage and present their latest innovation, new product or business success. Attendees also will connect and network with the Arizona Technology Council’s diverse membership base made up of companies in aerospace, aviation and defense; commercial space technology; healthcare and biosciences; high-tech contract manufacturing; information technology and cyber security services; mining technology; optics, photonics and astronomy; and strategic business services.

Biz

Press Conference for Vector Space Systems with CEO Jim Cantrell, Alex Rodriguez of the Arizona Tech Council and Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson.

SOUTHERN ARIZONA TECH + BUSINESS EXPO Wednesday, Oct. 25 Tucson Convention Center 1–7 p.m. Sponsorships Available $50 AZTC member, $75 non-member Exhibitor Cost: AZTC member exhibitor $500, non-member $600 www.aztechcouncil.org

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BizSALES

The Relationship Edge – Are You on It, in It or over It? By Jeffrey Gitomer

Beginning a relationship is easy. Exploration is predominantly on the surface. Nothing too deep. Nothing too wide. Nothing too revealing. In the beginning, all is well. Friendships blossom. Feelings emerge. And life is good. It’s like fast dancing at a bar. You kind of get to know the other person without touching them. Watch them move, see their rhythm, exchange smiles, scream a word or two, and at the end of the song, thank the person for their time. You get to know them and decide if you want to dance again. If you like them and believe you have some things in common, you may dance again. And again. If you feel good about the relationship and a bit of trust emerges, you may permit a transaction to take place. A meeting, a dinner, a sale or, in a social setting, even a kiss. As the relationship matures, facts and truths begin to reveal themselves – causing decisions to be made about the future of the relationship, including things like its length. And one day you begin to see things you’ve never seen before, because life and business life take over and reality sets in based on daily transactions and interactions, coupled with patience, emotions, feelings and responses. Measuring value, worth and trust of the relationship in business – I’ll refer to these elements as edges. You have edges or levels past which you will not go. Tolerance levels, social levels, service levels, philosophical levels and business levels. If someone tries to go past your edge, your tolerance level, you, in some manner, rebuff or deny them. Maybe even dismiss them. Your compatibility for and with the other person’s edges, combined with your acceptance of the other person’s edges, will determine how the relationship grows or dies. For example, I’m not a smoker. Nor am I much of a drinker. If I’m around a drinking smoker, it’s past my edges, and I don’t want to be around them much. I didn’t say ever. I just said much. I may have a business relationship with a smoking drinker, but I’d never have a social relationship with him or her. There are ethical edges, both personal and business. If someone goes past your ethical edges, you have a reaction, often acute, that says “danger.” It can be as “innocent” as 64 BizTucson

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cheating on your golf score or as serious as cheating on your taxes or not paying your bills. It can be an erroneous invoice or an unmet crucial (promised) delivery date – but whatever it is, it’s a relationship breaker. And then there are the emotional edges. How someone reacts when something goes wrong or how someone responds to a point of argument. And how you feel about or judge their reaction. Are they whiny? Are they quick-tempered? Are they abrasive? Are they abusive? Are they somewhat of a wildcard? Flying off the handle. Or worse, showing characteristics that you either don’t like or fear. A temper. A hostility. A vindictiveness. An anger. An insult. Even the threat of physical violence. In other words, are they inside (safe) or outside (unsafe) your emotional edge? Edges have a counterpoint: tolerance. You can tolerate almost anything for a short space of time. But each time someone goes over your edge, you become less and less tolerant, either verbally or silently. Personally, I believe that “past the edge” silent thoughts are more dangerous and more powerful. Dangerous because they’re left unsaid and allow the present situation to continue. More powerful because they begin to deepen and build emotion. And like any latent power, eventually, it explodes. What are your edges? Where do you draw the line? What are you willing to accept in others in order to continue a relationship? Many spousal relationships become petty before they end. Leaving the cap off the toothpaste. Dirty laundry lying around. Dirty dishes in the sink. The gas tank on empty. Dumb little things that erode love because after a hundred abrasive times, it’s over someone else’s edge. Of course, there are worse edges in personal relationships. For the purposes of this writing, I’d rather not get into them. And if you’ve forgotten what they are – any local news program will remind you of them nightly. Rather, I’m challenging you to widen your field of acceptable edges. Extend your patience. Figure out how you can help first rather than complain, nag, bicker, nitpick or whine. Figure out how you can compromise just a bit more. Figure how you can have a bit more understanding and empathy for the other guy’s position or situation. And figure out how you can be more of a resource than a resister. More of a yes than a no. Your personal edges determine your business and career edges. And your happiness.

Biz

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of 12 best-selling books, including “The Sales Bible” and “The Little Red Book of Selling” and “The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude.” His real-world ideas and content are also available as online courses at www.GitomerLearningAcademy.com. For information about training and seminars visit www.Gitomer.com or www.GitomerCertifiedAdvisors.com, or email Jeffrey personally at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2017 All Rights Reserved. Don’t even think about reproducing this document without written permission from GitGo, LLC, Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer. (704) 333-1112

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BizOPINION

Reaching Out for Research By Kimberly Andrews Espy

“

Researchers at the UA work to address challenges that are connected with our region, from agriculture to defense and security to water and energy in our semi-arid environment. –

”

Kimberly Andrews Espy Senior VP of Research University of Arizona

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Of all the things that make the University of Arizona a one-of-a-kind Tucson treasure, our dedication to research and discovery is chief among them. We’re one of the nation’s top 25 public research universities – with the largest research portfolio in the state – and we know we can’t do it alone. Research is about collaboration. People coming together to solve problems that affect them. For us, that means working with our business community to create a bright future for the state of Arizona. We’re open for business, and we’ve made it easier to collaborate with us. Researchers at the UA work to address challenges that are connected with our region, from agriculture to defense and security to water and energy in our semi-arid environment. To facilitate collaboration, we’ve developed a series of facilities that act as hubs for partnership with government and industry, such as our WEST Center. The $5.5 million facility represents a partnership that brings together stakeholders at the UA, Pima County, the City of Tucson and industry partners to help solve the issues of water and water usage – right at the water source. Another is the Defense & Security Research Institute. Led by Austin Yamada, a former deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Defense, DSRI helps leverage the UA’s research strengths to better compete for external investment with Arizona’s large aerospace and defense economy. We have dozens of “core” facilities – recently updated with a $14-million investment in high-tech equipment – where industry and campus researchers can access high-precision, high-throughput equipment along with highly specialized expertise to deliver results. They provide users with access to state-of-the-art instrumentation and unrivaled expertise. We have developed new master agreements to deepen our engagement with business partners, including Raytheon and Ball Aerospace & Technologies, so that we can get applied research needs of industry done quickly and efficiently. Lastly, UA’s Strategic Business Initiatives team serves as a one-stop shop dedicated to engaging and serving our business community. They work to marry industry needs with UA research capacity, providing a streamlined, no-fuss client experience – one point

of contact for your business needs. We are fortunate to have attracted Stephen Fleming, who most recently managed a 200-person economic development group for Georgia Tech, to lead our business unit. We know that workforce production and research go hand-in-hand, so we’re training the next generation of innovative, realworld-ready employees. We’re doing our part to ensure that your future employees are on the ball. Students are the research engine at UA and make up 40 percent of employees on research grants – much more than those at our peer institutions. As you read in the column by Melissa Vito in the last issue of “BizTucson,” our 100% Engagement Initiative is aimed at making UA graduates the most competitive in the career market. So that students have the capabilities employers seek in prospective employees, UA students learn techniques and skills by conducting research alongside faculty and working in internships that may propel them to launch new businesses or take their skills worldwide. Eighty-nine percent of the companies report that our students are well prepared, compared to 29 percent nationwide. We believe that research is fundamentally about the discovery of new knowledge – and we’re here to help. Research is about pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Everything we do as researchers starts and ends with the hope that it will, in one way or another, create new technologies, new understandings, and provide benefit to our society. We have the largest research portfolio in the state, a distinction that comes with its fair share of responsibility. The UA research enterprise is directly responsible for more than 7,000 high-tech jobs in Arizona that supports our healthy economy. Our employees pay taxes, shop and eat locally and give to charities close to their hearts, all of which go right back into fueling our state and local economy. We invite you to join us in the opportunities ahead. We look forward to it.

Biz

Kimberly Andrews Espy is senior VP of research at the University of Arizona. She is also a translational clinical neuroscientist whose research focuses on cognitive development in young children and infants. www.BizTucson.com

SPECIAL REPORT 2017

THE REGIONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

HOTBED OF INNOVATION

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The Vision

Tucson’s Thriving High-Tech Economy By Romi Carrell Wittman

TIMELINE

In the foreseeable, not-too-distant future, your life might be saved by a graft that infuses living cells into your heart to overcome previous deficiencies. You might work in a building made from stronger, cleaner concrete. You could power your home entirely with affordable and reliable solar power. Medications could be available that work with your genetic makeup and your specific disease. And when that happens, Tucson will be a hub for thousands of high-tech, high-wage jobs, diversifying our economy, attracting new talent and retaining University of Arizona graduates who 15 years earlier would have left for the top tech centers of the day. 1994

The University of Arizona purchases the future tech park site from IBM. Major tenants IBM and Raytheon employ 1,200 people onsite.

1997

1998

Economic impact study – UA Tech Park houses 17 tenant companies which employ 4,173 people, generating $28.8 million in tax revenue and a total economic impact of $1.13 billion.

Vail High School begins offering classes onsite.

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This may sound like the colorful fantasy of a chamber of commerce brochure, but each of these technologies was born of UA research and is in the process of being brought to market with the help of the UA’s Tech Launch Arizona. The man overseeing this process is David Allen, who came to head TLA five years ago after more than 30 years in technology-related research, instruction and practice. He brought with him an innovative approach to technology transfer and commercialization that has resulted in dozens of successful TLAassisted startups and hundreds of technology licenses to existing companies. Tech commercialization is a quint-

Summer 2017

essential “black box” – inventions go in and products come out. This seems fairly straightforward, yet in practice it’s a difficult multi-step process. Most technologies never make it. For a technology, or venture based on a technology to be successful, critical resources must already be in place – namely talent and funding. “Commercialization is more likely to happen where there’s a density of entrepreneurs and tech people drawn into the process. That’s not Tucson. Not yet,” Allen said. “Tucson is evolving and we are working to build an analog to communities like Austin and Boulder.” The vision is clear. From the start, Allen set out to build

1999

2001

• Economic impact study – UA Tech Park houses 21 tenant companies which employ 5,309 people, generating $38.9 million in tax revenue and a total economic impact of $1.45 billion.

• Economic impact study – UA Tech Park houses 31 tenant companies which employ 5,949 people, generating $49 million in tax revenue and a total economic impact of $1.87 billion.

• NP Photonics – the Tech Park’s first UA-faculty-led company – begins operations.

• UA Tech Park receives Park of the Year Award from Association of University Research Parks.

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BizTECHNOLOGY

something different than the usual, university-run tech transfer office. Under the UA’s Never Settle Strategic Plan, he was given the keys to drive a new vehicle – Tech Launch Arizona – based on the former UA Office of Technology Transfer and the well-established Tech Parks Arizona. Allen said, “It was good that no one knew about TLA – it gave us the chance to create and build the brand.” In its first year, the UA committed $1 million to TLA’s asset development program, which provides funding to prepare early-stage technologies for the marketplace. “We’re supporting the research mission of the university, just in a different way,” Allen said. “It’s no lon2003

• Arizona Center for Innovation opens as an incubator for startups.

2004

• Citi becomes a major tenant. • Economic impact study – UA Tech Park houses 31 tenant companies which employ 6,226 people, generate $43.7 million in tax revenue www.BizTucson.com

ger just research and publication.” Allen took a proactive approach to how the university transforms inventions into intellectual property for commercialization. Rather than wait for faculty to knock on TLA’s door seeking help, Allen has embedded staff in key colleges – meaning TLA is continuously aware of new developments as they occur and can offer assistance as needed. In addition, a 1,400-person network – half of whom are UA alumni – volunteer as technology and business domain experts to help move technology down the pipeline. Four experienced “mentors in residence” with records of success also help build and advise teams for startup companies.

and a total economic impact of $1.92 billion.

2006

UA South begins offering classes at the UA Tech Park.

2007

• In a non-cash transaction, the UA acquires 65 acres of land at 36th Street and Kino Boulevard for the UA Tech Park at The Bridges.

Allen has set high goals for TLA, among them to be a preeminent national resource for its role in commercializing UA-related knowledge and bringing it to the public. He wants to achieve this by 2020. “University reputations have economic value,” he said. “As we are increasingly successful, we become more attractive to students and faculty who want to create impact beyond their classroom or laboratory. Furthermore, as we become really good at commercialization, we gain a new dimension of relevancy. People will feel comfortable investing in the university.” Biz

• Economic impact study – UA Tech Park houses 32 tenant companies which employ 6,175 people, generating $63.9 million in tax revenue and a total economic impact of $2.45 billion.

2008

$77.9 million in tax revenue and a total economic impact of $3.02 billion.

2009

Economic impact study – UA Tech Park houses 40 tenant companies which employ 6,938 people, generating

• UA receives a $4.7 million grant from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, for infrastructure improvements. Construction of onsite infrastructure begins for the UA Tech Park at The Bridges.

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BizTECHNOLOGY

University Moves Ideas from Lab to Market By Romi Carrell Wittman

TIMELINE

Tech Launch Arizona is on a mission to make life better for you, for all Arizonans and, really, people everywhere. TLA is an extension of the University of Arizona’s research and development focus, helping to bring inventions developed at the university to the global marketplace. “Today it’s no longer simply research and publication – but research, publication and commercialization,” said David Allen, VP of TLA. The process begins with an invention – an idea that is likely to be patentable and, through further development, can either become a new product or an enhancement to an existing product. When students come to TLA with such inventions, the staff connects them with the James E. Rogers College of Law IP and Entrepreneurship Clinic,

continued from page 73 • Economic impact study – UA Tech Park houses 40 tenant companies which employ 6,494 people, generate $70.8 million in tax revenue and a total economic impact of $2.67 billion. 2010 • Vail expands and develops new school onsite. Vail Academy and High School classes begin. • Development begins for the Solar Zone at the UA Tech Park.

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where fellow students studying law provide counsel and help the student inventors develop and submit their patent applications. When faculty, researchers or other employees of the UA develop inventions, TLA takes the lead. Unlike other university technology transfer offices, “we have licensing managers in six research-intensive colleges to assist faculty inventors at each stage of the commercialization process,” said Doug Hockstad, TLA’s assistant VP of technology transfer. “They spend halftime in the college alongside faculty and half-time at TLA.” Hockstad said the licensing managers not only learn of new research and inventions as they happen, they also answer faculty questions about intellectual

2011 • Under the leadership of President Eugene G. Sander, the UA announces the creation of Tech Launch Arizona, a new technology commercialization center designed to consolidate efforts around moving knowledge and inventions to market. • Initiated the Racing the Sun competition for highschoolers, providing a hands-on opportunity for STEM education through building solar go-karts. 2012 • David N. Allen recruited from the University of Colorado, Boulder and hired as VP of TLA by President Ann Weaver Hart.

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property and commercialization. “Building solid, trusting relationships with faculty is essential,” Hockstad said. “These faculty members could choose a myriad of other careers, but this is what they chose to do. Personal ownership of these fundamental ideas defines their professional careers. The challenge is that, generally speaking, they received little academic training or background in intellectual property and commercialization. It is our role to help them navigate this unfamiliar territory, with the understanding that their invention may have been gestating in their labs for decades.” After the TLA team meets with the inventor and assesses the market and patent landscape for the invention, they work together to develop a licensing

• Dedication of UA Tech Park at The Bridges. Site and infrastructure improvements completed.

2013 • Development of Global Advantage, the Tech Park’s business recruitment strategy.

• Received Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council for the Solar Zone.

• Through Tech Launch Arizona, the UA and the City of Tucson announce the creation of the Commercialization Network Alliance.

• OptumRx/United Health Group becomes a major tenant. • Economic impact study – UA Tech Park houses 47 tenant companies which employ 6,226 people, generating $51.3 million in tax revenue and a total economic impact of $2.33 billion. • TLA licenses technologies to three UA startups, including Metropia.

• TLA licenses software technology from the UA College of Pharmacy to local startup SinfoníaRx. • TLA publishes its original Roadmap, outlining a strategic plan covering 55 initiatives for 2013 through 2018.

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strategy. Some inventors want TLA to find a company to license the technology. Sometimes such companies exist, yet few want to take on the risks associated with a nascent, unproven technology. Alternatively, the faculty member may opt to work with TLA to start a company, with the licensed technology as the primary asset. TLA staff meets with the inventor to weigh the options and determine which course of action makes the most sense. Even though startups seem to get most of the attention, only 5 to 10 percent of inventors decide to pursue a startup. For those who do choose the startup route, the work is just beginning. “We work to find advisers to help the inventor and together identify a ‘business driver’ – a leader who has proven skills, knowledge and expertise to manage the startup process,” said Joann MacMaster, TLA director of business development. “We work through a myriad of issues to create a business strategy that can attract resources – investment, employees and customers.” This is very different from the “old days” when faculty inventors were left to their own devices. “Faculty used to have to figure these things out for themselves,” Allen said. “Sometimes they might go to the UA Eller College of Management for help, but mostly they were on their own.” TLA has four Mentors-in-Residence,

2014 • Phase Two of the Solar Zone initiated. • TLA creates the volunteer Commercialization Partners program to bring the experience of 12 successful business managers and entrepreneurs to guide UA startups. • The Commercialization Network Alliance grows to 750 members, who donate time and experience to act on commercializing UA technologies. • TLA publishes its first Annual Report & Roadmap Update, reporting 188 invention disclosures, 39 exclusive licenses, 11 startups and $1.11 million in IP income.

retired business executives and entrepreneurs who are half-time employees of the UA, to provide expert, real-world advice to the startups. TLA also works with members of the community who have expertise and an interest in new

“

Today it’s no longer simply research and publication – but research, publication and commercialization.

”

David Allen VP Tech Launch Arizona University of Arizona –

technologies and startups to volunteer their knowledge and skills on projects in the commercialization pipeline. “Our goal is to prepare both the management team and the technology so that the startup company has a better chance of success,” MacMaster said. The patenting process to legally protect the invention can take two to four

2015 • TLA recognized as Arizona’s Innovator of the Year in Academia at the Governor’s Celebration of Innovation. • Economic impact study – UA Tech Park houses 38 tenant companies which employ 5,128 people, generating $37.9 million in tax revenue and a total economic impact of $1.7 billion. • UA startup SinfoníaRx signs agreement with Walmart to implement the company’s medication management system in its pharmacies to improve patient outcomes. • TLA announces new never-before-seen levels of success in commercialization at the UA, including

years, and happens simultaneously with the business development process. When the go-to-market strategy is clear and a startup team is established, the next challenge is securing capital to execute the plan. Unlike large tech hubs like Silicon Valley, neither Tucson nor Arizona as a whole has a large venture capital community. Tucson’s Desert Angels is a local organization of accredited investors who do actively fund select UA startups. Securing local financing is often necessary but not sufficient. Federal grant programs, such as the Small Business Innovation Research program, are critical to providing funds to advance technology development. However, as companies progress toward commercialization they nearly always need access to venture capital funding. To address this void, TLA is developing connections with the venture capital world dominated by Silicon Valley investment firms. “It’s about showing investors and friends of the university what the university is doing,” Allen said. The entire process – from idea to marketplace – is very time consuming. The National Business Incubator Association found that the average time for a university startup to gain market acceptance for a technology like a medical device and bring it to the marketplace is 5 to 10 years. For software, the timeline is shorter, 2 to 3 years. continued on page 77 >>>

213 invention disclosures, 45 exclusive license and option agreements and 17 proof-of-concept awards.

