Early October Coffee Connection
Friday, October 7, 2022
7:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Rendezvous
100 N San Francisco St Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening:
Next Step Prosthetics
Spooky Nights Fall Fundraiser
Friday, October 7, 2022 4:30 PM
123 W Birch Ave Ste 100 Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Saturday, October 29, 2022
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
The Peaks
3150 N Winding Brook Rd Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Flagstaff Young Professionals
Community Service Project @ Thrift for Goodness Sake
Friday, October 21, 2022
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
2 S Beaver St Ste 100 Flagstaff, AZ 86001
New Member Connection
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Chamber Boardroom
101 W Route 66 Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Flagstaff Young Professionals
Professional Development Event
Thursday, November 10, 2022 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Chamber Boardroom
101 W Route 66 Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Good Morning Flagstaff
Doubletree by Hilton Holiday Lights Parade
Thank you for your leadership.
Thursday, December 8, 2022 7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
1175 W Route 66 Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Saturday, December 10, 2022 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Downtown Flagstaff
strorefront
to
company name listed as an
Green Business on
Recognition in our bi-monthly newsletter, @7000ft magazine & social media channels.
@7000ft is published monthly by the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce with revenue from member dues, advertising and sponsorships. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents of this publication, by any method or purpose whatsoever, without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Only Chamber members can advertise in @7000ft. To inquire about advertising please contact the Chamber.
Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce
101 W. Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 774-4505 info@flagstaffchamber.com flagstaffchamber.com
Chair: Misti Warner Warner's Nursery & Landscaping Co.
Vice Chair: Guillermo Cortes Shephard-Wesnitzer, Inc.
Vice Chair: Bonnie Bouschet Flagstaff Mall Randon Cupp Foothills Bank
Immediate Past Chair: Clay McCauslin Great Circle Media/ KAFF
Monica Attridge Hozhoni Foundation Colleen Brady Arizona Daily Sun
Walter Crutchfield Vintage Partners Trent Olson Flagstaff Nissan Subaru
Cecily Maniaci Toasted Owl
Tyler Mark Wespac Construction Palmer Nackard Nackard Companies
Fred Reese Little America Hotel
Brenda Carter APSKelly Tulloss Sutcliffe Floral
Jeff Springborn
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company
Emily Giralt, MBA Benefit & Financial Strategies
Stephen Thompson Glazer Hammond, PLLC
EX-OFFICIO
Josh Maher Community Relations Associate NAU
Octoberis here and with the start of the month came the first snow of the season on the San Francisco Peaks. Not six months ago our mountain town was stressed with extreme heat and wind conditions and experienced life-threatening forest fires. Weather patterns seem particularly volatile over recent years, and at the Chamber we are working diligently everyday to promote businesses whose daily work efforts have less of an impact on our local environment.
Thanks to a key partnership with APS, we have two unique opportunities for local businesses — the Chamber's Green Business Certification and the APS Going Green & Going Smart Program. Find out more about both of these programs under "initiatives" at the Greater Flagstaff Chamber website or click the links above!
Julie Pastrick President & CEO
Further, our latest Green Certified Businesses are two local establishments — Oeno Wine Bar and SHIFT Kitchen, pleasing our taste buds and doing great things daily to have less of an impact on our environment. Special thanks to Dara Wong for her leadership locally. A reminder that the Green Business Award nominations are now open. Our next group of Green Business nominations will be recognized at the Chamber's February Annual Meeting and ATHENA® Awards. Email your nomination to info@flagstaffchamber.com
As many of you know, our community is blessed with a very important manufacturing base offering multiple employment opportunities ranging from skilled technicians to machinists to mechanical engineers and everything in between. From food and drink processing to steel and medical devices and forest thinning and electric car parts our local manufactures contribute greatly on the global market, delivering outstanding made-in-Flagstaff products daily.