• The main street of UA Tech Park at The Bridges is named in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

• TLA helps the UA to create 11 startup companies, a cohort that includes Glycosurf, Neuro-ID, Synactix Pharmaceuticals and others.

• Arizona Center for Innovation celebrates 100 clients incubated.

2016 • First three Mentors-in-Residence hired to advise UA startup teams. • TLA broadens its proof-ofconcept program into a full Asset Development Program, committing more than $1 million to move 27 earlystage technologies toward market readiness.

• TLA brings the Commercialization Network Alliance function into its scope of operations. • UA commercialization continues to grow, with TLA reporting 250 invention disclosures, 95 licenses and options, 14 startups and $2 million in IP income.

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continued from page 75 However, “the gestation period with additional focus and support from TLA is considerably less,” MacMaster said. Currently, TLA has upwards of 50 potential startup companies in its pipeline, several of which will launch in the summer or early fall of 2017. The bulk of these UA startups remain in Tucson after launch, creating quality jobs that directly impact the Southern Arizona economy. MacMaster said, “All these things we work on have the potential to make the world a better place. It’s really exciting to be a part of that process.” Shortly after TLA began in 2012, it began its Asset Development program to provide funding to help validate early-stage technologies and steer their development to align them with market drivers. Through the program, TLA distributes $1 million annually to faculty inventors via grants ranging from about $20,000 to $50,000. “We’ve become nationally recognized not just for how effectively we leverage those funds, but also for how

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BizTECHNOLOGY we’ve been able to weave together the entire process – from patenting to bringing in expert advisors and commercialization partners to testing and evaluating the prototype before the product finally goes on the market,” Allen said. “That integration has been a struggle for other universities – which are starting to emulate the effective system we’ve developed.” “Tech Launch Arizona is the vital core of the Tucson innovation ecosystem,” said Stephen Fleming, newly appointed VP of strategic business initiatives at the UA. Fleming, who until recently ran a 200-person economic development group at Georgia Tech, knows a lot about innovation ecosystem – he helped build Technology Square in Atlanta from a derelict area into the hottest real estate market in the Southeast. “TLA has built a national reputation for minimizing friction and maximizing the opportunities for UA research to meet the marketplace,” Fleming said. “The university’s $600 million annual

research expenditure is a huge input into the Arizona economy. Whether through spinouts or through licenses to established corporations, TLA is making sure that input gets multiplied into well-paying jobs for Arizonans.” He added that both through the tech parks and through stand-alone developments, TLA is critical to helping recruit, retain and raise high-tech industrial operations into Arizona. The future looks bright indeed. “We’ll continue to bring more UA-invented technologies to the marketplace in the form of licenses and startups in the years ahead,” Allen said. “We’re constantly refining our processes and streamlining an end-to-end integration of TLA into the greater invention and commercialization ecosystem. We’ve demonstrated that TLA is a mission-oriented organization that spans boundaries, creates solutions with reasoned risks and produces impactful measurable results.”

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PHOTO: BRENT G. MATHIS

Codelucida Shiva Planjery CEO & Co-Founder

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In Business

Six Companies Out to Change the World By Romi Carrell Wittman Tech Launch Arizona has more than 50 startups in the commercialization pipeline. They represent a wide variety of companies based on University of Arizona inventions that have the potential to impact our local economy and the world beyond with life-changing technologies. Joann MacMaster, director of business development at TLA, said, “We want to see companies come out of UA with a strong team and the ability to execute. We want them to be successful in the long run, which will mean long-term impact, both social and economic, for Southern Arizona and beyond.” Several new companies are already creating an impact on the world as we know it.

McCusker said, “The Tech Launch Arizona model combines a faculty inventor with a ‘business driver.’ By that they mean someone who has been there, done that – built an entrepreneurial business, raised money, managed shareholders and venture capitalists, then run a rapidly growing business. “In our case Tech Launch was 100 percent right. We were able to seize the moment with proven marketing strategies, known investors and lenders along with public company experience and contacts. The results speak for the Tech Launch vision – in three years we have grown tenfold, been recognized around the world for pioneering prescription management and returned millions of dollars back to the UA. The university faculty who joined us are thriving and SinfoníaRx has become a public-private partnership model nationwide.”

PHOTO: AMY HASKELL

SinfoníaRx – Now serving 50 million pharmacy patients Medication misuse results in more than $200 billion in unCodelucida – Securing $1.5 million in funding necessary healthcare expenses each year. That’s 8 percent of Your desktop computer, your television, your phone – flash total healthcare expenditures, according to a 2013 study by memory can be found almost everywhere and represents a the IMS Institute. “Misuse” includes everything from medica$25 billion market. tion errors, negative drug interactions and not taking mediIn response to the growing needs of the flash-memory marcations as prescribed. SinfoníaRx is addressing this problem ket, Codelucida is marketing a patented technology that offers with its full suite of medication therapy management services. greater accuracy, speed and reliability. The company maintains an exclusive license with the UniShiva Planjery, during his doctoral studies at the University versity of Arizona for the technology invented at the College of Arizona, was part of the team that developed the errorof Pharmacy by Kevin Boesen. correction technology. Now CEO of Codelucida, Planjery Established in 2006 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Sinpartnered with Bane Vasic, UA professor of electrical and fonía HealthCare Corp, SinfoníaRx is the largest medication computer engineering, and David Declercq, professor at the therapy management comUniversity of Cergy-Ponpany in the nation, now sertoise in France, to found the vicing 50 million patients in company. the United States. It mainTech Launch Arizona tains call centers in Tucson; worked with the trio to proPhoenix; Columbus, Ohio; tect their UA-developed inand Gainesville, Florida. tellectual property and then Since it began, SinfoníaRx license it to the startup. At has created more than 600 the UA Tech Park, Codelujobs, many located at the cida also participated in the company headquarters in Arizona Center for Innodowntown Tucson. vation’s Mentored Launch Boesen, now SinfoníaRx program, fine-tuning their CEO, said that Tech Launch business model and investor Arizona was instrumental in strategies. To date, the firm the company’s success and has secured more than $1.5 expansion. “TLA aligned million in grants and angel us with Fletcher McCusker, investment. who has been a great local Planjery said, “We would business leader and mennot have reached this stage tor,” he said. “Collaborating without the multiple support with him has really helped groups of the entrepreneurme grow as an entrepreneur ial ecosystem right here in Kevin Boesen, CEO, SinfoníaRx and shaped the success of Tucson.” our company.” & Fletcher McCusker, CEO, continued on page 80 >>>

Sinfonía HealthCare Corp

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BizTECHNOLOGY TPhotonics Chris Hessenius

PHOTO: BRENT G. MATHIS

PHOTO: PAUL TUMARKIN

Research Professor UA College of Optical Sciences

Acrete Jinhong Zhang

UA Associate Professor of Mining & Geological Engineering

Abraham Jalbout CEO Acrete

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continued from page 79 TPhotonics – Introducing ‘tunable’ lasers by year’s end A laser that can be tuned much like one tunes a radio is the revolutionary concept behind TPhotonics, which has licensed tunable laser technology developed at the University of Arizona’s College of Optical Sciences. Most lasers use a single or very limited range of light wavelength, meaning they are, by nature, used only for very specific purposes. This new technology enables tunable light and multiple wavelengths, so a single laser can now be used for multiple applications. Tech Launch Arizona helped inventors Mahmoud Fallahi and Chris Hessenius, both UA professors of optical science, and Michal Lukowski, UA postdoctoral research associate, protect their intellectual property, then license it to startup TPhotonics. The company has already lined up clients and several products will be available by the end of the year. “We want to be a major manufacturer, a supplier, to the builders of larger systems,” Hessenius said. Acrete – Manufacturing stronger, cleaner concrete Acrete makes stronger, cleaner concrete from power plant waste known as fly ash. Headquartered in Singapore with research and development offices in Tucson, Acrete expects to bring its first products to market this summer. Jinhong Zhang, UA associate professor of mining and geological engineering, invented the new fly ash technology. Fly ash is a byproduct of coal-burning power generation and, due to its chemical content, is usually stored in ground basins or landfills, posing a groundwater contamination risk. Company CEO Abe Jalbout, a veteran entrepreneur, said, “It’s easy to work with Tech Launch Arizona. This has been the best experience I’ve ever had with a startup.” Jalbout said TLA has been instrumental in Acrete’s success by providing a critical support system including technology licensing managers, market analysis and commercial networking resources. “TLA understands the need to move quickly,” he said. “That’s not the case with other universities where they get hung up in red tape. “We’re on the verge of opening this up,” he added. “I’m very excited.” continued on page 82 >>> www.BizTucson.com

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Avery Therapeutics

PHOTO: JIM IRISH

BizTECHNOLOGY

From left – Jen Koevary, COO; Jordan Lancaster, Co-Founder, Chief Scientific Officer; Dr. Steven Goldman, Co-Founder, CEO, Chief Medical Officer

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to him personally as well. “As a younger researcher, this has been an amazing experience,” he said. “Leveraging the expertise of TLA and its network has contributed to my career development and certainly helped us be successful.” REhnu – Efficiently creating electricity Imagine paying the lowest cost to power your home or business with minimal environmental impact and no greenhouse gas emissions. That’s the mission of REhnu. Using a patented solar energy generation technology developed at the University of Arizona by Roger Angel, REhnu co-founder and chief technology officer, REhnu uses mirrored solar concentrators to efficiently create electricity. Founded in 2009, REhnu is demonstrating its technology at the UA Tech Park’s Solar Zone on Rita Road, where it maintains a five-acre solar demonstration site. It’s currently manufacturing solar trackers for customers in Arizona, California and Mexico and is seeking investor funding to complete a pilot plant of initially 100 kilowatts, later increasing to 1 megawatt. Biz

PHOTO: BRENT G. MATHIS

continued from page 80 Avery Therapeutics – Developing a heart graft that pulses on its own A lifesaving heart graft that pulses on its own and saves lives? It may sound like a science-fiction movie, but it’s a real invention created by Dr. Steven Goldman, professor at the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center, and Jordan Lancaster, who earned his doctorate in physiology from the UA. Avery Therapeutics is a startup dedicated to bringing this technology to market. MyCardia is a tissue-engineered heart graft that’s grown in the lab, then implanted onto an injured heart. Goldman serves as the firm’s chief medical officer while Lancaster serves as the chief science officer. Jennifer Koevary is Avery’s COO. Goldman said that Tech Launch Arizona has made the startup process easier than in the past. “I’ve commercialized university technologies before,” he said. “Having TLA to help us was a game-changer.” Lancaster said working with TLA was critical not only to the company’s success, but beneficial

50 Startups Based on UA Inventions Acomni

KKC Engineering

Acrete

Knowmad Technologies

Airy Optics

REhnu Roger Angel Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer

Language Canvas

Akhu Therapeutics

MAGPI

Angiomics Anivax

MetOxs Electrochemicals

Anivive Lifesciences

Metropia

Arizona Handbooks

Nanosonic Bioreagents

Avery Therapeutics

Neuro-ID

Caltrode

Palo Verde Networks

Catalina Pharma CCW-UA

Promutech Pharmaceuticals

Codelucida

ProNeurogen

Coherent Light Science

RapidBio Systems Science of Sport

Dataware Ventures

Sharing Tribes

Desert Saber

SinfonĂaRx

Entemia

Synactix Pharmaceuticals

Epidemiology Risk Management EPV Sensors

Teleost Biopharmaceuticals

Filmstacker

TetraGene

Glycosurf

Thinkenable

Hedgesmart

TPhotonics

Horizon Biotechnologies

VAP Media XTRONAUT Enterprises

Illustrative Mathematics Innovative Energetics Invenio Imaging

Yumanity Therapeutics Source: Tech Launch Arizona

IronShell

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University of Arizona Creates Ecosystem of Innovation By Romi Carrell Wittman Technology and innovation have a lot in common with the Since 2012, TLA has supported the creation of more than circle of life. There’s the creation of the idea, growth and 50 startup companies in the commercialization pipeline and eventual maturity. Like life, several elements must be present facilitated more than 900 invention disclosures and 909 patent filings. UA has also earned some $6.5 million in royalties from for the invention to grow and thrive. licensed technologies since 2012. It’s a successful system that The University of Arizona, through Tech Launch Arizona other universities are starting to emulate. and Tech Parks Arizona, is creating a thriving innovation ecoTLA has boots on the ground in six UA colleges to assist system that’s helping exciting, ground-breaking, UA-created researchers when they’re ready to commercialize their intechnologies get to the marketplace. From beating heart grafts novation. TLA also relies on an extensive network of some to tunable lasers, this UA commercialization hub is at the 1,400 volunteer commercialization partners – most of them center of exciting breakthroughs that have the potential to change lives. UA alumni – to provide exGetting a new idea out via pert feedback, coaching and commercial pathways – either connections. by creating a startup company “We help the faculty member or by licensing a technology to find a world-class team for their an already established firm – can world-class technology,” Allen be a long, arduous journey. For a said. “It’s an extremely successresearcher with no background ful – and nationally recognized in business or startups, it can be – technology transfer model. a non-starter. We do it differently from almost “Oftentimes the person that every other university. It’s intecomes up with the intellectual grated and seamless.” Given the sheer amount of property doesn’t have a good time involved from research/ sense of how that’s applied in invention to commercial assessthe marketplace,” said David Allen, VP of TLA. “They come up ment to asset development and with a really elegant solution to licensing, it will be several years a problem, but they struggle to before the true impact – both address the market.” social and economic – of these TLA has created an ecosystem newly commercialized UA that fully supports UA researchtechnologies is known. The fuers and connects them with ture impact of TLA and Tech – David Allen business intelligence resources, Parks Arizona is exponential. commercialization partners Allen said that, for maximum VP and mentors, and critical vensuccess, it’s vital that the local Tech Launch Arizona ture capital funds. Tech Parks business community is involved. University of Arizona Arizona offers business develop“It’s a long-term play,” he said. ment programs and world-class “The role the community can facilities including the Arizona Center for Innovation incubaplay is to have a responsive environment for dealing with eitor, technology hubs for testing, evaluation and demonstrather regulatory or capital access or university internship-type tion, and an attractive home for international firms looking programs. All those elements come together to make a great to access UA research assets through its Global Advantage ecosystem.” program. As a result, UA-created knowledge and inventions are able to get to the market faster and more successfully than Biz ever before.

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We help the faculty member find a world-class team for their world-class technology. It’s an extremely successful – and nationally recognized – technology transfer model. We do it differently from almost every other university.

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REhnu

Power Panel

Pro Automation

Cleveland Electric Labs

UA Tech Park at Rita Road Tech Parks Arizona is an energized community of university researchers, business leaders, innovators, emerging companies and technology giants working side-by-side to bring new scientific discoveries into the marketplace, grow the Southern Arizona economy and create quality jobs in the Tucson community. While achieving those goals, the University of Arizona is looking to new and ambitious initiatives to expand the positive impact of its parks. Tech Parks Arizona includes two very different university research parks in radically different stages of development. The first â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the UA Tech Park at IMAGES: COURTESY TECH PARKS ARIZONA / TECH LAUNCH ARIZONA

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Tech Parks for Today & Tomorrow Ambitious Initiatives By David Pittman

Rita Road – is widely considered one of the nation’s premier research parks. It is home to 46 companies and tenants including IBM, Raytheon, Citi, OptumRx/UnitedHealth Group, Oracle and Tucson Electric Power. This thriving tech park off Interstate 10 is in a suburban setting near Vail, 15 minutes from downtown Tucson. The UA Tech Park at Rita Road, where approximately 6,000 employees work for these and other companies, is a significant economic driver in Southern Arizona. Park tenants have a $1.7 billion economic impact annually to the regional economy. The average wage of park employees is $91,145 – nearly www.BizTucson.com

twice the Pima County average of $46,363. Now in its 23rd year of operation, the UA Tech Park at Rita Road began as the UA Office of Economic Development. The park – which includes 1,345 acres and 2 million square feet of office, laboratory and production space – was purchased from IBM in 1994. A second tech park acquired by the UA in 2007 – the UA Tech Park at The Bridges – is planned at a 65-acre parcel at East 36th Street and South Kino Boulevard. “This park has a strategic location that is in nearby proximity to downtown Tucson, the main campus of the

University of Arizona, Tucson International Airport and two interstate highways,” said Bruce A. Wright, associate VP for Tech Parks Arizona. “It is also close to Banner-University Medical Center, University Medical Center South Campus (aka Kino Hospital) and the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System. It’s a remarkable site.” The property is part of a 350-acre, mixed-use development, masterplanned community in the heart of metro Tucson. KB Home and Lennar Homes also own property at the site dedicated for residential development. Already there is considerable retail decontinued on page 88 >>> Summer 2017

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BizTECHNOLOGY Downtown Tucson

University of Arizona

Distance from The Bridges 2.5 miles

Distance from The Bridges 2.7 miles

UA Tech Park at The Bridges

UA Tech Park at Rita Road

Distance from The Bridges 13.4 miles

continued from page 87 velopment at The Bridges, including a Costco, Cinemark/ Century Theatre, Dave & Buster’s restaurant and Walmart. Detailed plans for the UA’s newest tech park are enticing – starting with the 180,000-square-foot Innovation and Technology Building, designed to be the hub of high-tech commercialization activity for the university. New UA President Robert “Robby” Robbins was given a

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windshield tour of The Bridges by Ron Shoopman, a member of the Arizona Board of Regents and CEO of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council. Shoopman said Robbins was very impressed with the site, particularly the shovel-ready, high-tech infrastructure already in place. That infrastructure development was funded by a $4.7 million federal stimulus grant in 2009 as part of the American

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ogy hub for the university and the community at The Bridges and have been inspired by other communities that have done this successfully, including:

• Tech

Square operated by Georgia Tech University in downtown Atlanta

• Millennium

Park in Chicago, which features outdoor, interactive areas to engage visitors

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Park Center, a redevelopment effort undertaken at North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park

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SkySong project, a public/private partnership between Arizona State University, the City of Scottsdale, Plaza Companies and Holualoa Companies

Wright said the 21st century economy is being driven by the infusion of technology into the marketplace and that Tech Parks Arizona is where high-tech companies of all sizes and the University of Arizona can work together to create new products and grow the Tucson and Southern Arizona economy. “Tech Parks are more than a collection of buildings and landlords; they are recognized as communities of innovation,” he said. “We are creating places that encourage, promote, advance and accelerate technology innovation.”

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IMAGES: COURTESY TECH PARKS ARIZONA / TECH LAUNCH ARIZONA

Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The grant provided essential infrastructure including roads, water and sewer systems, electricity, gas, high-tech communications conduit and perimeter landscaping – all at high-quality university standards. Shoopman called Robbins, a cardiac surgeon who founded Stanford Cardiovascular Institute in 2005, “an extraordinary leader with a lengthy and proven record of accomplishment.” He said Robbins “is very focused on the role of UA as an economic driver and looks forward to the opportunity to help shape the path of the Tech Park at The Bridges and serve the needs of the entire university.” The Innovation and Technology Building is estimated to cost $40 million. It would house technology commercialization activities, a business incubator and space for emerging technology companies, as well as Tech Launch Arizona and Tech Parks Arizona offices. It would also include an educational and workforce development center. By necessity, construction of the project must be undertaken as a public/private partnership. The potential for the UA Tech Park at The Bridges is huge. Talks are already underway to recruit operations to the park. Wright said, “We would also like to bring a hotel/conference center, parking facilities and a series of office buildings into the park during the first phase of development.” Wright said UA officials want to create “an urban technol-

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3D SCANNING LASER GPS CAMERAS

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Hubs of Technology By David Pittman tainable energy; and reducing reliance on traditional energy A major challenge facing today’s innovator is the ability to sources. objectively test new technology and demonstrate its capabilities to the consumer. Testing and demonstration are critically “I think our society has generally accepted the fact that we important steps that must be taken prior to manufacturing need to transition increasingly from burning fossil fuels to reand successful market entry. Specialized facilities and indenewable energy in generating electricity,” said Powell. “With pendent testing and analysis establish a strong foundation for all the sunshine we have in Southern Arizona, solar energy is product development and market adoption. the right focus at this place and moment in time. The University of Arizona Tech Park is developing tech“In the Solar Zone we have technologies being demonstratnology hubs to do exactly this – to develop, test, evaluate and ed that use different kinds of photovoltaic materials. Some demonstrate products to investors and customers. These hubs are the flat panels people are used to seeing, some are huge are focused on industry sectors that align with the UA’s remirrors that concentrate the sun to the power of a thousand search strengths and on regional industries such as mining, suns, and still others are solar troughs. Which technologies use intelligent transportation systems and smart vehicles, as well less land and water in generating energy? How do we get efas advanced energy. ficiency up and costs down? Lots The UA Tech Park offers an ideal of questions need to be answered environment by connecting indus– that’s where research comes in.” try, university and community. “There are two issues with all Take for example, the Solar renewable energy, but solar in parZone at the UA Tech Park at Rita ticular. One is intermittency durRoad. At this sea of 95,000 solar ing the day when a cloud comes panels covering a 223-acre site, 10 over and causes the amount of energy companies have installed power produced to go up and multiple technologies side by side down,” Powell said. “This drives under identical conditions to evaluutility companies crazy because ate their effectiveness. they want to balance that. Having “The Solar Zone is the largest storage that turns on and off quickmultitechnology solar demonstraly to control the level of electricity tion site in the United States,” said generated is something critical for Richard Powell, former director of utilities. The second thing is the the UA Optical Sciences Center sun doesn’t always shine – so enand VP for research, now a senior ergy needs to be stored during the fellow at Tech Parks Arizona. day to be drawn out at night.” “It’s a partnership between the Tech Parks Arizona has initiUA and Tucson Electric Power, ated Phase Two of the Solar Zone, which work together to identify which includes research and develother solar companies capable of opment focused on energy storage, participating. It is a great example grid optimization, micro grids and of the university working to engage other advances to reduce the size – Richard Powell industry in and reap the benefits and increase the efficiency of solar Senior Fellow, Tech Parks Arizona of a collaborative relationship with systems. University of Arizona academia.” The first project of Phase Two The various technologies and is a new breed of energy-storage systems demonstrated at the Solar system. E.ON is developing a Zone represent more than $120 million in investment. The 10-megawatt battery storage unit and an accompanying Solar Zone is designed to generate 23 megawatts of electricity 2-megawatt solar array on contract for TEP. annually, which is nearly double the amount used at the Tech The Solar Zone is more than just an alternative-energy proving ground. It is a special place that brings university Park and enough energy to power 4,600 homes. and high-tech industry researchers together to test new ways Power generation and distribution is just one component of of doing things and solve real life challenges that ultimately the Solar Zone. Others include creating a place where comcould launch innovative new products that improve lives and panies can develop, test and demonstrate renewable energy make the world a better place. advancements; attracting private investment capital and suppliers to Southern Arizona; educating the public about susBiz

IMAGES: COURTESY OF TECH PARKS ARIZONA

“

The Solar Zone is the largest multitechnology solar demonstration site in the United States. It’s a partnership between the UA and Tucson Electric Power, which work together to identify other solar companies capable of participating.

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‘Expect Success’ Mayor Welcomes Four New Companies

In February Mayor Jonathan Rothschild welcomed four new national and international Global Advantage companies to the University of Arizona Tech Park at Rita Road:

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Chakratec Limited – an Israeli renewable-energy company

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Power Panel – a U.S. technology design and manufacturing company

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ProAutomation – a Mexican engineering services firm based in Hermosillo, Sonora

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Cleveland Electric Labs – a U.S. company that commercializes nanomaterials for the energy sector

“I want to welcome you to the Global Advantage program, to the Tech Park and to Tucson,” the Mayor told a gathering of university, business and community leaders at the UA Tech Park. Global Advantage is a strategic business development program designed to attract fast-growth technology companies to the Arizona-Sonora region. “Two American companies, two foreign companies – all working here, receiving help here. That’s what Tucson is about. We’re an international city. We welcome international business. “We’re an entrepreneurial city. We welcome entrepreneurs. “We’re a border city – and we believe, we KNOW, that being close to the border with Mexico gives us a very important competitive advantage. I’ve said this many times, but it can’t be said enough – Southern Arizona and Northern Mexico form one manufacturing megaregion, one economic megaregion. “With this cohort, Global Advantage has really found its footing. A University of Arizona Tech Parks Arizona program, Global Advantage and its partners offer services that highgrowth-potential companies need:

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Design, fabrication and manufacturing services through CAID Industries

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Manufacturing and import/export services through The Offshore Group

• • • •

Legal services through Farhang & Medcoff

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Software development and back-office support through Intugo, our Sonoran partner

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Global network of business coaches and consultants through GBP Consulting & Coaching

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Plus research facilities, partnerships, business assistance and more through Tech Parks Arizona

IT services through Involta Energy services through Tucson Electric Power Real estate services through Cushman & Wakefield | Picor

“With these wrap-around services, you can expect success.”

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University of Arizona President Sees Potential for Global Partnerships On June 1 Dr. Robert C. Robbins will take the reins of the University of Arizona as its 22nd president. An internationally recognized cardiac surgeon and researcher, he comes to Tucson from the Texas Medical Center where he was president and CEO for the last five years. When he was named president on April 7 by the Arizona Board of Regents, Robbins said, “I’m doing this because I feel that being the leader of a comprehensive university is in my opinion one of the highest callings one can have in society. The university is so important to the fabric of our society – it’s a place for the exchange of ideas and generation of knowledge.”

“

”

– Dr. Robert C. Robbins 22nd President, University of Arizona

PHOTO: COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

I appreciate the process of bringing research and inventions out of the lab and into the market. As our knowledge-based economy accelerates, the role of research universities gains in importance. The UA has the research attributes, culture and commercialization expertise to become an even greater economic driver in our community and the state. Biz

Meet Dr. Robert C. Robbins An internationally recognized cardiac surgeon, Dr. Robert C. Robbins is deeply committed to research. He’s focused his clinical efforts on acquired cardiac diseases with a special expertise in the surgical treatment of congestive heart failure and cardiothoracic transplantation. His research work includes the investigation of stem cells for cardiac regeneration, cardiac transplant allograft vasculopathy, bioengineered blood vessels and automated vascular anastomotic devices. He has published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles. Robbins served as president and CEO at Texas Medical Center for five years before he was named President of the University of Arizona. He previously was professor and chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Stanford University

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School of Medicine and the founding director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute. His extensive experience includes serving as president of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation, the Western Thoracic Surgical Association and the American Heart Association Western States Affiliate. He also chaired the American Heart Association Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia Council. Born and raised in Mississippi, Robbins is a graduate of Millsaps College. He received his medical degree and general surgical training at the University of Mississippi, cardiothoracic training at Stanford University and did postdoctoral research at Columbia University and the National Institutes of Health.

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BizTECHNOLOGY

High-Tech Circle of Innovation By David Pittman Tech Parks Arizona, with its focus on technology commercialization, utilizes two methods to create jobs, bring economic growth and increase technological innovation in Tucson and Southern Arizona. The first, the University of Arizona’s incubator called the Arizona Center for Innovation, uses an inside-out strategy to help technology startup companies, many born from research conducted at the university, to strategize their ventures so that the market will pull their products out into the marketplace. The second, a program called Global Advantage, utilizes an outside-in strategy that recruits new and growing technology companies of all sizes from around the world to Tucson. Global Advantage recruitment efforts are directed at technology companies in the United States, Israel, Canada, Mexico, Finland and Germany. Through Tech Parks Arizona, the UA is working with industry and the business community to develop technology hubs focused around the university’s research strengths. The focus is on six key industry sectors and three cross-cutting technologies that support them – all of which have a strong or emerging industry base in Southern Arizona:

• • • • • •

Health and biosciences Defense and security

In support of these, another focus is informatics, sustainability and imaging. Global Advantage brings people, organizations and resources together, providing companies with office and lab space through Tech Parks Arizona and a soft-landing program for companies relocating to Tucson. It offers companies a competitive leg up by assisting with market access, product development, manufacturing assistance and business development. Global

“

Tech parks are places where university communities and industry connect around the notion of technology innovation – which is driving the 21st century economy.

”

– Bruce Wright Associate VP, Tech Parks Arizona University of Arizona

Advantage also helps companies tap into a trusted network of partner companies for advice. Such partners include Tucson Electric Power, Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR and The Offshore Group. Several companies have recently joined the Global Advantage program including:

•

Chakratec – an Israeli renewableenergy company that has developed a kinetic battery for commercial and industrial applications. The product line includes electricvehicle charging stations.

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Cleveland Electric Labs – a U.S. company founded in 1920 that specializes in thermocouple products, fiber-optic sensing solutions and turbine engine testing and instrumentation.

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ProAutomation – an engineering services firm based in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, that develops industrial automation solutions for clients in the automotive, aerospace, mining and food-processing industries.

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Power Panel – a U.S. technology design and manufacturing company that has developed breakthrough solar technology maximizing the conversion of sunlight into electricity and hot water by combining photovoltaic and thermal technologies into one module.

•

Elitise – a Tucson-based engineering firm developing a lithium ion battery called InduraPower Intelligent Battery.

Advanced energy Arid lands agriculture and water Sustainable mining Intelligent transportation systems and smart vehicles

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BizTECHNOLOGY continued from page 99

Making It Happen By David Allen In Tech Launch Arizona’s 2013 Strategic Plan we set a vision: “By 2020, the University of Arizona through Tech Launch Arizona will become a recognized national resource for its role in commercializing UA-created knowledge and bringing the university’s inventions to the public for economic and social benefit.” We cast this vision not because we seek recognition, but because we understand that for a university reputation has economic consequence. A reputation for excellence in commercialization at the UA will have clear and measurable results – such as attracting top faculty, students and donors, and engendering a positive attitude among alumni, research funding sources, our community and our elected officials. We have laid the foundation, our collaborators and stakeholders have worked with us through a strong turnaround, and our community has taken note of the momentum and growth of the UA in these areas. Through continued diligence, as we expand the commercialization ecosystem and strategically and efficiently deploy existing and new resources, TLA will continue to scale and innovate activities to create the impact that will turn this vision statement into reality. David Allen is VP of Tech Launch Arizona at the University of Arizona.

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Created in 2003, the Arizona Center for Innovation at the UA Tech Park at Rita Road is the longest-standing business incubation program in Arizona. More than 100 companies have participated in this program. Anita Bell, senior manager at AzCI, has worked at the incubator since it was established. She said about half of the companies currently in the program are UA startups, and 68 percent of all the companies that have gone through AzCI are now operating as successful businesses. Of those that successfully completed the program, all but two have remained in Tucson. “When companies arrive at AzCI they are pre-revenue – which means they have no customers and are not selling anything,” she said. “In order for them to operate, they need funding. That can come from private investment or government grants from organizations like the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation or the Defense Department.” To date, startups that have participated in the AzCI incubation process have raised more than $30 million in funding. In addition to incubation and mentoring services, AzCI helps technology startups to develop and commercialize their ideas, discoveries and inventions. AzCI provides those companies with quality office space, wet and dry laboratories, video conference rooms and a secured computer server room. It also offers clients a structured business development program called Mentored Launch that includes workshops, seminars and networking opportunities. AzCI and Global Advantage are key components of Tech Parks Arizona’s business development strategy. Global Advantage has a proactive approach to attract companies into the region, and AzCI grows early-stage companies to a level where they can begin to generate revenue, then make use of Global Advantage services. Both are important programs in addition to traditional tenant recruitment that contributes to the success of Tech Parks Arizona and the economic development of the region. Although Bell works with many innovative, high-tech startups, business, not technology, is her strong suit. She said the founders of incubator startups are usually quite knowledgeable in their particular fields, but have little business experience. “Sometimes they know about marketing, but not about financials, or vice versa,” she said. “We train them in the basics of business and they decide whether it is something they want to handle or if they want to contract that out.” “Tech parks are places where university communities and industry connect around the notion of technology innovation – which is driving the 21st century economy,” said Bruce Wright, associate VP of Tech Parks Arizona. “There are now about 170 university research parks in the United States. They are an increasingly dynamic and essential force in technology communities.”

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BizAWARDS

Tech Launch Arizona I-Squared Awards

Douglas Loy UA Professor

Tech Launch Arizona honored University of Arizona faculty, researchers and teams, plus one community collaborator, with awards for excellence as inventors and for effectiveness as TLA partners during its fourth annual awards event. TLA’s I-Squared Expo & Awards honors those whose work directly affects the quality of life for people in Tucson, across Arizona and throughout the world through research, collaboration and technology commercialization. TLA is the UA office that is charged with bringing the inventions stemming from UA research from the lab to the world. New this year was an expo that showcased eight UA startups. They are:

Katina Koller Vistage Worldwide

• A beating-heart graft from Avery Therapeutics, invented at the College of Medicine-Tucson.

• A new high-altitude inflatable antenna from FreeFall Aerospace,

invented at the Steward Observatory/College of Optical Sciences.

• A variety solutions for mining and energy production from MetOxs, invented at the College of Engineering.

• A dual-view endoscope from Omnicient, invented at the College of

Vijay Gokhale UA BIO5 Institute

Optical Sciences.

• DNA quadraplex master switch to turn off cancer genes from

Reglagene, invented at the College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.

• Small molecule inhibitors for chronic pain from Regulonix, invented at the College of Medicine-Tucson.

• A tunable VECSEL laser, which can generate spectrally tunable light • A platform for the analysis of big healthcare data, from BDIAB,

invented at the College of Medicine-Tucson.

TLA invited Avery Therapeutics, Regulonix, BDIAB and Reglagene to deliver 10-minute company pitches to a room of about 100 people and then answer rapid-fire audience questions. Those teams will also be traveling with TLA to Silicon Valley to tell their polished stories at TechCode, a global startup incubator that TLA has partnered with to increase the reach and effectiveness of UA inventions and startups. The I-Squared awards went to:

• Inventor of the Year, Physical Sciences: Douglas Loy, UA professor of

chemistry, biochemistry and engineering

• Inventor of the Year, Life Sciences: Vijay Gokhale, director of

computational chemistry at the UA BIO5 Institute

Remy Arteaga Director UA McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship

Richard Austin CEO Reglagene

• Startup of the Year: MetOxs Electrochemical • Campus Collaborator of the Year: McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship • Ecosystem Impact of the Year: Katina Koller, strategic advisor with Vistage Worldwide

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PHOTOS: CHRIS MOONEY

and multiple wavelengths, from the ultraviolet to the far infrared, from TPhotonics, invented at the College of Optical Sciences.

BizAGRICULTURE

Chef Janos Wilder

Dr. Andrew Weil

Joaquin Ruiz

Growing Secure, Sustainable, Sensational Foods At Controlled Environment Agriculture Center By Lee Allen The Controlled Environment Agriculture Center at the University of Arizona intends to help feed the world – with foods grown in greenhouses, hydroponically and aquaponically. Agricultural and biosystems engineers are pioneering the future by making sustainable crop production possible anywhere on Earth – and beyond. But how does that food taste? Apparently superb. Just ask any of the 150 folks who attended the CEAC’s inaugural fundraising Leadership Dinner featuring specialty greens, melons, mushrooms, tomatoes and other delectables grown by the center. Chef Janos Wilder said when all the ingredients started showing up in his Carriage House kitchen – like 15 different items for the salad alone – “it was like Christmas, Hanukkah and my birthday all rolled into one.” Other locally produced edibles were supplied by Arizona Vegetable Company, Duncan Family Farms, V-Bar-V steak, St. Vincent’s fish, Hungry Planets Systems and Services, UA MycoCats and UA Animal & Comparative Biomedical Sciences. To quench thirsty palates, the Arizona Wine Growing Association presented locally grown adult beverages from Pillsbury Wine Company, Callaghan Vineyards, Sand-Reckoner Vineyards, Rune Wines, Sonoita Vineyards and Lightning Ridge Cellars. Using controlled-environment agriculture, the center scientists focus on producing high-value crops at maximum produc108 BizTucson

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tivity in an efficient and environmentally friendly way. Located at the Campus Agricultural Center on East Roger Road at North Campbell Avenue, the CEAC includes advanced technology greenhouses and growth chambers, as well as office, laboratory and teaching facilities. The Secure, Sustaining, Sensational CEAC event featured a trio of speakers – food health trailblazer Dr. Andrew Weil, Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails Chef Wilder and science visionary Joaquin Ruiz, UA College of Science dean and VP for Innovation. “Tonight we find ourselves just blocks away from the banks of the Santa Cruz River where year after year, generation after generation and century after century, people came to the riverbank to grow their own food,” Wilder said. “This long agricultural heritage is just part of the reason Tucson got the designation as a City of Gastronomy. We also are recognized as a community that steps up in the arena of food justice and food security. This gathering is designed to take that heritage and the fight for food security and move it into the future. We’re bringing the past into the future because sustainable, low-water-use agriculture may very well be the answer to feeding us going forward.” Weil, known as the father of integrative medicine, chose to focus his remarks on mushrooms. “You’re either mycophilic or mycophobic about mushrooms – you either love them or www.BizTucson.com

“

Cities like ours are going to have to solve pending problems like less water and more people and how we feed everyone in the future.