Fun fact: We know W. L. Gore for medical device manufacturing locally, and for Gore-Tex fabric worldwide, but did you know? W. L. Gore is the largest manufacturer of guitar strings worldwide!
We celebrate our wonderful local manufacturing base daily, and the world lifts up manufacturers particularly during the month of October. The Chamber's Northern Arizona Manufacturing Partnership takes a deep dive into key local makers so you know more about their missions and what the bring to the community. Happy manufacturing to all!
Julie Pastrick, President and CEO, Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce, was selected to participate in the 2022 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Leads Fellowship Program, a network of education and workforce champions across the country studying information, resources and tools necessary to implement change in their communities along the education and workforce continuum.
President Chief Executive Officeris National Manufacturing month and we would like to recognize the local makers who bring vitality and stability to northern Arizona's economy. The manufacturing sector in Coconino County collectively employs nearly 2200 workers in manufacuring related jobs alone and brings nearly a billion dollars in sales to the region annually. (Arizona Prospector) Manufacturing jobs pay higher than average wages and offer workers the ability to grow within organizations, leading long lasting and meaningful careers.
Northern Arizona supports a diverse array of manufacturers, from high-tech aerospace engineering companies, and life-saving medical device developers to state-of-the-art outdoor goods and award-winning craft brewers. Northern Arizona's manufacturers are a cornerstone of the economy and thusly an integral component of our community. Please join is in celebrating National Manufacturing month and recognizing our local makers
shells, and really upped the ante in Flagstaff production as well.
Joy Cone is diving headfirst into the industrial field, which saw 65 million mini sugar cones distributed since April of this year, making them the number one cone maker in America and the sole cone distributor for Trader Joe’s and Blue Bunny Ice Cream. Employing over 140 workers locally and 1,000 globally, Joy Cone has a very positive impact on Flagstaff’s manufacturing footprint and local economic development.
When asked about the success that Joy Cone has had over the last two decades, Pozar stated, “You gotta be good at what you do, and we feel like we’re the best!”
Thank you Joy Cone for your last 22 years locally and we celebrate National Manufacturing Month with you look ing ahead to coming decades!
Joy Cone came to town in 2000. Wanting to expand into the west, they saw Northern Arizona as a logisti cally perfect location. As distribution is primarily done through ground transportation, I-40 was perfect for ship ping to California and Texas. The success of the Flagstaff location has allowed Joy Cone to complete 6 expansions, their 6th and most recent in 2021. The new space includes 2 new silos, a batter room, and a brand new lab. Joy Cone occupies 30 acres locally with a total of 260,000 square feet at the plant in Flagstaff’s Air Park.
Joy Cone’s rapid growth really began in 2016 when they acquired their competitor, BoDeans Baking Group, from Iowa and Mexico City. This expansion provided the op portunity to build a second facility in Hermitage, Pennsyl vania, their headquarters, expanding their manufactured items to include cookies, sugar cones, inclusions, and pie
Located
on West Shamrell Drive in the Flagstaff Air Park, MSI remains in its original location after 20 years of growth and expansions to its administra tive, assembly, and multi-million dollar machine shop space. They now span across 30,000 square feet. MSI at tributes its long term success to developing the right prod ucts to meet customer needs and having the right people in place to sell and service the equipment. Their Flagstaff team consists of 75 expert engineers and local factorytrained technicians. After tours at the facility, there is no doubt that the MSI team is dedicated, accomplished, and likes to have fun too. Machine Solutions recently acquired Hori, Switzerland-based BW-Tec in December 2020, expanding their engineering/manufacturing footprint into Europe and bringing their total number of team members to 270 employees across the globe. Machine Solutions has built a high-level reputation globally with its wide breadth
Through the years, MSI has successfully grown both or ganically and through acquisitions which branch out into near and far markets. These acquisitions have brought about a smooth synergy between the brands, and a wel comed combination of technologies and product line development. Flagstaff is blessed to have such industry prominence in the biosciences field. Leading industries like Machine Solutions, Inc. are paving the way for young talent to enter careers that are rewarding and sustainable over time.
of products, patented and innovative technologies, and dedication to precise results. Their processes have elevated MSI to be the industry standard for many medical device manufacturing applications.