”

– Joaquin Ruiz College of Science Dean & VP for Innovation University of Arizona

hate them – yet you should know that on a dry-weight basis, the protein content of mushrooms as well as their full array of vitamins and minerals is amazing,” he said. “Oyster mushrooms in particular are a great natural source of statins that help lower cholesterol. So, in this and many other cases, our food is more than just nutrition, it’s an example of easily cultivated delicious edibles that also work as medicine to keep us healthy.” Barry Pryor, UA plant scientist, and some of his mushroomgrowing MycoCat students contributed some 40 pounds of oyster mushrooms – blue, pearl, golden and Phoenix – that went into the mushroom baklava entrée served with Aravaipa fig jam. UA researcher Stacy Tollefson told the audience that while the CEAC greenhouses grew seven different types of tomatoes, the one called an eider, a cocktail tomato on a vine, was chosen for the dinner salad. Even the table centerpieces were edible and a lucky winner at each table got to take home the basket of greenhouse-grown tomatoes and eggplant. Sam Pillsbury of Pillsbury Wine Company in Cochise County dispensed both red and white wines from his vineyard, first planted in 2000. “It was back then that the joke went ‘one of the 10 best ways to lose money was to plant an Arizona vineyard,’ ” he said. Today the state boasts more than 100 vineyards, many in the southeastern part of the state. “We’ve won 37 medals in the last two years.” Ruiz, who also heads the BIO5 Institute where top scientists tackle some of the world’s most complex challenges, told attendees: “If we can get our act together as a coordinated ecosystem, we can make Tucson a place to create food for the future. Biosphere 2 celebrates an anniversary on Earth Day, April 22, and its future will be all about the nexus between energy and food. Cities like ours are going to have to solve pending problems like less water and more people and how we feed everyone in the future. I hope everyone in this room will help us become a model city of resiliency concerning changes coming our way because of global climate change.” CEAC Director Gene Giacomelli said, “In addition to highlighting locally grown food crops from controlled environment greenhouses, the funds raised at this event will help support the students, who gain knowledge and hands-on experience by being the primary workhorses who carry out many of the research projects CEAC is known for.”

Fine Food = Big Bucks

Gastronomy Media Coverage Valued at $11 million By Lee Allen Not long ago, Tucson was the first city in the United States to be recognized as a City of Gastronomy, selected for the “rich agricultural heritage, thriving food traditions and culinary distinctiveness” of the region. This designation by UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – put Tucson on the foodie map. At the time, Mayor Jonathan Rothschild indicated the unique kudo gave Tucson an opportunity to be represented on the world stage. “Tucson is a destination city for people who love great food and this confirms it,” he said. Felipe Garcia, executive VP of Visit Tucson, our city’s official destination marketing organization, suggested the accolade was only a beginning and we should take advantage of the designation to keep selling Tucson. Voila! “In 2016, we estimate Tucson received more than $11 million worth of what we call earned media coverage in the form of publicity and stories revolving around anything foodie,” said Mary Rittman, Visit Tucson’s director of public and community relations. “In the first two months of 2017, more articles championing our region’s exceptional food offerings were published for an additional media value of $474,277. “We’ve leveraged that City of Gastronomy designation into promoting opportunities that are attractive to foodie tourists – anything food-related that promotes the concept of culinary – from growing to eating. In essence, this designation means that dining in Tucson offers a unique experience, one that reflects the culture of the Sonoran Desert – from the soil to the people who live here.” Last summer, USA Today ran a short piece about Tucson and the UNESCO designation. “Since then, we’ve been included in other food-related stories, including The New York Times and features like ‘50 Cities for Top Tacos,’” Rittman said. “Even 10 years ago, people didn’t travel for a meal, there were no walking tours for restaurants, but think about how that has changed recently. Culinary tourism has expanded dramatically and food and food-related activities are now one of the key reasons people travel. The designation of Tucson as a City of Gastronomy has helped increase our diversified food scene, farmers markets, chefs and mixologists, and the city itself as a destination.”

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BizAGRICULTURE

Mushroom

Mania

Southern Arizona’s Fast-Growing Specialty Crop By Lee Allen

If some dedicated mycophiles have their way, Tucson will not only be known as a City of Gastronomy, it will also become THE Western hub of the fast-growing gourmet mushroom industry. According to the American Mushroom Institute, sales volume of the 2015-2016 U.S. mushroom crop was valued at $1.2 billion, based on consumer sales of nearly 950 million pounds of the tasty morsels. “Mushrooms represent one of the fastest growing specialty crops worldwide, a growth driven by increased demand for locally grown product as part of a healthy diet,” said Barry Pryor of the University of Arizona School of Plant Sciences. Pryor is the driving force behind the fledgling Arizona Mushroom Growers Association that feels the state is uniquely positioned to capture a share 110 BizTucson

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of the expanding multimillion dollar market. “We clearly have an opportunity since other states are not yet poised to do this kind of work. We can make an impact both in Arizona and throughout the West. “Historically, since 1850, mushroom production has been concentrated in Pennsylvania, specifically Chester County, as producers of durable field mushrooms like the white button, crimini and portabello, grown in open beds. These mushrooms travel well and have a shelf life of three weeks or so – unlike specialty mushrooms like oysters, shiitakes, lion’s mane and others that begin to degenerate within a week. So there’s a demand for local production of specialty mushrooms grown in controlled environments.” The American Mushroom Council estimates per capita consumption at four pounds of mushrooms per year.

Pryor guesstimates that if we all eat shrooms at that rate, Arizona growers would need to produce 26.8 million pounds each year. That’s a tall order for the current limited number of growers statewide – but those numbers are growing, especially in Tucson where small growers are adding a shed or hoop house for limited production while a half dozen or so local commercial growers expand to meet market needs. That’s where the association, in concert with researchers at the UA Controlled Environment Agriculture Center, the UA student MycoCats come into play. “There’s no incongruency with growing mushrooms in the desert – all you have to do is control the environment, Pryor said. “If Pennsylvania can grow mushrooms in the winter, we can grow them in the summer – and year-round. And www.BizTucson.com

PHOTO: COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA SCHOOL OF PLANT SCIENCES

Mature Pearl Oyster Mushrooms

Barry Pryor

Immature Blue Oyster Mushrooms,

Mature Blue Oyster Mushrooms

Mature Pink Oyster Mushrooms

(about 2 days to maturity)

we have the advantage of CEAC being here – an intellectual center for controlled environment agriculture – to act as a focal point for research to increase our bio efficiency and optimize our production. “This is where our footprint in Arizona can become really important because mushroom growing is a controlled-environment type activity – and the nationally recognized and wellrespected CEAC facility is right here.” As part of Western growth, Sylvan, the world’s largest producer of mushroom spawn, has already built a huge research and cutting-edge production facility east of Reno, Nevada, right in the middle of their desert, to serve a growing Pacific Rim demand, as well as mushroom industries in China and Japan. The big dog on the local porch when it comes to mushroom making

in the Old Pueblo is the family-owned Sonoran Mushroom Company. Currently operating out of a single eastside grow-house location and producing 1,000 pounds of specialty mushrooms a month, ground has already been broken on a new expansion site on five acres that will quadruple square footage production – along with contemplated plans to open yet another grow site adjacent to Interstate 10, which would allow quick transport to supply the Phoenix market. “We grow in climate-controlled clean-room conditions that require strict control of carbon dioxide and light and temperature levels in a tradesecret process to produce mushrooms in commercial quantities,” said family member John Jacobs Jr. John Sr., who handles the growing end of the process, said, “it doesn’t take a lot of space to generate income.” The

Jacobs family has already committed to being in this game big time, contemplating 6,500 square feet of incubation facilities to produce 10,000 pounds of mushrooms monthly by this fall and to double that output by 2018. “That’s a lot of mushrooms – but right now we harvest twice daily and still can’t grow enough to supply our current restaurants, grocery stores and farmers’ markets in Tucson. We are pre-sold for the next two years and distributors throughout the state are waiting for the ability to take delivery,” John Jr. said. “Demand in Tucson and Phoenix is literally hundreds of thousands of pounds per month and demand is growing faster than our supply can keep up. “Although we’ve invested a couple hundred thousand dollars to this point, we’re still short of the profitability continued on page 112 >>>

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PHOTO: BRENT G. MATHIS

Professor School of Plant Sciences University of Arizona

BizAGRICULTURE continued from page 111 mark. It’s a big leap between trying to grow some mushrooms and growing them commercially in Tucson. There’s only one way to do things right and that’s to do them seriously. Timing is everything in the business world – and while we may be early in this market, we’re close, right there on the cusp of success.” Son John, with an MBA in international business, handles the marketing/publicity side of the pesticide- and herbicide-free oyster mushrooms, in particular their pink oyster species they promote as looking like and tasting like bacon. “The resemblance is uncanny. It’s a niche market within a niche market – and because a lot of our customers are vegetarian/vegan, this is a smoky-flavored meat alternative.” Other growers are scattered throughout the state:

• Tucson Village Farm, the UA’s smallscale urban farm, grows mushrooms housed in a single solar-powered, swamp-cooled shed with product sold at the farm’s weekly U-Pick events.

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• Maggie’s

Farm in Marana grows pearl and blue oysters in partnership with the UA.

• The

five-acre Aravaipa Creekside Growers in Dudleyville (formerly Tucson’s Old Pueblo Mushroom Company) grows both oysters and shiitakes.

• The

4-year-old Symbiotic Farms in Scottsdale, where owner Clinton White produces a thousand pounds of oyster mushrooms monthly, as well as hot-season mushroom specialties like lion’s mane, turkey tail, reshi and wood ear.

•

Other players can be found in Chandler, Prescott, Sedona and elsewhere throughout the state.

Industry research conducted by the UA MycoCats seeks to find innovative methods of completing the cycle of sustainability by studying ways to grow fungi in mushroom substrate made out of recycled agricultural and post-consumer waste products. Though straw or wheat is a traditional substrate for the

mushroom spores, mesquite bean pods have proved to be a successful growing medium as have used, greasy, groundup pizza boxes that provide an additional food source for the mushrooms. One of the reasons for a rising interest in the edible community is not just their novelty, but the health aspect that comes with including shrooms in a diet. They’re miniature pharmaceutical factories. “Although they’re 80-90 percent water, when fresh, they’re 40 percent dry-weight protein,” Pryor said. “They contain all nine essential amino acids, are high in B and D2 vitamins and have a higher digestibility index than beef, pork or chicken. They’re so good for you.” Pryor sautés mushrooms several times a week and serves them on saltine crackers as appetizers. As to the anticipated continued growth in popularity of exotic mushrooms, John Jacobs Jr. said, “It’s like comparing mushrooms to beer. You can drink one of the mass-produced major brands – but many people prefer the uniqueness of craft beers.”

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BizTRIBUTE

Rick Fink A Life of Adventures, Strangers Made Into Friends, Meals Shared With Those Who Were Hungry By Mary Minor Davis Rick Fink, a co-owner of Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort, Stray Dogs and Zona 78, had a curiosity for people and a compassion for those in need. He always had a welcome smile and a seat at the table for all he encountered, be they stranger or friend. Fink passed away at the age of 66 from liver cancer on March 17, 2017, surrounded by his family. “My father was special, special to me, special to his wife and special to all of you,” Kevin Fink said at the celebration of his father’s life, held at Hacienda del Sol and attended by hundreds of people. “He was a man who never saw limits, but only opportunities.” Kevin recalled times when he would travel with his parents as a young boy. “He always had Kennedy silver dollars in his pocket that he would give to a child or someone in need. He taught me how to be able to interact with people and share in a more genuine connection.” Fink first came to Tucson to attend the University of Arizona, where he met his friend and future business partner, Jeff Timan. “We became a happygo-lucky band of oddballs, gathering at the end of each day, just talking and laughing. Rick was one of the centers of gravity. Everyone was welcome,” Timan recalled. “He was fearless, or maybe more than that, he had fear, but overcame it to see what was on the other side. I guess that’s courage, and it was contagious and liberating.” Timan would later lure Fink and his wife, Nanci Beizer Fink, back to Tucson in 1987 to invest in their first business venture together. In 1995, Timan, Fink and Paul Ginsburg purchased Hacienda Del Sol. Tom Firth joined the partnership at Hacienda two years later. “Rick was a wonderful friend and business partner 114 BizTucson

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for 22 years,” Firth said. “We always had both sides of that relationship in balance. We were a good sounding board for each other in business and the mutual respect we had is what really drove our inspiration and passion for what we accomplished together.” Fink spent his entire career in hospitality, working for such establishments as the Ritz-Carlton and the Park Plaza Hotel, both in Boston. After the Hacienda del Sol opened, Fink and his partners opened other restaurants over the last 14 years. He was devoted to com-

Rick Fink munity service, serving on the boards of directors for the national Alzheimer’s Association, Visit Tucson, the executive committee of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and many others. He was a 2009 Father of the Year, and said his greatest community service was serving as his son’s Catalina Foothills Little League coach for eight years. Nanci and Rick met in high school in West Hartford, Connecticut, when she was 14 and he was 16. “Rick would never take a school bus,” she remembered. “He found out what

my school bus route was, and he started taking my bus.” The move worked. They had their first romance in high school. Although they would occasionally date other people, Rick always made sure they were together every New Year’s Eve, no matter where they were. They were married in June 1979. “It was the best decision I ever made in my life,” Nanci said, as she reflected on their more than 51 years together. “He was my ground. He taught me how to live life.” For everyone who knew Fink, there are stories upon stories of his love of adventure, travel, food and, of course, great wine. He seized life with his whole being and never let a stranger go hungry. “He lived by his own rules, but those rules were based on love of others and compassion that ran deep.” Nanci summed it up best in describing how the name Stray Dogs came to describe their latest restaurant. “It’s me and Rick,” she said. “He believed in creating his own path, even if it ventured away from the norm. We wanted to create an affordable, neighborhood place, offering comfort food with integrity that welcomed everyone. The traveler in the mural? That’s Rick.” “Rick could make friends with anyone he met,” Timan said. “He found people to be endlessly fascinating, and he was a force – an irresistible force.” Kevin and his wife, Alicynn, are expecting their first child in October. Kevin said the first thing his father taught him was that you don’t need money to make something happen. “You just need the idea and the passion. Those are much harder to come by; with those two things, the world is fairly limitless. That’s one of the things I hope to teach our child.”

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BizEDUCATION

Cheerleader for K-12 Educators

Tucson Values Teachers – A Champion for Change By Valerie Vinyard

So what makes a great teacher? “You know one when you see one,” said Colleen Niccum, CEO of Tucson Values Teachers. “They are able to engage their students and help them learn and improve their skills. Each teacher is unique so its hard to quantify but you can see it when they teach.” TVT serves as the only nonprofit organization in the state focusing solely on educators. It was established 10 years ago by the Southern Arizona Leadership Council and other business and education leaders to attract, retain and support teachers, following extensive discussions on ways to improve education in Arizona. “After looking at all of the research, we felt we could have the most leverage if we focused on the teacher in the classroom,” Niccum said. “Teachers make all the difference when it comes to student success. Teachers matter more than any other aspect of schooling.” For example, she said, studies have shown that students who draw two ineffective teachers in a row may never catch up to their peers. TVT is working to reduce the huge turnover that haunts the profession – where about 50 percent leave teaching in their first five years. In Arizona, she said, a recent survey showed more than 2,000 openings across the state. “The crisis that we face is that teaching is no longer considered a really desirable profession,” Niccum said. 116 BizTucson

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“Teachers are overwhelmed with a lot of requirements and demands, and it doesn’t pay well.” Teacher salaries in Arizona are among the lowest in the nation. Yet despite the challenges, there are many talented and dedicated teachers in Tucson classrooms. When TVT held the Stand Up for Teachers event in April to honor award-winning teachers, COO Katie Rogerson spoke about the process in choosing the winners, noting that all the applications revealed teachers who were “all exceptional, and all very different,” she said. “The stack of applications we received were from professional, innovative, out-of-this-world educators. Yet we rarely hear stories about teachers like these, so we want to change that.” TVT offers several signature programs and works closely with business leaders to improve opportunities for teachers and to elect legislators who support a robust education system. To date, more than 11,000 teachers have signed up for TVT’s services on its website. TVT programs include: Communications and Advocacy

TVT regularly communicates with a database of nearly 12,000 teachers and community members sharing news, opportunities for engagement, and research findings and reports. Its 2015 statewide teacher survey was the first conducted in Arizona and highlighted the issues facing the teacher workforce.

Teachers in Industry

A business-education partnership that features a University of Arizona master’s degree program for full-time STEM teachers who are placed as paid interns in area businesses as part of the program. Teachers gain direct experience about workforce needs and that experience impacts their curriculum, serving as a bridge between the classroom and business. Teacher Discount Card

More than 90 businesses provide significant year-round discounts for all teachers. Discounts on goods and services include automotive, financial, health and wellness, home and furnishings, recreation, resorts, restaurants, retail and teacher supply discounts.

Awards and Recognition

TVT honors teachers and supporters through a variety of awards and recognition events throughout the year, including its monthly Teacher Excellence Awards featuring local teachers nominated by parents, students, school leaders and community members, the annual Raytheon Leaders in Education Awards and the Spirit of Education Awards, given to businesses and organizations that go above and beyond to support teachers and education in our community. It also organizes events and celebrations during Teacher Appreciation Week each year. continued on page 118 >>> www.BizTucson.com

PHOTO: AMY HASKELL

WOMEN WHO LEAD

From left

Katie Rogerson

COO, Tucson Values Teachers

Colleen Niccum

CEO, Tucson Values Teachers

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BizEDUCATION continued from page 116 TVT has distributed more than 880,000 in supplies to teachers. In the past, supplies were purchased and distributed. That program evolved to $50 gift cards so teachers can purchase exactly what they need. This year’s goal is to reach $1 million in supplies for teachers. While TVT has accomplished a lot so far, there is much to be done to lift education in Arizona. “When I talk to most people in the community about the local education crisis, people immediately want to help – but it’s such a big issue that they don’t know how to get their arms around it,” Rogerson said. Niccum believes it’s going to take everyone in the community to push for adequate funding for teachers statewide. “If we really want economic prosperity, education must be a part of that,” she said.