When asked about the success of the Flagstaff location, President and CEO Brian Strini remarked: “Flagstaff is an ideal place for our manufacturing. We are a clean industry with no industrial waste, a focus on maintaining steril ity, and no polluting. We live in a unique environment in Flagstaff and we have a great base of medical device and biosciences synergy. The talent pipeline is strong. People want to come here to live, to work, and to enjoy our qual ity of life.”
Aerosystems was founded by Jim Corning in 1996 in Fort Worth Texas. After 5 years in Texas, Jim was inspired to move to the mountains, and Flagstaff seemed like the perfect location to call home. So, in 2001 he found a place to rent on Hun tington Drive, where he reamins to this day, along with a larger manufacturing facility on North Highway 89.
Jim worked for a long time as an engineer and an engi neering consultant for many companies in the aviation world, but was always attracted to creating and develop ing new products. Jim followed his passion for invention, stating: “It has been a very satisfying journey, especially being able to create with composites and ballistic protec tion materials.”
As the market changes, Novakinetics Aerosystems con tinues to evolve. At their facility on North Highway 89, Novakinetics Aerosystems develops wet layup, carbon fiber, and epoxy parts, which are primarily used for en gine cowlings, wingtips, and fairing for aircraft. They also have an autoclave at the facility, which is a strong heated container used for chemical reactions and other processes, using high pressures and temperatures. This allows them to cure carbon fiber parts that are accurate to within a few thousandths of an inch of what the designer intends.
Flagstaff is blessed to have such industry prominence in the engineering and manufacturing field. Leading indus tries like Novakinetics Aerosystems and Kinetic Defense, are paving the way for young inventors that have a passion for engineering and product development.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needed by frontline healthcare workers in the Southwest.
Evenduring the COVID-19 Pandemic, Gore car ried on with innovation and manufacturing as a new product was just launched that is made here in Flagstaff. As part of efforts to continuously improve medi cal solutions for patients with complex vascular disease, Gore announced the U.S. launch of the lower profile, large diameter GORE® VIABAHN® Endoprosthesis.
“With broad clinical indications for use and numerous product improvements, the VIABAHN® Device contin ues to be a dependable choice that demonstrates positive results in patients with complex vascular disease,” said Amit J. Dwivedi, M.D., Associate Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery and Endo vascular Therapeutics at the University of Louisville, who has implanted the lower profile device in complex arterial anatomy. Older patients often have other health complica tions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity that make using a vascular device a better choice than a surgical bypass. With these improvements, the Gore de vice can be used to provide even more treatment options. Even during a time of uncertainty, Gore maintained an unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for 2,500 Flagstaff associates, their families, and the community. As an example, local Associates mobilized to provide specialized materials and design support for
By helping associates have the best work experience pos sible, it enables them to deliver exceptional customer experiences and improve the lives of others. For more information on Gore, visit Goremedical.com.
Purina PetCare has been producing lead ing cat and dog food products in Flagstaff for 45 years. Today, more than 300 employees call northern Arizona home, proudly representing the compa ny and helping dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering scientifically-based nutritional innovations. The facility in Flagstaff manufactures Purina Pro Plan, Purina ONE, Beneful, Cat Chow, Dog Chow, and other dry pet food products.
In the last five years, Purina has invested $46 million to enhance its Flagstaff operations, and operates 345 days a year to keep up with growing demand in the dry pet food category, always maintaining a focus on quality, safety, and sustainability, and striving to protect our planet so pets and people can enjoy a safe and clean environment. In 2018, the Purina Flagstaff team achieved its goal of Zero Waste for Disposal, meaning the facility has found ways to derive benefits from materials that would have been otherwise discarded. Purina Flagstaff recycles, reus es, recovers, or composts waste from its daily operations.
The facility also incorporates solar panels as a power source, supporting the company’s overall goal of reaching 100 percent renewable electricity across all factories.
Purina is committed to the communities where it oper ates and takes great pride in supporting those in Flagstaff who need a helping hand. On an annual basis, the Purina Flagstaff factory team provides product and monetary donations to nearly 50 local nonprofit partners, assisting
with initiatives that help bring and keep pets and people together, and other causes important to the community.
Benefitting organizations include the United Way of Northern Arizona, Coconino Humane Association, High County Humane, Toys for Tots, the Salvation Army Flag staff, several veterans’ organizations, and local hospitals.
The factory is also committed to supporting the entire Southwest region, extending its support beyond northern Arizona to include organizations in Utah, New Mexico, California, and across Arizona.
Medical is a local contract manufacturer, fo cused on innovative balloon development products for customers all around the world. They specialize in angioplasty style balloon and catheter development and production. President and CEO Danioel Kasprzyk came to ASU in 1980 from Milwaukee Wisconsin to study bioengineering. He knew he wanted to pursue a career where medicine and engineering intersected. Once he graduated Daniel realized that there were very few jobs in bioengineering and bioscience in Arizona. This took him on a journey around the US and eventually coming full circle back to Arizona, when offered a job at Gore, here in Flagstaff. Upon accepting a job with Gore in 1997 he was able to expand on his acquired skills.
In 1999, Daniel had an idea for a company that could provide equipment to the medical device field, thus lead ing him and his partner to start Machine Solutions. Over the next 12 years, Machine solutions grew from just two employees to over 100. It was at that point, Kasprzyk felt he needed to sell, and begin his next venture.
After selling Machine Solutions in 2012, Daniel started Simple Surgical, a privately-held company with engineer ing and product development offices in Sacramento, Cali fornia, and Flagstaff, Arizona until 2018. With the experi ence of Machine Solutions and Simple Surgical, Kasprzyk knew he needed to surround himself with motivated, capable, and incentivized individuals that could help him grow and build his vision. In 2018 Kasprzyk started Poba with the plan to supply and produce balloons for Simple Surgical.
Northern Arizona University has been a large asset to Poba. NAU’s mechanical engineering and electrical engi neering graduates are coming in bright-eyed and bushytailed, not really understanding what a startup is, but willing to make the commitment to learn about not just manufacturing jobs, but how to grow amazing, sustain able careers right here in Flagstaff. Daniel explained, “ I believe it is the medical device industry greatest industry in the world. I think the things we can solve and the prod ucts we can introduce to the marketplace can certainly help save and improve lives.”
Thank you to all of the members of the Northern Arizona Manufacturing Partnership
Block-Lite Canyon Coolers
Dark Sky Brewing Co.
Electric Torque Machines
Flagstaff Brewing Co.
Grand Canyon Brewing Co. Historic Brewing Co.
IML Containers
Joy Cone
Machine Solutions Inc.
Mother Road Brewing Co.
New Life Forest Products, LLC
Novakinetiks Aerosystems
Poba Medical
Prent-Flagstaff
Nestle Purina PetCare Co.
Squirrels Nut Butter
W. L Gore & Associates, Inc
duced to the work that the AZ Real tors do and was immediately hooked as a volunteer. I have been serving in various capacities since, and cur rently serve as President.
What do the AZ Association of Re altors do and what are their respon sibilities?
Currently, there are about 56,000 member Realtors in AZ. We are about the 6th or 7th largest State Realtor Association in the nation. Primarily, the AZ Association is responsible for professional develop ment, enforcement of our Code of Ethics and Standards, our standard ized forms including contracts and disclosures, our business technology and…quite a bit more. We also are one of the most powerful lobbying entities in the state and nationally, through the National Association of Realtors.