Biz

History of Spirit in Education Award In 2011, the Tucson business community honored Raytheon Missile Systems for its 60 years of leadership and investment in K-12 education throughout Southern Arizona. The award was known as the Raytheon Spirit of Education Award. Now presented by Tucson Values Teachers, the Spirit of Education Award celebrates businesses and philanthropy that make significant contributions to K-12 education in Southern Arizona. Past recipients are Raytheon, Jim Click Automotive, Sundt Construction and Tucson Electric Power. The 2017 Spirit of Education Award honorees are Cox Communications and the Thomas R. Brown Foundation. (See BizTucson Spring 2017 edition.) The 2017 Spirit of Education Award was presented at the Stand Up for Teachers event on April 6, which also honored three teachers who received the Raytheon Leaders in Education Award. (See page 120.)

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BizEDUCATION

Jessica Howell

Lauren Marlatt

Steven Uyeda

Celebration of Education Heroes By Valerie Vinyard Teachers often don’t get the recognition they deserve. To help combat that, Tucson Values Teachers presented a special event, Stand Up 4 Teachers, on April 6 at The Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa. Katie Rogerson, COO of TVT, described the event as “a celebration of educational heroes.” The event recognized three teachers for the Raytheon Leaders in Education Award – one each from K-5, middle and high school. They each received $2,500, as well as a $2,500 check for the teacher’s school. “We are grateful to our partners at Raytheon Missile Systems for their leadership and vision in creating these awards,” Rogerson said. “They recognize the importance of shining a light on excellent teachers who are leaders both in and out of the classroom.” Meet the three winners. Jessica Howell – Molding Young Minds

Jessica Howell has come full circle. The Flowing Wells High School graduate now teaches third-graders at Hendricks Elementary School, which is in the same district as her alma mater. “I wanted to teach all subjects,” she said. “Then I get to see them really make progression.” In her 14 years as an elementary school teacher, the Tucson native has seen expectations shift on what kids need to know to succeed. “Third grade is a critical grade level,” Howell said. “Up through second grade, they’re kind of coddled. Then there’s that big jump. It’s a big jump from having things done for them and now having to do things on their own.” The University of Arizona graduate strives to build a classroom community so students can learn how to work together on projects and work through disagreements. “My favorite thing is challenging students to complete 120 BizTucson

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something they don’t think is possible,” she said, “guiding them to see they can actually do more than they think.” She also loves teaching kids how to read. That love of reading has been passed down to her 9-year-old daughter. Howell and her husband, Rich, also have a 5-year-old daughter. “I impact students’ lives,” she said. “I work on my students’ independence. I look back and see how much progress they’ve made.” Howell has eight iPads for students to use and sees both sides to the influx of technology. “Using technology as a tool can be very beneficial,” she said. “But when kids are playing so many video games, it limits them from having other experiences.” Howell appreciates what TVT has done for educators, including distributing gift cards to use for supplies. “They advocate for us when we don’t have the time to advocate for ourselves.” Lauren Marlatt – Science is Everywhere

Sometimes the best things are learned outside the classroom. Seventh-grade teacher Lauren Marlatt strongly believes that – which is why she spearheaded a plan to offer two annual field trips for students at Coronado K-8 School in the Amphitheater Public Schools district. “I’m always pushing for more of a wide range of things for my students,” said Marlatt, who has been teaching 11 years. “Science is really best learned outside of the classroom.” About five years ago, she was given permission to take students on a field trip to the Grand Canyon, noting that “Arizona’s the best place to be for earth science.” Today, the trip takes about 60 students at a cost of about $400 each. Activities include a hike, a smooth-water float on the Colorado River and several stops that include Balancing Rocks in Navajo Ridge. Small groups view fossil beds and www.BizTucson.com

discuss geology, rocks and how they change. The second trip takes place at the end of April, when about 70 sixth-graders travel to Catalina Island Marine Institute in California. Students soak up lots of ocean information over the three-day trip. “We take kids to the ocean – some have never seen it before,” she said. “Lots of kids come back with this desire to become scientists.” Marlatt comes from a family of educators with both her father and sister teaching at area schools. And her son, 7-year-old Joshua, is “definitely an investigator.” The Oklahoma native didn’t start out to be a teacher, however. Her undergraduate degree is in family studies and human development from the University of Arizona –because she wanted to be a social worker. Then she found out about the Teach for Tucson program, a one-year master’s degree program at the UA. That changed her career path. Marlatt sees science continuing to grow in popularity – and necessity. “Kids can see that science is everywhere. It’s starting to get its own foothold,” she said. “That’s where their job is going to be.” Steven Uyeda – Hardcore Lab-Tech Skills

Thirty-year veteran teacher Steven Uyeda prepares his students for the real world. “I’m more of a pragmatic teacher,” said the Sunnyside High School science teacher. “I can see underneath the ‘I can’t do this.’ My job is to bust that potential loose.” Uyeda, who grew up in Sacramento, California, teaches beginning and advanced bioscience on the Sunnyside Unified School District campus and a class he designed with Pima Community College called Bio 112. He described it as “a hardcore lab-tech training class that’s designed to set kids straight into the industry.” “The skills will apply anywhere,” said Uyeda, who also has taught science classes at Pima since 2001. “It will help them in an academic lab.” With Bio 112, students have the potential to earn three community-college credits, as well as six concurrent credits in molecular cellular biology from the University of Arizona. “Biology is more than just a lab,” said Uyeda, describing the class as working on the pathway from high school to college. “I try and put lab experiences together to make sure what we’re doing is grounded in reality.” Uyeda, who earned a degree in biology at University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s in education at UA, brings the real world, as well as community service, into his classroom. He does that by having students conduct DNA barcoding research for local nonprofits such as Native Seeds/SEARCH and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. On a non-scientific note, Uyeda is celebrating his seventh year as a cast member for the Arizona Renaissance Fair. He believes it is important for himself and his students to be well-rounded. When he’s wrestling with a problem in the lab, he goes home and works with leather. “I try to get out of the element, let my subconscious wrestle with the problem.” He recalled a student who was thinking of giving up her artwork. “I told her, ‘Don’t you dare. You need to be involved in something outside the field to actually wrestle with problems inside the field.” Biz www.BizTucson.com

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BizLEADERSHIP

Business Builder

Márquez-Peterson Knows No Boundaries By April Bourie Lea Márquez-Peterson has always been in the “building” business. With undergraduate degrees in marketing and entrepreneurship from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Pepperdine, Márquez-Peterson returned to Tucson with her husband in the mid-1990s to raise their family. They built and operated two gas stations with convenience stores. They eventually expanded to six locations, and she learned a lot about managing cash flow, human resources and marketing issues during nine years of running the business. When she became the first paid executive director of Greater Tucson Leadership, a part-time position in 2005, she shifted her focus to training Tucson’s leaders. She was also in charge of building and maintaining relationships between GTL’s 650 alumni and 100 members. At the same time, she ran a firm that specialized in buying and selling businesses. Today, she is the president and CEO of Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, helping Southern Arizona business owners to build their skills and their business-to-business contacts to better reach the Hispanic business community as vendors, suppliers, employees, volunteers and customers. “We are focused on assisting businesses to reach the Hispanic market and pursue international trade opportunities,” Márquez-Peterson said. “I believe in a visionary leadership style where I make sure the entire team focuses on the vision of the organization,” she said. “From there, it is important for employees to realize that they are responsible for their results. I don’t micromanage. At the Chamber, I make sure that everyone understands that we always have to take care of our members.” 122 BizTucson

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Márquez-Peterson’s experience in building has been paying off. The Chamber has more than 1,800 members and is one of the fastest-growing business organizations in the state. During the recent economic downturn, the Chamber grew more than 300 percent. The Tucson Hispanic Chamber has affiliate chambers in Sierra Vista, Nogales and Douglas, and Márquez-Peterson hopes to add affiliates in Yuma and San Luis Rio Colorado in Sonora, Mexico. Members do not have to be Hispanic. “We just want businesses to come to the table and get involved if they are interested in targeting the Hispanic community,” she said. The skills she learned from her previous positions are helpful on a daily basis. “The small business practices I learned while running the gasoline stations allow me to be instrumental in advising our small business members in the Chamber,” she said. “And I made terrific contacts with leaders in various industries across Tucson as GTL’s executive director. These have made furthering our Chamber programs that much easier.” While a few Hispanic Chamber programs focus on elevating the status of Hispanics in Southern Arizona, most focus on improving the community as a whole. Programs include:

• The Hispanic Leadership Institute is

modeled after past GTL classes, and the goal is to place more Hispanics on boards and committees and continue to develop their leadership skills.

• The “40 under 40” program focuses

on today’s “movers and shakers” that are under 40 years old. The program welcomes nominations from people

of all ethnicities and focuses on the impact they have made on the community, both in their business activities and in volunteer positions.

• The Southern Arizona Candidate

Academy trains anyone interested in running for office about how to do so effectively. The class covers finding volunteers, media relations, funding a campaign and other important topics that potential candidates need to know. “The Candidate Academy is nonpartisan, and it doesn’t matter which race a person belongs to,” Márquez-Peterson said.

• “Beyond StartUp” provides grants

from the Small Business Administration and Wells Fargo to any business owners who have survived the startup phase and want to grow their business. “We realized there was a big gap between money available for starting a business and money available for growing a business once it has gone through the startup phase,” she said. The program provides not only money but also “Business 101” classes, training in Spanish and information on how to approach consumers both in the U.S. and in Mexico.

Márquez-Peterson co-chairs the Arizona Zanjeros, a business leadership group created by Gov. Doug Ducey and serves on the boards of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Arizona Town Hall and Visit Tucson. She received an Extraordinary Woman in Business Award from the UA Eller College of Management in 2014, the Distinguished Citizen Award from the UA Alumni Association in 2012, and most recently was a Portraits of Excellence honoree by the UA Hispanic Alumni Association.

Biz www.BizTucson.com

WOMEN WHO LEAD

Lea Mรกrquez-Peterson

PHOTO: BRENT G. MATHIS

President & CEO Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Summer 2017

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BizMANUFACTURING

Iron Lady Stands Tall

Amanda Holbert Builds Businesses from Scratch By Tara Kirkpatrick If stature was measured in drive and determination, Amanda Holbert would be 10 feet tall. Though the 4-foot-7 University of Arizona grad, mom and military kid jokingly calls out her petite frame, her grit and fortitude are larger than life. With her husband and business partner, Steve, by her side, the president of Elegant Iron and PlasmaGlide is consistently proving her mettle − earning a number of industry awards over the past six years. “I’ve always had an extreme love for learning to build things,” said Holbert, who was just nominated for the 2017 Women of Influence Awards, an honor she can add to a handful of others she has won. They include the 2011 Manufacturer of the Year and 2012 Small Business Advocate of the Year by the Minority and Small Business Alliance of Southern Arizona, 2015 Woman Business Owner of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners, and Tucson’s 40 under 40 in 2016 by the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Daily Star. “The love of putting things together and seeing something created out of nothing is really tangible for me,” she said. Holbert has run Elegant Iron, a metal goods manufacturing firm, with her husband since 2004. The company offers powder coating, sandblasting and metal fabrication services, and also is a federal contractor. Their newest endeavor, PlasmaGlide, is a patented fixture table Steve designed for the hand plasma cutter that is used to cut metal safely and easily. “He can really invent and create and engineer pretty much anything,” Holbert said. “I have a really great knack for starting, running and growing busi124 BizTucson

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nesses. He’s the nuts and bolts, math and engineering person. I’m the business person that has to be able to sell it.” “She’s incredibly motivated, passionate and an example of the kind of boldness that we want to see grow in the entrepreneurial community in Tucson,” said Justin Williams, founder and CEO of Startup Tucson. “She is someone who sees enormous potential, beyond where they are standing.” Growing up with a U.S. Marine Corps colonel as a father, Holbert longed to help him fix the car and build things in the garage. She would grow up to pay her way through college, play the trumpet in the UA band, and graduate from the Eller College of Management. When the U.S. Navy passed her over because of her size, Holbert took an executive corporate position with Target and opened new stores throughout Arizona. “I wouldn’t have gotten a better opportunity anywhere else,” she said. “I was able to run a team of 250 people and open a brand-new store in 30 days, and we opened about four stores a quarter.” Her next position with a medical laser company gave her a comfortable living until she returned from lunch one day to find she had been laid off. It was then that Holbert and her husband decided to move forward with metal working, which had been a hobby. “We came together and we said let’s create a business of something we love to do,” she said. “Let’s create something out of nothing.” She became the majority owner of Elegant Iron at 51 percent, Steve at 49 percent. After initial success in the construction industry, Holbert’s phone stopped ringing with the 2008 financial crisis.

“I did not receive one phone call for six months,” she recalled. “We started liquidating all of our equipment…I said if we don’t diversify, we are going to sink.” She attended a free seminar held at the Pima Air & Space Museum on acquiring government contracts. It wasn’t long after that − with a new baby and just enough money to scrape by − that she landed a government contract for Elegant Iron to design, build, transport and install 30 new bumpers for U.S. Border Patrol trucks in Texas in 30 calendar days. “They are still running on the trucks,” she said. “We see trucks coming from Texas to Arizona and you can clearly see it is our design.” That contract helped buoy Elegant Iron and Holbert later became a contracting mentor and instructor herself. The powder-coating machine they built is now used for retail jobs. Holbert was the company’s powder coater for six years. Fresh from the Specialty Equipment Market Association trade show last fall, Holbert is now working to advance the PlasmaGlide fixture table. Steve’s user-friendly design allows people of all abilities to cut metal safely, easily and accurately, she said. The machine’s Facebook videos have attracted thousands of views. “It also looks like a Porsche in your garage,” added Holbert, who pitched the technology at SEMA’s Launch Pad competition in Las Vegas. It’s a job she relishes, having forged a steely resolve through years of uncertainty. “Life sets you up,” she said. “I would not be as successful as I am today if I had not had these catastrophic wins and fails.”

Biz www.BizTucson.com

WOMEN WHO LEAD

(left)

Amanda Holbert Co-Founder & President Elegant Iron & PlasmaGlide (right)

PHOTO: CHRIS MOONEY

Steve Holbert Co-Founder & Inventor Elegant Iron & PlasmaGlide

Summer 2017

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BizMEDICAL

Laser Medicine Honor

Pima Dermatology Founder Receives National Award By Lee Allen Dr. Gerald Goldberg, founder of Pima Dermatology in Tucson, has been honored by his peers for his outstanding contributions to laser surgery, patient care and education. Certified in more than 25 laser modalities, Goldberg is president and medical director at Pima Dermatology, which receives about 30,000 medical, laser, surgical and cosmetic visits annually. A cum laude graduate of Princeton University with more than 30 years of experience and listed as one of the “Best Doctors in America,” Goldberg has earned distinction as one of the mostrecognized laser surgeons in the world. He is the 2017 recipient of the Leon Goldman Memorial Award, presented at the American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery’s annual scientific meeting in San Diego in April. The award is given in memory of Goldman, known as “The Father of Laser Medicine,” for his many contributions to the field. Goldberg was chosen “in recognition of his longitudinal career excellence and 126 BizTucson

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advancements in laser medicine.” His reaction when notified he was this year’s award recipient? “I thought it was like the moment at the Oscars when they opened the wrong envelope.” In accepting the award, Goldberg, past president of the Arizona Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery Society, was asked to present a lecture titled “Challenges in Dermatologic Lasers: Past, Present, and Future.” He focused on new paradigms involving port wine stain treatment and tweaking the current process involved in laser skin resurfacing to make the procedure less aggressive. After 30 years of practice, his passion still burns. “My life mantra is to find something you love and are passionate about and follow that passion, and I continue to do so. In the Jewish tradition, it’s to find something meaningful, doing something positive that helps others and makes life and the world better. “At this point, I still want to do the kinds of things I think will make a dif-

ference, and I’d like to be doing more of the specialty kinds of things where my special expertise can be fully utilized. I want the challenging situations.” From a business perspective, his current 7,500-square-foot facility will soon grow to 10,000 square feet to provide comprehensive skin care – medical work, surgical, cosmetic and laser – and he hopes to add another doctor to the current three board-certified physicians (Goldberg, Matthew Beal and Sarah Schram), two physician assistants, four cosmetic providers and 20+ other staff members. “I’m cutting back a bit myself, but doing more of the type of cases I really want to do,” he said. “I think out of the box and am creative in putting multi-modality combinations of lasers together. That makes the job fun and, if work is fun, it isn’t work.” Asked about possible retirement plans, he shrugged and said, “I’ve been saying another five years for the past couple of decades.” Biz www.BizTucson.com

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Burr Udall

PHOTO: BRENT G. MATHIS

Partner Udall Law Firm

BizMILESTONE

Tucson Firm with Adjusted the Times By Christy Krueger

As someone who has been practicing law in Tucson for more than six decades David Burr Udall has a lot of stories to tell. There was the time he put Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine, on the witness stand when Udall’s drug company client was sued. And the times when his partner represented reputed mobster Joe Bonanno. For the most part, though, Udall, who goes by Burr, said that when a case is over, he doesn’t dwell on it and moves on to the next one. While he doesn’t reminisce much about the cases themselves, he remembers Udall Law Firm’s early history like it was yesterday. “The firm started March 1, 1952 and was called McCarty & Chandler,” for its founders Charlie McCarty and Tom Chandler, he recalled. “They were downtown in the old Valley Bank building, then moved to 177 North Church. That’s when I came, February 10, 1954.” That was right out of University of Arizona law school. “I always wanted to go to U of A,” said Udall, who grew up in St. Johns, Arizona. He was the youngest of six siblings, including his famous brothers Morris and Stewart Udall, both of whom enjoyed prominent political careers. Burr Udall said his brothers never worked for Udall Law, but that he worked for their practice while he was in law school. “They decided to run for office and told me I better get another job. In 1954 Stewart ran for Congress and won. Mo was a county attorney and ran for judge and got beat.” After President John F. Kennedy appointed Stewart as Secretary of the Interior, “there was a special election for Stewart’s (Congressional) seat and Mo ran and got elected. For 30 years, he was in Congress.” www.BizTucson.com

It didn’t take long for Udall to earn his own identity as an attorney. In 1955, he was made partner and his name was added to the McCarty & Chandler name. Other partners over the years included prominent Tucson attorneys Robert Tullar, Jim Richmond and Jack Redhair. In 2007, the name was changed to Udall Law Firm. Today, at 88 years old, Udall still works while being the namesake of the oldest law practice that originated in Tucson. “Burr is one of the best people I’ve met in my life,” said Terry Dwyer, the firm’s executive director. “He’s honest, sincere, humble and he’s what everyone should strive to be. Burr’s motto is to do the right thing and everyone knows it.” In the early days of Udall’s practice, attorneys didn’t specialize in distinct areas of law, he said. “Everybody did everything back then. Probate, domestic, criminal. At some point, mid-to-late ’90s, lawyers started to be specialists.” Udall Law’s specialty became insurance. “The firm has a long history of insurance defense,” Dwyer said. “Insurance companies have panel counsels they go to for a list of attorneys. We’re