I don’t think the public is aware that Realtors are a lobbying organi zation!
Rumor has is that you are a Flag staff native?
Well…I grew up here. Not sure if I can call myself a native yet. I moved to Flagstaff when I was 2 years old, and my family followed soon after ward. But yes, I am a product of the Flagstaff Public Schools, Flagstaff High School and NAU!
You have also been a Greater Flagstaff Chamber Member and have even served as a Board Member for the Chamber, is that correct?
Yes! I have been a Chamber member for many years! Probably 25 years or so. I spent 4 years on the Board as a Director as well. It was very reward ing, and I am a proud member of the Chamber of Commerce.
Tell us about the AZ Association of Realtors and your work with them.
I previously served the Northern Arizona Association of Realtors here in Flagstaff for several years and was honored to be President back in 2001. That was when I was intro
We get that comment quite a bit! But Realtors are the largest trade organization in the state and in the nation. We typically lobby on issues that concern our members and their clients. We lobby for housing op portunity and affordability, for loan programs, fair housing, and private property rights. We lobby against real estate transfer and service taxes. I am proud to say that the Realtors Ari zona Political Action Committee has been voted the most influential PAC in AZ the past 2 years by the Arizona Capitol Times. On a national level, Realtors are even more effective and are one of the most powerful lobby ing groups in DC.
Moving on to real estate markets, what can you tell us about what we have experienced these past few years?
We have certainly experienced mar kets in flux! This has occurred lo cally, statewide, and nationally. In the greater Flagstaff area, home prices soared starting in 2019 and just started correcting in late spring this year. As has occurred nationally, this change was primarily because inter est rates spiked upwards so quickly. Home buyers have lost buying power. Interest rates have doubled this year and that has really softened demand.
What caused the huge spike in home prices?
Low interest rates and very high demand! As a nation we haven’t adequately planned for the demand that we are seeing from the Millen nial Generation, who are older than people want to admit. The oldest part of that generation is 40 and are in the prime years of buying and selling real estate. Also, it is a huge genera tion and is basically the same size as the Boomers. There is huge demand from Millennial and Gen Z buyers nationwide.
What does this mean for home buy ers and sellers?
It means that we have returned to more normal market conditions. As of right now, interest rates are at about 6.5%. And... the market is declining slowly. Not the bubble burst that some seemed to wish for, but more of a gradual fall that the experts predicted. For a Buyer, there are many more choices and the low chance of a bidding war. For a Seller, they are entering a beauty contest and a price war at the same time and need to be prepared, marketed well and get ahead of a shifting market. So, we are entering more of a Buyers’ Market?
Not quite yet. In most price ranges
and areas, we are still in a Seller’s Market. Only in real high price ranges do we see a Buyer’s Market. A bit more than a year ago, the greater Flagstaff market was experiencing less than a one-month supply of homes on the mar ket. Today we are at about 2.5 months and slowly increasing in supply. This is called an Absorption Rate, which is how long the real estate market takes to absorb the inventory. 6 months is considered a balanced market, although I would lean more towards about 4.5 to 5 months locally.
Shifting gears again, you have stated that you strongly believe in giving back to your community. What do you mean by that?
I mean just that in the literal sense of that phrase. As business leaders, it is important to give back to the communities we reside in. And time is money, as they say. If you can’t donate one, it is imperative that we donate the other. For me, my causes in Flagstaff are Toys for Tots, Habitat For Humanity, The Climb to Con quer Cancer, The AZ Trail and just about anything relating to schools and kids.
The real estate brokerage you work for has the same approach, doesn’t it?
Yes! We have rubbed off on each
other. Realty Executives of Flagstaff is constantly supporting a cause and the Realtors there are dedicated to it as well. We have been number one in fund raising in the city for all the causes that I just spoke on, but... many, many more. We are the oldest brokerage in Flagstaff, and we take that responsibility seriously. Our goal is to be an inch wide and a mile deep in this community, rather than an inch deep and a mile wide.
The September Business Advocacy Division Meeting went overtime as City Officials from Community Development and other city departments including City Fire, Water Services and the city’s Housing Department laid out the thinking behind the municipal bond items on the November 2022 ballot. The City of Flagstaff is seeking voter approval for two bond items:
Prop 441– Wildfire suppression, stormwater flood mitigation, and wastewater treatment infrastructure
Amount: $57,285,000
• replacing wildfire suppression engines and water tankers;
• increasing capacity of flood waters within Spruce Wash;
• increasing wastewater treatment capacity at wastewater treatment facilities; and
• implementing energy efficiency upgrades at wastewater treatment facilities.
Prop 442 – Housing
Amount: $20,000,000
The Flagstaff City Council requests voter approval for twenty million in taxpayer dollars to provide rental and
homeownership assistance for residents of Flagstaff through the city’s Housing Department. Key items provided by the bond funding will be:
• redeveloping City owned housing to create additional affordable rental units;
• repurposing existing available buildings into rental units;
• incentivizing the private sector to incorporate affordable rental housing into new developments; and
• expanding the homebuyer assistance program.
Estimated Total Cost: Should the bonds be authorized and issued, the City estimates that the total cost of the bonds, including principal and interest will be $125,257,625.
disruption is one of the largest impacts businesses have experienced since the beginning of government guided business operational changes in March of 2020. Check out the US Chamber’s America Works Initiative by clicking on the link! Here business owners will find all sorts of resources for employers including labor studies providing details on the labor disruption, info on childcare solutions for working parents, childcare assistance and tax credits, info on hiring employees with disabilities, financial wellness, a toolkit and more!
The Chamber’s Green Business of the Year Award seeks to recognize a business or business person who has demonstrated signi�cant commitment to environmentally friendly policies and practices.
Award nominees should be regarded as models of sustainability, social responsibility and �scal prudence in the Flagsta� community. These businesses and individuals go beyond compliance with legal environmental regulations and seek to lead the way in the �ght against climate change.
Award nominees must be members of the Greater Flagsta� Chamber of Commerce
What business would you like to nominate and why?
In your own words, how has this business or individual led the way in terms of sustainability, social responsibility and �scal prudence?
In what sector/Industry is this individual Involved?
Is there anything else you want to let us know about this business or individual in terms of environmental sustainability?
Irish immigrant W.T. McClelland and his wife Winifred founded Shamrock Dairy in 1922 in Tucson, Arizona with only a few cows, a truck, and a dream. The couple did all the milking, bottling and deliveries themselves, instilling their family values into the company and maintaining a close-knit culture as it grew.
100 years later, the McClelland family’s hard work and perseverance, combined with the dedication of countless Shamrock associates, has transformed the still familyowned company into what it is today – a nationally ranked, privately-held Forbes 500 Company with over 5,000 associates across the U.S.
Congratulations to Shamrock and the McClelland Family for an incredible achievement. Shamrock Foods district sales manager Bob Black has shown an enduring commitment to the Flagstaff Chamber and we thank him for his commitment to the northern Arizona business community
of several t-shirts and canvas pictures that illustrated his unique Milky Way photography. Later, when we met at the Flagstaff Chamber, Evan shared his deep commitment to conservation and dark skies. A graduate of Northern Arizona’s Forestry Program, Evan spent a number of years working for the American Conservation Experience, here in Flagstaff and then went on to offering guiding services all throughout the West coast.
Evan's passion is educating and teaching, and now with Flagstaff Stargazing Adventures, he has a great vehicle for doing just that. Evan was quick to invite me to a stargazing tour he was having the very next Friday!
Arriving at my tour at 8:30 PM I joined a group of about fourteen other people and we all sat in a circle to learn about the sky. There was so much to take in; Evan and his staff used star pointers to help us see and identify constellations. Technology also played a part, as we were able to download an app to our phones that allowed us to see the constellations, planets and even the andromeda galaxy close up.