Burr Udall 1977

on most insurance companies’ lists,” which has contributed to the firm’s longevity, reputation and success. “Our business practices are very good,” he said, “but our perceived size is where we struggle. Potential clients think we’re too big. But most of our business comes from small businesses and we can turn work around fast and our rates are well in line.” To ensure their future survival, the partners have introduced growth strategies that include hiring law students directly out of school, hosting educational presentations to the public on various law topics, and expanding into Phoenix, where the practice has five attorneys. Many of its longtime clients are in the healthcare industry, such as Tucson Medical Center, Banner Health, medical and dental practices and COPE Behavioral Health. Part of the firm’s strategy is to support them through donations and by attending their fundraising events. Real estate is another important segment for Udall Law with a client list that includes Vistoso Properties and Stone Canyon. This year marks the firm’s 65th anniversary and talks have begun about how to commemorate it. “For the 60th we had a big affair out in the parking lot. We did an Oktoberfest theme,” Dwyer said. “Maybe we’ll do something in the fall, probably less elaborate and save a big event for the 70th.” After 63 years in the same place, Udall is happily working alongside and mentoring his younger colleagues. The good thing about practicing law, Udall said, “is that as you get older, if your brain is still working, you can still do it. The greatest joy to me is the exposure to so many different things.” Biz Summer 2017 > > > BizTucson 129

BizDOWNTOWN

Marriott Moxy Hotel “200 Block” on East Congress Street between Fifth Avenue and Arizona Avenue

New Hotels Coming Downtown Plus Renovation of Retail Space By Jay Gonzales After decades of frustration trying to attract one new downtown hotel, Tucson now has three hotels in the works following the latest agreement between the Rio Nuevo District and local developer Scott Stiteler. The latest deal opens the door for 130 BizTucson

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Stiteler to build a second Marriott – this one branded as a Marriott Moxy Hotel – just blocks from where the AC Marriott will open this summer. Earlier Caliber Hospitality out of Scottsdale previously forged a similar agreement with Rio Nuevo to build a long-awaited

hotel adjacent to the Tucson Convention Center. “It’s astonishing what’s occurred to our little downtown,” said Fletcher McCusker, chair of the Rio Nuevo Board of Directors. “The astonishing thing is, before the first Marriott opens they’re www.BizTucson.com

“

Somehow Tucson has gotten on the radar for its urban hipness.

committing to a second one. It’s just an unbelievable time.” Under the latest agreement, Rio Nuevo essentially is trading up-front cash committed to Stiteler in a previous agreement for development of the AC Marriott and instead is committing future sales taxes in the form of a rebate. The rebate will support development of Stiteler’s two Marriott hotel properties and renovation of a retail space he also owns known as the “200 Block” on East Congress Street between Fifth Avenue and Arizona Avenue. Rio Nuevo had previously agreed to purchase the parking structure at the AC Marriott for $4.3 million and lease it back to Stiteler. Instead, Stiteler will get a sales-tax rebate capped at $7.7 million

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Fletcher McCusker Chair Rio Nuevo Board of Directors –

and will commit to spending $3.2 million on the “200 Block” where there are four restaurant properties. “We’re basically trading him current cash for future sales tax rebates,” McCusker said. “What we have found is their lenders value this strategy more than cash up front. It’s all about debt service.” The Marriott Moxy is intended to attract a different clientele than the AC Marriott, McCusker said. The AC Marriott is branded as “European modernism,” according to the company’s website, with a more elegant feel to it. The Moxy brand is geared toward younger so-called “millennials” with a much more socially interactive feel to it. “These are hotels that are going up

”

in San Diego, New Orleans. There’s a Moxy in Tempe near ASU. They’re in Chicago and Miami,” McCusker said. “Somehow Tucson has gotten on the radar for its urban hipness.” The Moxy will be built on top of the Depot Plaza underground parking garage at 45 N. Fifth St., at the intersection with East Toole Street. It will be across the street west of the Hotel Congress. The Rio Nuevo Board unanimously approved the sales-tax rebate on April 25. The Board commissioned an independent economic analysis of the two projects and will review the results before signing off on final approval of the agreement. Approval is also subject to agreement by the City of Tucson.

Biz

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PHOTO: CHRIS MOONEY

Dignitaries cut the ribbon in March, officially opening HealthOn Broadway downtown.

Nancy Johnson CEO El Rio Health

Judy Rich Jonathan Rothschild President/CEO Tucson Medical Center

Mayor City of Tucson

Downtown Medical Center Opens

El Rio & TMC Add Healthcare to the City Center By Mary Minor Davis El Rio Health and Tucson Medical Center, two local leaders in health care, launched HealthOn Tucson by celebrating the opening of their first joint site, HealthOn Broadway, an integrated health and wellness primary care site in downtown Tucson. Nancy Johnson, CEO of El Rio Health, welcomed the large crowd at the March opening of the facility located at 1 W. Broadway. “We are transforming how primary care should be delivered through world-class patient experience, innovation, effi132 BizTucson

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ciency and clinical outcomes,” said Johnson. “TMC and El Rio Health have spent the past year creating a new integrated, innovative health care model, which has not yet been seen in Tucson.” Judy Rich, CEO of Tucson Medical Center, said, “10 years ago we would never have thought about planting our flag in downtown, but look what has happened to our downtown. After getting to know Nancy, we started asking, ‘What can we do together?’ ” The $1 million joint venture is equally funded by both orwww.BizTucson.com

“

Our community told us they wanted to access health care where they live and where they work. Judy Rich CEO Tucson Medical Center –

BizDOWNTOWN

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ganizations, Johnson said. TMC and El Rio Health have been working with the city of Tucson, Pima County, Tucson Electric Power and downtown business owners to discern the needs of their employees. “Our community told us they wanted to access health care where they live and where they work,” Rich said. “It made sense to partner with our colleagues at El Rio Health to bring this innovative concept to downtown Tucson.” Anyone can use HealthOn Broadway for primary, integrated and wellness care. Using state-of-the-art technology, patients can check themselves in on kiosks in the waiting room, which also features unique designs and dialogue rooms where patients can talk about their health goals without the sterility of examination rooms. Patients will have access to Xray tests, laboratory tests, free wellness classes, health education talks, virtual health visits, around-the-clock phone nurse triage, physical therapy and extended hours. The center is staffed with doctors, family nurse practitioners, a radiology technician, lab assistant, behavioral health consultant and health coaches who are licensed practical and registered nurses. It accepts private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid and, for those with no health care coverage, payment on a sliding fee based on household income. HealthOn Broadway is staffed to accommodate up to 7,000 patient visits per year. “You’ll see that one-stop shopping that El Rio is known for,” Johnson said. Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild said there was one word to describe the new center – “Perfect. “This is just another piece of downtown’s redevelopment. What do you need for a complete community? Downtown living — check. A grocery store — check. And now, healthcare and wellness.” Rothschild said the new center supports more than 10,000 employees working in the downtown area and 5,000 area residents. Pima County Supervisor Ramon Valadez agreed. “This center now ensures we have healthcare in our community — no matter where you are.” Locally governed and operated, TMC and El Rio Health officials said their organizations are invested in high-quality care, workforce development, economic sustainability and empowerment of people to take care of themselves and live healthily. Biz www.BizTucson.com

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BizDOWNTOWN

Hexagon Mining Chooses Downtown IMAGE: COURTESY HEXAGON MINING

By Jay Gonzales

Tucson’s downtown development picture got even brighter in March with the announcement that Hexagon Mining will move its North American headquarters to the city center. Hexagon Mining, which has operated its North American headquarters at an office on East Fort Lowell Road, announced in March that it is expanding its operation in Tucson and relocating its headquarters to the new City Park building at 40 E. Congress St. The company will eventually add 120 jobs to the 140 already here, and will lease 26,000 square feet on the third and fourth floors of the City Park building. The company plans to open the new headquarters next summer. “We were looking at multiple cities for a new building suited for a North American headquarters of a global technology company,” Hélio Samora, president of Hexagon Mining, said in a news release. “Our new downtown Tucson location and image is highly attractive for millennial talent from universities and abroad. We plan to benefit the entire Tucson region by hosting clients for training, sales presentations and events.” Hexagon Mining is a developer and provider of information technology solutions for planning, operations and safety for 134 BizTucson

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mining. “Hexagon Mining is shaping smart change by helping to connect all parts of a mine with technologies that make sense of data in real time,” according to the news release. The company lists North America offices in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Other offices are in Brazil, Chile, Peru, Australia, Indonesia, India, Switzerland and South Africa. The parent company, Hexagon, is based in Stockholm, Sweden, and traded on the Nasdaq Stockholm. Organizations involved in adding Hexagon Mining as a downtown employer were Rio Nuevo, Pima County, City of Tucson, Arizona Commerce Authority, Sun Corridor Inc. and Bourn Companies, the developer of City Park. “What impressed us was that all different groups were united the entire time,” said Josh Weiss, CFO of Hexagon Mining. “It never felt as if we had to deal with all the different parties individually. It left a very strong and favorable impression that we are and will be valued in the region working together in the future.” “This was a highly competitive process, with Tucson vying for Hexagon Mining’s business against Denver, London, Zuwww.BizTucson.com

“

Our new downtown Tucson location and image is highly attractive for millennial talent from universities and abroad. –

”

Hélio Samora, President. Hexagon Mining

rich, Brisbane and Chicago,” said Joe Snell, president and CEO of Sun Corridor Inc. “Tucson clearly won as a recognized leader in mining, technology and engineering expertise. Hexagon Mining joins new downtown employers such as Caterpillar and others seeing the benefit of locating in an urban setting.” “This is huge for downtown Tucson – an international employer, adding to the base of businesses who have established a presence in our urban core,” said Fletcher McCusker, chair of the Rio Nuevo District. “This impacts housing, food and beverage, and entertainment – further solidifying downtown as a live, play and work environment.” New positions at the headquarters will include executive management, information technology, engineering, research and development, product development, sales, human resources, legal, marketing and administrative support. Hiring is underway. “We already have a rich history in Tucson, which is rapidly emerging as a mining technology hub,” Weiss said. “All the attractions downtown and the City Park building helped Tucson stand out. We think the city is unique and we like to think of Hexagon Mining as unique. Tucson offers a great quality of life for our employees and their families, good climate, close proximity to a major university with which we have strong ties, plus access to so many outdoor activities.” Capital investment for the site is estimated at $9.4 million, which includes costs for the move and the buildout of the office at City Park. The total economic impact of the expansion is estimated at $224 million over five years. Elected officials hailed another victory for downtown development and the area’s economic development efforts. “While it is important to bring in new companies, it is just as important to support our existing employers,” said Sharon Bronson, chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors. “Retaining this rapidly growing, world-leading mining technology and consulting company in Tucson, along with Caterpillar and the companies operating the regional mines, emphasizes the strength of the region’s ability to leverage our mining legacy for excellent local jobs, especially those using cutting-edge technology.” “Bringing a tech-company headquarters to a new downtown building is a double win for Tucson,” said Mayor Jonathan Rothschild. “Hexagon Mining will be part of Tucson’s emerging downtown technology hub.” Biz www.BizTucson.com

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5 Key Truths About

Site Sel

What Influences Relocation and Expansion Decisions

PHOTOS: CHRIS MOONEY

“

Arizona and Tucson are great examples. They are enthusiastic about business, they want those jobs for their citizens and they want the best companies and are willing to work with them.

”

Phil Schneider Chairman Site Selectors Guild –

Clockwise from top – Left to right: Vivek Joshi, VP of Operations, Duravant; Greg White, CFO, Raytheon Missile Systems; Ben Cordani, Lead Human Resources Manager, Caterpillar, Surface Mining & Technology Division; Site Selectors Guild Conference held in Tucson plus VIP bicycle tour of downtown hosted by Sun Corridor Inc. 136 BizTucson

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BizDESTINATION

ection By Rhonda Bodfield

Phil Schneider helps corporations decide where to relocate or expand and he’s done it for nearly 30 years. These can be multimilliondollar, even billion-dollar decisions. He knows how to do the legwork and find places that meet exacting criteria. He’s worked with American Express, Andersen Window, Apple Computer, Bank of America, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Bosch, Bridgestone, Caterpillar, The Gap, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg, Mattel and Toyota. He’s done location reviews throughout the world. Schneider is chairman of the prestigious 42-member Site Selectors Guild that held its annual conference in Tucson this spring and he is president of Schneider Consulting. He has nearly 30 years of management consulting experience in corporate global location strategy, site selection, incentives negotiation and economic development strategy. Schneider regularly speaks at conferences and

forums on location strategy, site selection and foreign direct investment. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin after serving six years in the United States Navy. He told BizTucson there are plenty of misconceptions about the work done by this exclusive and prestigious group of professionals. He shared these five key truths based on his decades in the field and hundreds of successful projects.

There’s nothing cookie cutter about the work.

“Every project is different because there are so many variables. What is the industry? What product are they making? Do they do manufacturing, research, distribution? How big – are we talking 30 operations or three? Is this their 100th site selection or second? “All of these variables are critical to the final decision, as are other considerations such as their risk, how au-

tomated they are, how labor intensive. Where are their suppliers and their customers? “Site selectors help build a framework to take all those variables and score them in a way to give them the optimal place to be. “Often, the first step is helping them understand things they didn’t ask initially because many times a company might have asked their HR or engineering or real estate areas to launch the process – and they look at it from their own perspectives. Site selectors have the ability to bring all of those perspectives together. “What might be surprising to some is that even within the same company, a project done five years ago would be different now because their market has changed, their competitors have changed, their suppliers have changed, their cost structure has changed and even the national government leadership has changed. We essentially start from scratch each time.”

The win is not all about taxes and regulation.

“Sometimes it’s true that regulations are the No. 1 consideration because there are industries that live and die by regulatory environments. If you are in the petrochemical industry, for example, there are places you just can’t be and others where you can. So even if you have an area with good talent and a solid customer base, there just wouldn’t be any point in looking there because it wouldn’t be a match. “But more often than not, a company may look at 50 variables. The No. 1 consideration – and if it’s not No. 1, it’s always in the top five – is talent and workforce. There may be 50 factors you’ll look at, but talent is often key – whether that’s skills in the sense of greater technical capabilities of its workforce or just the sheer number of them, such as if you need a workforce of 500 for manufacturing. And then continued on page 139 >>>

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BizDESTINATION

Tucson Makes Lasting Impression on Site Selectors Guild Members Influence Relocation Decisions

PHOTO: CHRIS MOONEY

By Rhonda Bodfield “It’s like hosting the Olympics of economic development. Only we don’t have to build a stadium.” That’s how Joe Snell, president and CEO of Sun Corridor Inc., summed up the impact of hosting the 2017 conference of the Site Selectors Guild, a prestigious group of site selection and economic development consultants. The 42 guild members, along with the hundreds of economic development professionals who attend each annual guild conference, are highly specialized corporate relocation specialists who help companies find the right fit for expansion projects. The bottom line: If you’re an area interested in growth opportunities, you want to be on their radar. So when the opportunity came up two years ago, local economic development leaders weren’t about to sit it out. “Choosing the location to host the Site Selectors Guild Conference each year is a lengthy, competitive process,” said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority, noting she was proud of the collaborative effort it took to put together the winning bid. Attractive venue? Check. Great weather? Got it. Amenities? No problem, thanks to JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort. Easy to get to? Welcome to Tucson International Airport. Phil Schneider, chairman of the national Site Selectors Guild, said Tucson walked away with it in part because of what Arizona did better than anyone else – provide several suitable options around the state, any of which could host the conference. “This is a dynamic place – it’s either a place our members know from past projects, or should know and want to know,” he said. “Our clients really enjoy learning about an area that has been growing and continues to grow and has things to offer like talent and quality of life.” 138 BizTucson

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Snell said it was hard to understimate the value of hundreds of international economic development officials listening to a panel discussion in which Greg White, CFO of Raytheon Missile Systems, and Benjamin Cordani, lead human resources manager for Caterpillar, shared their insights into why their companies selected Tucson in recent relocation and expansion decisions. At the end of the day, though, Schneider said clients are going to ask if an area is a good place for their employees to live. How will it fit in their supply chain? Will they be able to recruit a topnotch workforce? To help answer those questions and to showcase host options, local leaders – including Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry, Pima County Supervisor Ramón Valadez, Meet Me at

“

It’s like hosting the Olympics of economic development. Only we don’t have to build a stadium.

”

– Joe Snell President & CEO Sun Corridor Inc.

Maynards founder Jannie Cox and business owner Edmund Marquez – led some of the attendees on a Sunday afternoon bike ride along The Loop river park system to enjoy the weather and outdoor amenities. Marquez, who serves on the Rio Nuevo board, recalled stretching out his arms at one point and asking how one site selector enjoyed the 75-degree weather. It was 30 degrees that morning in the man’s hometown in Ohio. “We were really proud to show the region off,” Marquez said. “These are the gatekeepers of the high-paying jobs we want to move to Tucson.” Local and state officials also took a tour of the Phoenix and Tucson regions, as well as the stretch along Interstate 10 in between. There were dinners – including one in which chef Janos Wilder delighted palates at the Carriage House downtown. And there was a unified front. Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson, Rio Nuevo Chairman Fletcher McCusker and the Commerce Authority’s Watson shared the importance of collaboration and partnership – not just with regional and state jurisdictions, but with business interests – in building a foundation for economic growth. “No pun intended, but we had a very good look at a ‘hot corridor’ for business,” Schneider said. “Our members and attendees want to spend time in a dynamic area and this really fulfills that aim for us.” The Commerce Authority’s Watson predicted the conference will pay dividends in the coming years, building on the momentum Arizona is already experiencing. “Bringing the Site Selectors Guild Conference to Arizona,” Watson said, “allowed us to highlight this success, communicate Arizona’s unique value proposition and show off our unmatched quality of life to a key group of decision makers.” Biz www.BizTucson.com

continued from page 137 there are other sub-factors even within that. You’re looking at everything from the availability to the quality, the sustainability and the cost. “The other is infrastructure. You have to be able to physically do the work. You have to have electric power at the quantity, quality and cost you need. You need the fuel, the water, sewer, fiber, broadband and telecom. These things have to be there. “You can have a great workforce, a great regulatory environment and great real estate, but it’s not a match if you don’t have the infrastructure to handle the dozen trucks you’re sending out a day or the rail or airports you need for shipping. “From there, if you determine an area would meet your physical needs, you start on the sub-factors, including what image you’ll be projecting when your customers come to your plant or when the talent you’re trying to attract from elsewhere comes to look around. “We often visualize this process as a funnel, with screens that get smaller and smaller until there are just a few left.”

Time constraints are becoming more significant.

“When I first started, we had nine months to do a project. Now we have nine weeks. The process really has tightened up as data has become more ubiquitous. “Other areas of the world don’t necessarily have the tools and information that we have here in the U.S., so there is a lot of pressure from clients who expect to have that kind of speed everywhere else in the world. That’s not always realistic.”

Incentives are one piece – not the main driver.

“Ultimately, our goal is to find two to four locations that have met all the criteria so that we’re confident we’re not likely to make a big mistake. Any of them will work, but now the question is identifying the best of the best of the best. “You hear so often in the media or political circles that it’s all driven by incentives. Very few of them are – and, in fact, I don’t think I can think of any continued on page 140 >>> www.BizTucson.com

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BizDESTINATION continued from page 139 project in 30 years where that’s the case. “That doesn’t mean they aren’t important. When we’ve gotten to that very small list where any could work – then those incentives to reduce cost or help a company get into business faster make a difference. Whether you’re offering expedited permitting to get things up and running quicker or helping with training, companies listen to that because those things have value.”

Pom-poms beat an ambivalent yawn any day.

“Guild members and our clients see these efforts as a public-private partnership. Companies are bringing jobs and investment to the table, while states and communities are bringing infrastructure and talent. “Sometimes you’ll read in the press about those greedy companies trying to squeeze something out of the state and city. They’re forgetting about the other side of the equation: It’s a competitive environment. “And it’s a big risk for these companies. You have to answer to your shareholders on why you’re spending tens of millions building a new plant and training workers and disrupting your supply chain. It could be a career-ending decision so they want to see that partnership. “The best projects consist of a great company, a great city and state, and a great consultant. Bring those three together and you’ll have a great result and a great solution. If one falls apart, you don’t have the partnership you’ll need for long-term success. “There is nothing worse than working up these projects for months and at the end of the day, the leaders are too busy golfing. Why would you go to a place that is not enthusiastic about you when options and choices exist? “Arizona and Tucson are great examples. They are enthusiastic about business, they want those jobs for their citizens and they want the best companies and are willing to work with them. “It’s important to site selectors and to clients to come to an enthusiastic area that will go the extra mile to get the job done. And that’s been the case here.”

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BizCONSTRUCTION

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Project: Truly Nolen Corporate Campus and Training Center Location: 434 S. Williams Blvd. Owner: Truly Nolen Pest Control Contractor: Lloyd Construction Company Architect: Lloyd Construction Company Broker: N/A Completion Date: March 2017 Construction Cost: Estimated $9 million Project Description: Project includes a site development package, two new buildings and renovation of existing buildings.

Project: Copper Queen Free-Standing Emergency Room Location: 100 E. Fifth St., Douglas Owner: Bisbee Hospital Association dba Copper Queen Community Hospital Contractor: Lloyd Construction Company Architect: Devenney Group Broker: N/A Completion Date: February 2017 Financed By: N/A Construction Cost: Estimated $3.9 million Project Description: Designed to complement the existing hospital, this facility is equipped with resuscitation, CT, X-ray, seven exam rooms and a helipad.

Project: Tucson Orthopaedic Institute Location: 12315 N. Vistoso Park Road Owner: TOI Real Estate Contractor: Division II Architect: Highton Company Broker: Cotlow Company Completion Date: November 2017 Financed By: Wells Fargo Construction Cost: N/A Project Description: TOIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oro Valley location will include 10,270 square feet of clinical offices, two X-ray units, physical rehab and pain management.

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BizCONSTRUCTION

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Project: Encantada at Continental Ranch Location: 6101 W. Arizona Pavilions Drive Owner: HSL Properties Contractor: HSL Construction Services Architect: Eglin + Bresler Architects Broker: None Completion Date: Winter 2018 Financed By: TBD Construction Cost: $36 million Project Description: Located adjacent to Quarry Pines Golf Club in Marana, the 304-unit luxury apartment community will offer one-tothree bedroom apartments with resort-style amenities.

Project: La Placita Apartments Location: 110 S. Church Ave. Owner: HSL Properties Contractor: TBD Architect: Eglin + Bresler Architects Broker: None Completion Date: Winter 2019 Financed By: BBVA Compass Construction Cost: $50 million Project Description: HSLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s downtown luxury 246-unit community will offer studios to four-bedrooms and feature private, on-site parking, rooftop pool, a fitness center and movie theater.

Project: University Medical Center Tucson Location: 3838 N. Campbell Ave. Owner: Banner Health Contractor: Hensel Phelps Architect: SmithGroupJJR Broker: N/A Completion Date: Early 2018 Financed By: Banner Health Construction Cost: $64 million Project Description: The expansion of the north campus consists of a 207,000-square-foot multispecialty health center and a three-story parking garage.

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Biz EDUCATION

Q&A with

Lee Lambert Chancellor, Pima Community College

When you look back at the fouryear accreditation process and the lifting of the sanctions, what stood out as the characteristics the college can build on as it moves forward as an accredited institution?

We will continue working for students and the community and we have never stopped building for the future. Our eyes always have been locked on our North Star – student success, community engagement and diversity.

First, let me clarify that PCC has remained fully accredited throughout the period of being first placed on probation and then the lesser sanction of “on notice.” Nonetheless, final removal from notice is a crystalclear indication to students and the larger community that Pima Community College is operating at a high standard and will continue to contribute to our region’s economic development. Regaining the full confidence of our accreditor required a Herculean effort that spanned nearly four years and involved hundreds of employees, Governing Board members and community stakeholders. This kind of teamwork going forward will allow the college to operate with one mission and vision and to more effectively keep “Students First.” Additionally, the college now understands the value of data-informed and evidence-based decisions. Every organizational area in the college has developed its own goals and now measures activities against key performance indicators, based on the college’s strategic plan.

PHOTO: CARTER ALLEN

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What do you see as the greatest challenges to providing a quality, affordable education, for PCC specifically, and for other similar institutions in Arizona?

Many community college students must overcome substantial obstacles and yet they succeed in spite of adversity. As you know, the poverty rate in Pima County is high, with one in five families living in poverty. Many of our students are first-generation college students who do not have family experience with higher education, because of both financial and cultural factors. Lack of state funding has hampered Pima’s ability to bring students out of poverty and to become productive citizens. PCC has had to balance the effects of declining enrollment – a nationwide trend – and elimination of state funding with the need to upgrade aging campuses, provide services to students and meet the training and education needs of employers. Arizona lags behind other states in the number of adults who have earned certificates or degrees past high school.

Lee Lambert

Chancellor Pima Community College

Arizona is currently 40th in the country in terms of high school students who graduate from college within six years. By contrast, futurists estimate that by 2020, two-thirds of all jobs will require education higher than high school. That’s why PCC is participating in the Achieve60AZ initiative, which has set the goal of ensuring that 60 percent of Arizonans have a certificate or degree by 2030. Access also means keeping costs low. PCC is excited to be one of only 38 community colleges in the nation involved in an initiative to provide students with low-cost or free textbooks and other materials. Our goal is to remove the financial roadblock that textbook costs pose for many of our students.

When you see former students who have had success, like those at the PCC Foundation breakfast, how does that drive you in determining the direction of the college? www.BizTucson.com

buildings that makes PCC special. It’s people. It’s the women and men who study at PCC. They’re old and young, from diverse backgrounds, all united in their belief in the promise of education. I believe it’s also PCC’s employees, who provide our students with the motivation, knowledge and skills to push forward.

How would you best characterize PCC’s relationship with the business community?

Ensuring students have the ability to achieve their hopes and dreams is what keeps us going here at Pima. For example, Liz Pennington is a wife and mother who was not successful when she first attempted attending university. She later came to Pima and received the encouragement, counseling and support that helped her succeed. Oneon-one support is often the factor that makes all the difference. Today Liz is on track to graduate from the University of Arizona with a degree in history and hopes to go on to become a teacher. While at Pima, Liz really blossomed. She became a student leader, chaired the student textbook task force, was the student representative to the PCC Governing Board and this spring was just selected to the AllUSA Academic team, one of only 20 students in the entire nation, out of 1,900 nominees. It’s not statistics, plans, grants or www.BizTucson.com

Pima has increased our collaboration with community business partners in order to provide employers with the workers they need to meet the needs of an increasingly demanding marketplace. We know that Pima Community College is an important economic driver in Southern Arizona and we have focused on developing closer relationships with the business community and responding to its needs. For example, we have an exciting new connection with Raytheon Missile Systems to provide skilled technicians in engineering, product testing and information technology. Our strategy includes dual-credit opportunities to expand the talent pipeline from high school to PCC to Raytheon, and improving the talent pool by providing current Raytheon employees with training so they can advance into highly skilled technician jobs. In automotive technology, we became one of the first 35 community colleges to take part in the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Mopar Career Automotive Program, or Mopar CAP. We will teach students using web-based technical courses on operation and repair of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles. The training will give students the skills to succeed as technicians at Fiat Chrysler dealerships in Tucson and beyond. Our aviation technology program produces top-flight graduates. We are one of a handful of community colleges teaching Advanced Structural Repair and Modification. We are a charter member of a groundbreaking nationwide coalition seeking to bridge the skills gap between colleges and aviation employers.

We want to extend the Center of Excellence concept to advanced technology, allied health professions, hospitality and other sectors essential to the economic growth of our region and state. We can’t do that without good, solid relationships with those employment sectors. PCC is uniquely situated to help bring our community to greater prosperity.

What role would you like to see local businesses play in your mission?

Our community business partners have been incredibly supportive of PCC through the changes of the past few years. We want to hear more from businesses and learn how we can serve that sector better. Although we have a solid team that reaches out to business and industry, developing closer and more responsive ties, I would ask that business owners and managers don’t wait for us to call them. Please reach out to us and let us know your needs. Even better, consider serving on one of our community advisory committees. And the PCC Foundation is always looking for donors to fund scholarships and programs for students.

What will be the primary differences the community will see between the PCC before you arrived and the PCC going forward?

Our Foundation’s Building Community breakfast truly marked the beginning of a new era. The changes that have occurred at Pima have put in place a solid foundation for our community partnerships to continue to grow and thrive. The improvements PCC has made mean that our region’s employers will continue to find wellqualified staff and that PCC graduates can enter great careers. I believe that the community will find a more nimble and responsive Pima, but a Pima that remains firmly committed to open access, diversity, community engagement and student success.

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BizBRIEFS Meredith Ford

Native Tucsonan Meredith Ford is the new communications manager for Casa de la Luz, Southern Arizona’s leading provider of hospice care. In this new position, Ford is charged with creating and delivering impactful communications in support of Casa de la Luz’s mission to provide superior care to patients and their loved ones. Ford is graduate of Salpointe Catholic High School and the University of Arizona. Biz

Brian Barker

A Tucson-based commercial general contractor has returned to its original name. Barker Contracting, founded in 2004, has shed its Barker Morrissey Contracting name. “Last year we went through an adjustment in ownership, but didn’t change the name. With this action, we are completing the transition,” said Brian Barker, company president. BCI has expertise in a variety of markets, including high tech, industrial, research, healthcare, retail and renewable energy. Biz

Alice Templeton

Native Tucsonan Alice Templeton is the new business development director at Barker Contracting, Templeton’s background includes community relations, organizational management and public speaking. BCI President Brian Barker said she brings long-term connections and a solid understanding of the region to BCI. “We think Alice will be fabulous for the company, developing new markets and what we’ll be doing in the future. We are excited,’’ Barker said. Biz 148 BizTucson

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Katina Koller

Katina Koller has joined Vistage Worldwide as a strategic advisor. Vistage is an international private advisory board for CEOs, executives and business owners. Vistage’s private advisory board helped Koller succeed as a chairwoman and CEO and now she is helping growthminded executives to achieve their potential by discussing the benefits of a confidential executive advisory board and oneon-one coaching for high impact. Biz

Duane Froeschle

Duane Froeschle has retired as president and senior executive officer of the Tucson region of Alliance Bank of Arizona after 15 years with the firm. “I am incredibly proud of my time at Alliance Bank and it has been an honor to serve within an organization that is truly a valued partner in the Arizona business community,” Froeschle said. The Tucson offices are now led by Reid Clark and Joseph Snapp. Biz

Don Garner

Don H. Garner is the new CEO of Alliance Bank of Arizona, replacing James Lundy, who retired. Garner has been a commercial and real estate banker in Arizona for 26 years. He previously served as executive VP and statewide real estate manager for Alliance Bank of Arizona’s commercial and residential lending group. Garner started his career at Valley National Bank in 1990 and has been with Alliance Bank since its 2003 inception.

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BizTRIBUTE

Celebrating Pat Connors ‘A Prince of the Community’ By Mary Minor Davis Tucson lost a shining light in the restaurant community when Pat Connors, owner of Pastiche, passed away March 5 after a months-long battle with lung cancer. He was 48. Connors moved to Tucson in the 1980s to attend the University of Arizona. He met his future wife, Julie, when they both worked at the now-closed Terra Cotta and became fast friends with Michael Luria, whose family owned the restaurant. “When I think of Pat, the three things that come to mind are his radiant smile, his penchant for philanthropy and the gratifying laughter whenever in his presence,” Luria said. “Most of us strive to live our life with purpose and substance. Albeit too short, this is how Pat lived his life and that is part of his legacy.” Julia recalled, “We worked together for about a year before we started dating. Pat used to joke that I waited until he was a manager so I could get better shifts, but that wasn’t it. At first I thought he was arrogant. He was cocky at that age. And he thought I was a lesbian!” Connors and Julie married in May 1994. This year would have been their 23rd wedding anniversary. “We were just so right for each other,” she said. “We had a lot of fun in those days,” Luria said. “We were young and amateurish, but we worked hard. I am so grateful for all of the memorable moments I’ve built up with Pat over the years.” Julie said one of Connors’ passions was young people. They both came from large families and themselves had a son, Cole, born in 1997. They hosted three foreign exchange students from 150 BizTucson

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Sweden, and employees past and present have become an extended family, including many who haven’t worked for the restaurant for many years yet still stay in touch. “Pat was very much a people person,” Julie said. “They made his world go around. He saw only good in people and he would nurture that potential. He was just there for people.” In fact, he was such a people person that, just

Pat Connors days before he died, Connors hosted what was called his own “going away” party at Pastiche attended by hundreds of friends and patrons. Connors was a generous philanthropist in the community, supporting the arts in many ways, said Bill Dell, a regular patron of Pastiche and a friend of the family since the Connors opened Pastiche in 1998. “There’s no replacing Pat,” he said. “He was a prince in the community.” Dell, who was the president of the

board for the former Beowulf Alley Theater Company, appreciated the many ways that Connors supported the theater. “We were the recipients of his incredible generosity. Pat never hesitated to provide food and wine for our opening nights, our fundraisers.” Dell and his wife, Beth, would go to dinner weekly at Pastiche and became well-known to the staff. When the bartenders learned that Beth wasn’t a fan of the taste of vodka, they created the “Bethmo,” a special cosmopolitan recipe that later became a regular item on the menu. “The secret was the right blend of vodka and cranberry juice and an entire lemon rind,” Dell said. “It became such a restaurant favorite that the bartenders would hold contests as to who could produce the longest lemon rind. It was a surprise when we saw it on the menu. It was a lot of fun.” Friends agree that Connors was a big bright spirit who will be long remembered. In celebration of the many contributions Connors made over the years, the Pima County Board of Supervisors declared April 17 Pat Connors Day. The Tucson Originals created the Pat Connors award, given to restaurateurs who exhibit the spirit of giving and mentoring as he did. The first recipient was Michael Elefante, owner of Mama Louisa’s. As to the future, Julie still works at Pastiche a couple of days a week, helping the new owners Judie and Costas Georgacas get settled. “I really like the new owners,” she said. “I’m going to do everything I can to help them succeed.”

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BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF TUCSON 26TH ANNIVERSARY STEAK & BURGER DINNER CLICK FOR KIDS AWARD Sunday, Oct. 1 Casino del Sol Resort $75 per person Sponsorships available

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www.bgctucson.org (520) 573-3533

PHOTO: BRENT G. MATHIS

From left in back â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Club Director Daniel Miranda, Jeannie & Cole Davis, Alesandro Miranda. In front, Eduardo Gutierrez.

BizAWARD

A Couple Helping Kids Generosity Earns Cole & Jeannie Davis Click for Kids Award By Steve Rivera When Jeannie Davis handed the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson’s Chris Serrano a $30,000 check just days before Christmas in 2003, she saw the immediate impact. “She started to cry,” said Davis. “She said, ‘You’re going to save us.’ ” And so started a relationship that has gone on for nearly 15 years with gifts that have totaled nearly $2 million. “I didn’t understand how impactful it was,” Davis said. But the Boys & Girls Clubs have always known, since the money goes to programs to help Tucson’s youth become strong and resourceful adults. Before the donation in 2003, the clubs were going to cut programs and perhaps do without the annual holiday shopping spree. “The gratification was immediate,” Davis said. “They said they could do things with that money immediately.” Tough times called for good, giving people. The Davises were the right people at the right time and have been there since. “They’ve been critical to our success through the years,” said Debbie Wagner, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson. For all their efforts and generous donations, Jeannie and Cole Davis have been named by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson as the ninth recipients of the Click for Kids Award. It was created in 2009 and is the clubs’ highest recognition and expression of gratitude. “They are making a difference in the lives of our kids,” Wagner said. They will be presented the award in October at the 26th annual Tucson Steak & Burger event that also honors the club’s outstanding youth of the year. The Davises – who have been married for 43 years and consider themselves a retired business couple – have donated more than $10 million through www.BizTucson.com

the years (a conservative estimate) in Tucson, including large personal donations to the University of Arizona. “The Davises have had a tremendous impact not just on the University of Arizona and the athletics department, but the community,” said Erika Barnes, UA senior associate athletics director. “We are all so fortunate that they choose to call Tucson home. “You can always find them at different community events and games, wearing the colors and making others smile. Their personality is contagious.” Their giving has become contagious as well. They’re known as “Pied Pipers” for others helping the clubs. “(They) are well respected in the community and have helped set us apart from many other charities,” Wagner said. “Because of the Davises’ support of the University of Arizona, we have been able to reach many donors that we might not have been able to get in front of. We love their support and the fact that every time we meet they are encouraging and kind about our progress.” Wagner said the two have become “great mentors for us in giving us advice on how to do that. We’ve been able to touch some new donors who might not know about us. It’s starting to yield some results.” Wagner estimated they’ve helped get donations in the “hundreds of thousands” of dollars and “we’re building on it. We are seeing the results.” The point is the Davises get what it’s about in their giving. It’s been that way since arriving in Tucson from Elk Heart, Indiana and after finding their vacationturned-retirement home in 1999. “When you come from Indiana, it’s all about the weather,” Jeannie said. It soon turned out to be about the people AND the weather. “We’ve been philanthropic for a long

time,” said Jeannie, a retired attorney. “Early on we didn’t know much about the Boys and Girls Clubs.” That was until they saw a story in a newspaper about the need for money. “We try to help the disadvantage youth in the community we live in,” said Cole. They are doing just that, according to Wagner, who nominated the Davises for the award. “Jeannie and Cole Davis are helping to transform the lives of at-risk youth in Tucson,” Wagner said in her form to nominate the couple. “Their outpouring of generosity in funding new training for the staff, new innovative academic programs, athletic programs, the arts and so much more. They closely follow the organization and their use of funds, leadership and staff. They are involved and interested in making the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson a stellar program.” It’s for the children. They now have grown children and know the importance of having resources. “We still like kids even though we had kids,” Cole said, joking. Jeannie, jokingly, quickly chimed in, “We now have grandchildren and they’ve restored our faith (in youth).” Part of their hope is for the programs to eventually produce strong leaders for the community. “It’s those leaders who give back to the community,” Jeannie said. “It’s a win-win for the community.” And it’s all for the “betterment of the community,” Jeannie stressed. “But for services like this, these kids would be takers, many of them, and living off the community instead of participating in the community,” Jeannie said. “It’s important for us to break that cycle for those kids who don’t have that ability to go to college or to learn and develop and to change it and break it.” Biz Summer 2017