These images where captured on the high-powered telescopes they brought to the site, and then sent via Wi-Fi to our mobile devices. Once we saw each constellation, we also learned about the Greek mythology that went behind it. This was done through a unique, story-telling method that was both theatrical and very funny. Hot cocoa and chai were offered to keep us warm. Finally, at the end of a star filled night, we all had the opportunity to take pictures of ourselves with the Milky Way in the background.
“Flagstaff Stargazing Adventures, founded in 2018, was created on the idea that learning can and should be fun, inspirational, and eye-opening. We believe that connecting to nature and the great outdoors is something that is needed by all, but done by few."
Welcoming new members and having the opportunity to learn about their unique businesses always brings me joy. This was definitely the case when I met Evan Thibodeau with Flagstaff Stargazing Adventures. He came to our Business After 5 networking event as a prospective member and was ready to jump right into making connections. He brought along giveaways consisting
"100 Years Young and Our Story is Just Getting Started."
When Kelly and Evan got married, Evan had made about 30 gallons of mead (fermented honey) to help celebrate their wedding. He did this because the term honey-moon comes from mead. Traditionally, you were supposed to have enough honey wine (another term for mead) to last a full moon cycle as it is thought to help promote fertility and virility. Their wedding guests managed to drink it all and were coming back the next day asking if they had any more of that “mead stuff”.
Evan had been looking for a new career and it seemed that if people liked the mead so much, maybe they could start a business. Drinking Horn has been selling mead since 2017 and has built up an impressive repertoire of retailers including Whole Foods.
In late 2019, they started renovating a historic building in downtown Flagstaff into a Mead Hall with hopes of a grand opening in May 2020. Then 2020 came. Small businesses and especially bars were hard hit during the pandemic, but thanks to Drinking Horn's awesome team of innovators they were able to keep the business rolling and keep everyone employed throughout the pandemic. The Mead Hall is now open in full swing as a place for the community to come drink mead and be merry. Kelly and Evan didn't want to just open a tasting room, they wanted a community space for weddings, baby showers, birthday parties, and other events. They also wanted a space where people could come to teach and to learn. They host panels, workshops, and events for various organizations throughout Flagstaff, including the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival, Flagstaff Leadership Program,
The Audubon Society, Flagstaff Family Food Center, The Humane Society, Lowell Observatory, and many more. On a weekly basis they have trivia, live music, and even a Magic The Gathering focused Monday evening. Drinking Horn continues to push the boundaries of mead with flavors such as Mango Reaper, a sweet and spicy combo of mangos mixed with Carolina reaper and ghost peppers. They recently did a collaboration with The Audubon Society to help bring awareness to the plight of the pinyon jay with their “Oh Hey, Pinyon Jay!” mead, made with orange blossom honey from black canyon, Juniper berries, and prickly pears. Their focus in the coming year is to help bring awareness to the water shortage situation that much of the southwest is currently facing. Beer takes roughly 300 liters of water to make a liter of beer and wine takes roughly 700 liters of water to make 1 liter of wine, if you include the water cost of growing the grain and grapes. Mead takes 3-4 gallons of water to produce a liter of Traditional mead, making it a more stable source of craft beverage as the Southwest continues to dry out. Come by the Mead Hall or look for them on a shelf near you.
You can find Drinking Horn's fine selection of Meads locally at Majestic Marketplace, Grand Canyon Spirits, Hoot Mart, or anywhere else fine spirits are sold. The Drinking Horn
Hall is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM , Friday – Saturday 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM.
Late September marks the end of the annual chili cookoff season for the International Chili Society (ICS) which culminates a year’s worth of local competitions with the World Championship Chili Cook-Off in Myrtle Beach, SC. This year more than 300 chili cooks from across the country qualified for the world championship contest in the chili categories of Homestyle, Traditional Red, Chili Verde and Salsa. The ICS world championship competition takes place over four days.