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BizHONORS

Unsung Heroes

Tucson Police Officers, Staff Honored By David Petruska Four Tucson Police Department officers and staff members were honored at the 12th annual Unsung Heroes celebration presented by the Tucson Police Foundation in April. Their peers nominated the winners. The foundation is a nonprofit organization whose primary mission is to raise money to purchase lifesaving equipment, technology and training for TPD officers. Winners of the Unsung Heroes Awards are: 1. Phyllis Gasparro

Gasparro is a criminalist with the TPD Crime Laboratory who gives the ultimate gift – her time. She is a latent print examiner and has extensive experience in the field. She was initially hired as a crime scene specialist in 1993, became a latent print examiner in 1998, and progressed through the classifications over the years to her present position as a Criminalist III. Gasparro developed an education program centered on basic print examination and concepts of crime-scene processing through her children’s experiences with a high school senior exit project in the Vail Unified School District. “She goes to the schools on her day off for several hours to meet with the students and teach them the fundamentals of crime scenes and fingerprinting, as well as leading them through practical exercises,” wrote Sgt. Mallory Denzler, who nominated Gasparro. Denzler’s stepdaughter took the course through Gasparro. “My senior enjoyed her experience with Phyllis so much, and found the 154 BizTucson

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work so interesting, that she continued to go to the teaching sessions even after she had completed the required hours of study for her project,” Denzler wrote. Gasparro also volunteers for the Special Olympics Tip-a-Cop fundraiser. 2. Officer Ysela Welding

Welding goes above and beyond for the children of Tucson – especially the underprivileged. Welding has been with the department for 10 years and is a patrol officer. She is a Crisis Intervention Officer and a member of the Peer Support Team and Crisis Intervention Stress Management Unit. She is a member of the Hostage Negotiation Unit and works alongside SWAT, and is the coordinator for the annual Tucson Police Officer’s Association “Shop with a Cop” program, which exemplifies her dedication to children. “Ysela has the tough job of going through all the applications and choosing the 300 children to participate in the annual event,” wrote Officer Dustin Dial, who nominated Welding. “Children participating in the program shop for clothing, jackets and other necessary personal items, in addition to toys. She has been coordinating Shop with a Cop for almost 10 years, and therefore more than 2,500 kids have been able to participate.” 3. Christina Aronson

Aronson was chosen for her work as a DNA Analyst at the TPD Crime Lab, and for her volunteer efforts for the Pima Animal Care Center. She has opened her home to foster

26 different groups of cats, equating roughly to 100 newborn and “special needs” cats for PACC that are difficult or too young to be adopted out. “Christina is a relatively new DNA analyst, nonetheless she is always ready to work on any case no matter what the circumstances,” wrote Jelena Myers, who nominated her. “She has processed more than 300 cases in one year, greatly helping the Tucson community. She has performed DNA analysis for some of the biggest cases in Tucson, including back-to-back stranger high-risk sexual assault cases, high-profile bank robberies and serial property crimes.” 4. Officer Sean Travers

Travers is a patrol officer assigned to the West Division with TPD who shows great concern for children who are displaced from their homes and the role that law enforcement might play during this difficult time. Travers reached out to Lizbeth Cañez-Pompa, who is a child guidance specialist with Casa de los Niños, to develop a program to integrate police officers with children who stay in the shelter, wrote Sgt. Ericka Stropka, who nominated Travers. “Officer Travers, with Mrs. CañezPompa’s direction, was able to design a volunteer program for police officers to spend time with the children in the shelter while incorporating different activities like book reading, art activities, making puzzles and playing board games.” He also, on his own, collected more than 100 gifts for these kids at Christmas time.

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BizAWARDS

1. Sheena Saint Charles, Marketing & Communications Manager, Plum Windows and Doors

PHOTOS: ANGELA FARUOLO PHOTOGRAPHY

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2. Matt Smith, Marketing Representative & Danielle Durnal, Business Development Representative, Hughes Federal Credit Union 3. Owner William Bracco, his wife Ann Bracco & Juan Islas, Operations Manager, Fish Window Cleaning 4. Judy Wood, CEO; Jeff Wood, President; Jennifer Hoffman, Director of Human Resources &, CFO, Contact One Call Center

BBB Torch Awards By Lee Allen The stars burned brightly at this year’s Torch Awards presented by the Better Business Bureau and attended by a packed house, an announced crowd of 400, at the Casino Del Sol Resort Conference Center. “Our foundation is to support Southern Arizona businesses that do the right thing every day,” said Pam Crim, President/ CEO of the Better Business Bureau, which has been dispensing the awards locally since 2002. “Celebrating those who strive to grow their businesses in an ethical way is one of the highlights of our mission.” Emcee duties were handled by Cristie Street, co-founder and CEO of Nextrio, recognized as the 2016 Woman of the Year by Greater Tucson Leadership and a previous winner of Small Business Leader of the Year by the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. “The companies that were honored show a solid commitment to building marketplace trust, and their contribution to our community is critical as we work together to build positive economic growth,” said Alan Schultz, BBB Marketing Director. Any for-profit business headquartered in Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz, Graham or Greenlee counties, the local BBB service area, were eligible for nomination and a number of company logos showed up on the submission forms – triple the number over previous years. “The increase in submissions 156 BizTucson

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reiterates the interest our business community has in creating best practice policies,” Schultz said. Deemed by a panel of judges as best-of-the-best were: Plum Windows and Doors

Plum Windows and Doors, winner of the Spark Award, a new category that honors a business with at least one company leader 35 or younger. Sheena Saint Charles, marketing and communications manager, is that young leader. Other contenders in that category were Hayes Construction, Green Valley Cooling and Heating, and The Savvy Copywriter. “Commitment and involvement to community is extremely important to us,” said Plum President Desiree Williams. She said that whenever possible following a product installation, used windows and doors are donated to Habitat for Humanity. “We’re blessed to be able to contribute to the community and hope to be able to do more as we continue to grow. We’re always seeking new opportunities to support and give back to our community.” Hughes Federal Credit Union

Hughes Federal Credit Union took home the Good Neighbor Award given to a business committed to making Southern Arizona a better place through community service where both the business and its individual employees play a significant role in supporting local charities. Also considered were Hamstra www.BizTucson.com

Heating & Cooling, Tucson Federal Credit Union, and DK Advocates. HFCU has been in Tucson since 1965 and recently reached a milestone of $1 billion in total assets. “We remain committed to high-quality product and exceptional service to our members as well as making a positive difference in our community outreach efforts,” said board chairman John Sansbury. “Our goal is to positively impact our members and our economy” in adherence with the National Credit Union philosophy of Not for Profit, Not for Charity, But for Service. Fish Window Cleaning

Recognized as having an outstanding customer service program with a history of exceeding customer’s expectations was Fish Window Cleaning. Other category competitors were the Motivator Personal Fitness, Agility Spine & Sports Physical Therapy, and Sunshine Experts. The local Fish franchisee operates in Tucson/Catalina Foothills/Drexel Heights/Green Valley where William Bracco pledges superior service and customer satisfaction as part of the world’s largest window cleaning company that vows “to treat every customer as though they are our only customer.” Contact One Call Center

Winner of the Ethics Award was Contact One Call Center that competed for recognition as a business with trustworthy and honorable business practices through all phases of its operation against Water-Tec of Tucson, Plum Windows & Doors and High-End Used Saddles. Maintaining an A+ Better Business Bureau rating as they approach their 40th anniversary in business, Contact One’s Jeff and Judy Wood, president and CEO, respectively, work with a management team that is recognized as a leader in the teleservices industry. “We’re all about exceptional customer service experiences,” said Judy Wood. “Today’s whiz-bang technology is no excuse for slacking off on the quality of the people using it. We get that, and that makes us different.” On hand to speak of the concept of winners and doing so ethically was the keynote speaker, a veteran of collegiate athletics and the Pacific-12 Conference, Dave Heeke, who was celebrating his first week on the job as the University of Arizona’s 13th director of athletics. Combining success in intercollegiate athletics with that in the business world, he defined ethics as principles of conduct, treating others as you would like to be treated and living around the Golden Rule. “Ethics aren’t political or business or social issues, they’re personal issues, making decisions based on right and wrong and when faced with difficult circumstances, nothing speaks louder than making those decisions in the correct way,” he said. “Make ethics a priority. Model clear and consistent standards. Hold people accountable. The minute you walk by a problem, you’ve created another problem, so deal with things straight up. Many of you in this room are leaders and leadership is the most critical component in developing a strong ethics-based organization.” Much to the delight of those assembled, he concluded his remarks with a rousing “Bear Down.”

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BizBRIEFS David Larson

David Larson is the new CCO of BFL Construction Co. Larson will work with BFL President and CEO Garry Brav and other members of the company’s executive team to enhance the company’s commercial strategy, spearhead expansion into other construction specialties and manage other aspects of corporate development. Larson brings 20 years of expertise in both business management and the construction industry to his new job.

Biz

Tom Marcopulous

Bank of America has named Tom Marcopulos as wealth management lending officer for the Tucson area. He is returning to Tucson, where his lending career started 34 years ago. He will work closely with Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and US Trust clients to achieve their financial goals as they relate to real estate. In addition, he will work with Realtors and homebuilders to assist their clients with financing needs. Biz

Tucson Federal Credit Union presented three local nonprofits with Community Partnership Awards worth a total of $45,000. The Eric Hite Foundation received $25,000, Youth On Their Own received $10,000, and Our Family Services received $10,000. It’s the seventh year for the awards. The awards are donated to organizations whose charitable missions transform lives of people in need and where a direct impact of the donation can be measured. Biz 158 BizTucson

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W.E. O’Neil, Kappcon Take Top Cornerstone Awards

Wyatt Award Goes to Knapp By Larry Copenhaver struction Specification Institute, the W.E. O’Neil Construction Co. National Association of Women and Kappcon were honored as the in Construction, the Society for top contractors at the Cornerstone Design Administration, and the Building Foundation awards in Southern Arizona Architects and March. Engineers Marketing Association. Nearly 300 workers representing The foundation was founded in Tucson’s top construction-related 1994 by Robert Hershberger, then businesses gathered at the Tucson dean of the University of Arizona Convention Center for the anCollege of Architecture, with the nouncement of the 2017 awards. goal of bringing together members W.E. O’Neil Construction was of the local chapter of the AIA named the top large general conand members of the local chapter tractor, while Kappcon won as the of ABA to form a separate nonsmall general contractor. profit and provide a Fred Knapp, VP platform from which at CORE Construction, received the peers could honor Jerry Wyatt Commuthe best companies nity Service Award. in project delivery Knapp’s experience through an annual exceeds 36 years in awards program. the industry. His roles In 2009, CBF have evolved, begincreated a separate ning as laborer and organization that working his way up functions as CBF Fred Knapp to be the owner of Charities. It accomKnapp Construcmodates tax deducttion. He joined CORE six years ible donations and serves as deposiago. This award is sometimes retory of the CBF endowment funds. ferred to as the “good guy” award, Some $8,800 in construction-relatan honor bestowed on a contractor ed scholarships was awarded at this at-large for his or her contribution year’s program. of integrity and public service to Southwest Gas was the primary the industry. The first Jerry Wyatt sponsor of the banquet. Award was given posthumously to “These awards are a big deal. Wyatt in 2010 and has become one These are prestigious awards,” of the most respected awards in the said CBF Executive Director Brent local construction industry. Davis. Winners received plaques Cornerstone’s membership now passed out from the podium by emincludes the American Institute of cee Dan Cavanagh. Here are the winners of the 2017 Architects, the Arizona Builders’ Cornerstone Building Foundation Alliance, the American Council awards: of Engineering Companies, Con160 BizTucson

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PHOTOS: CHRIS MOONEY

BizAWARDS

John Hobbs W.E. O’Neil Construction Co. – General Contractor of the Year –

(Typically does projects worth more than $2 million.) This full-service general contracting company, founded in 1982, has built a proud heritage of quality, integrity and customer satisfaction, Cavanagh said. The company, under the leadership of President John Hobbs and VP Tommy Roof, has produced quality projects ranging from small tenant improvements to the 300,000-square-foot The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain resort in Marana.

Ken Cawthorne K.C. Mechanical Engineering – Design Consultant of the Year –

This company calls Tucson home even though it is certified in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas. K. C. Mechanical Engineering specializes in the design of HVAC, plumbing and other mechanical systems for commercial, institutional and industrial projects. The principals of the company include Ken Cawthorne, Ken Weyker and Robert Kunkel.

www.BizTucson.com

Winners of 2017 Cornerstone Foundation Awards

Nathan Kappler Kappcon – General Contractor of the Year – (Typically does proj-

ects costing less than $2 million.) This company refers to itself as a “mud on the boots, covered in sawdust, down in the ditch contractor,” according to its President Nathan Kappler. He and his team strive to build honest relationships with diverse institutional customers who capitalize on the contractor’s experience, expertise and creativity to produce quality results and form long-lasting and profitable professional partnerships.

Russ Blankenship Reproductions – Professional Service Award of the Year – Under

the leadership of President Russ Blankenship, this 100 percent employeeowned company has been serving the public, local architects and members of the construction industry for more than 60 years. Reproductions offers the services of top-of-the-line equipment to provide the highest quality printing available and the talents of highly skilled and trained workers.

Corky Poster Poster Frost Mirto – Architect of the Year – These designers work most

frequently within historic districts and neighborhoods near downtown Tucson. They’ve also used their talents at rural sites, cultural landscapes and ranch properties in Southern Arizona. Principal Corky Poster is a leading architectural conservation and history preservationist. The firm specializes in restoration of vernacular Sonoran Desert structures and the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings, including Old Main at the University of Arizona.

Jay Holladay, Steve Sweet, Janie Moulinet Sunstate Equipment Co. – Supplier of the Year – From hand tools to heavy

equipment for construction and industrial applications, Sunstate prides itself on being there with what a contractor needs, when it’s needed. According to manager Steve Sweet, the company has built its success around its primary core value, to treat all people with respect and, in doing so, become a true partner in customers’ successes.

Joe Wittmann Universal Wallboard – Subcontractor of the Year – The company’s

management team has more than 200 years of combined experience in the drywall and metal framing field. Company President Joe Wittman said, “This experience and knowledge translates to an efficient and helpful exchange with each general contractor that we work with. No matter what size project, our team has the know-how to get projects completed on time with the absolute best, finished product.”

Fletcher McCusker Rio Nuevo – Owner of the Year – How one works with contractors has

much to do with the final success of any project, Cavanagh said. And good leadership is evident with Fletcher McCusker at the helm of Rio Nuevo, a tax finance district funded by Arizona state sales tax dollars earmarked to revitalize Tucson’s downtown. Rio Nuevo owns the Tucson Convention Center and Tucson Arena, and contributes to a number of downtown development projects.

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BizTRIBUTE

Lisa Hilton

The Soul of Passion and Creativity By April Bourie ness of childhood sexual violence after Kind. Compassionate. Creative. Elquickly became close friends, having egant. Selfless. These were just some of children around the same time and sharshe discovered her daughter had been the words used to describe Lisa Hilton, ing a nanny. “She had a way of making abused by a family member. “I needed co-founder of Hilton & Myers Advertisyou feel like you were the most importo put my daughter in treatment at the tant person in the world at the moment. time, which was expensive,” said Braun. ing, who passed away on Feb. 11. She “I came up with the idea of a fundraiser, was 56. She could have a million things on her which really was the launch of Esperanmind with business or family, but if she A California native, Hilton attended the University of Arizona, where was talking to you, her attention was za Dance Project. Lisa created a line of dancewear that I could sell at the fundshe earned a degree in graphic design completely focused on you.” and illustration. She started her career Wendy Erica Werden, Tucson Elecraiser and still sell to this day.” at Taylor Advertising as an artist and tric Power manager of community in“Everything she touched was done graphic designer. There she met and vestment and philanthropy, met Hilton with perfection, and she had creative later married Doug Myers, with whom when Werden first started working at elegance,” said Sue DeBenedette, dishe started Hilton & Myers Advertising TEP, a Hilton & Myers client. “She set rector of communications at the Jewish at the age of 25. Together they built one the standard that a lot of businesses Community Center, who was a client of the largest and most successful adof Hilton & Myers when she worked and people aspire to,” Werden said. vertising agencies in the region, at the Tucson Symphony Orwinning more than 75 Addy chestra. “Lisa really understood the symphony’s audience and awards. Doug and Lisa also raised two daughters, Ariel and whom we were trying to target. She brought class and a level of Athena, in Tucson, who now work for the family agency. sophistication that was still approachable,” DeBenedette said. An acclaimed artist, Hilton also was very involved in the “Seeing her and Doug together community, donating her artas a team was also remarkable. work and time to many local They worked together so harnonprofits including the Tucson moniously. They made a great Medical Center Foundation, team.” the United Way of Tucson and Julia Strange, TMC VP of Southern Arizona, the Americommunity benefit, agreed. Lisa Hilton shows her fighting spirit can Heart Association and the “Part of the magic was the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of combination of Lisa and Doug. after she was diagnosed with cancer. Southern Arizona. They came together both as “Lisa’s father died when she business and life partners in was 11,” her husband said. “She moved “She was able to achieve that wondera manner that was unique and fun to from Los Angeles to Douglas with her ful balance between a professional and watch.” Strange said that her own repersonal relationship where you feel like mother, grandmother, aunt and three lationship with Hilton went beyond just you’re really working collaboratively siblings, and they were basically out on business, as they worked together for their own. Growing up in that kind of with a person who really cares about more than 20 years. environment made her realize that there your project. I could tell it was person“When you work with someone that are a lot of people who need additional ally important to her to get it just right. long, it involves friendship and family.” That was her greatest strength.” help, and she wanted to make a differLisa helped TMC modernize and shape “I most remember her smile and her ence for them whenever she could.” the brand of the organization. She also “She was an angel on earth,” said warmth,” said Beth Braun, dance increated much of the artwork inside the Liz Spector, who met Hilton when she structor at University High School and hospital. “When I walk through the hoswas an advertising representative for owner of Esperanza Dance Project. pital, I see her everywhere,” Strange KGUN-9 TV nearly 30 years ago. They Braun started Esperanza to raise awaresaid. Biz 162 BizTucson

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