Dr. Paul Whitney, Chamber member with Country Club Dental and founder of the RT 66 Chili Cook-off, was awarded third place in this year’s Chili Verde world championship! The third place finish was Dr. Whitney's first podium in over 30 years of qualifying for the ICS World Championships, and earned him a $1,000.00 prize. Whitney qualified to cook Chili Verde via the Yellow Rose Regional Chili Cook-off in Huntsville, Texas. Whitney’s RT 66 Chili Cook Off has raised more than $30,000.00 over its lifetime for Flagstaff Big Brothers Big Sisters, and this year the Greater Flagstaff Chamber partnered with Legacy Beverage to provide a beer tent at the local cookoff event. Whitney also took over the Arizona State Chili Championship cook-off a decade ago, and the AZ State Championship celebrated 50 years this summer, its golden anniversary. Follow Flagstaff Chili Festival on Facebook for more on the local chili cook-off scene!
Business After 5 Networking Mixer @ AZ Marine
Ribbon Cutting: Northern Arizona Orthopedic
Theatrikos 50th Anniversary
Ribbon Cutting: Big Brothers Big Sisters
Business After 5 Networking Mixer @ Flagstaff Collision Center
Ribbon Cutting: Lucy's Burgers
Ribbon Cutting: Kuttz Enterprises
Ribbon Cutting: Northern Arizona Orthopedic
Ribbon Cutting: Spacetel LLC
One–Year Anniversary Mountain Spirits Liquors
Young Professionals
a Chamber initiative
serves local leaders between the ages of 21 and 39 years of age. Its purpose
to engage individuals who want to develop and advance their careers, make a positive impact on
FYP strives to bring young professionals
community, and to boost their leadership
to connect, create
community service
1768 E. Route 66
Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 774-5566
Website
2011 E Third Avenue
Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 773-0054
Website
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (480) 449-4700
Website
High Mountain Health, LLC
1250 S Plaza Way Ste. A Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 774-5467
Website
2150 N. 4th St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 606-1435
Website
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (406) 539-0994
Website
POF Insurance
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 214-0930
Website
Arcadian Infracom, Inc. 4579 Laclede Ave. #341 St. Louis, MO 63108 (314) 257-0845
Website
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 699-3083
Website
823 N Beaver St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 985-1810
Website
TruTan
1800 S Milton Rd. Unit 17
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 440-4799
Website
Flagstaff Stargazing Adventures
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (267) 410-7325
Website
22 E Birch Street
Suite 1
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 266-0330
Website
SHIFT Kitchen & Bar
107 North San Francisco St Suite 2
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 440-5135
Website
ETC. by Emily LLC
1813 N Main St. (480) 404-5757
Flagstaff, AZ 86004
Website
Mobility Prosthetic and Orthotic Services
930 N Switzer Canyon #104
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 263-6624
Website
Aspen Integrative Medical Center Inc.
323 N Leroux St. Ste. B Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 213-5828 Website
118 S. Beaver St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 774-1997
Website
LegalShield
Independent Associate
Flagstaff AZ, 86001 (928) 370-2300
Website
Northern Arizona
Telcoms
9000 N US Highway 89
Lot 35
Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 455-7332
Website
Iron Peak Properties, LLC
Flagstaff, AZ 86005 (310) 923-8231
Website
ABC Supply Company, Inc.
3770 E Huntington Drive
Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 526-9336
Website
Flagstaff Law Group
720 N Beaver St.
Suite 10
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 233-6800
Website
399 S Malpais Lane
Ste 103
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 235-5506
Website
Gold Soul Hair Studio
930 N Switzer Canyon Drive
Ste 102B
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 856-9400
Website
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (602) 861-9182
Website
Grand Canyon Spirits & Corner Store
982 N Fort Valley Road Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 779-6423
Website
120 E. Pierce St.
Phoenix, AZ 85004 (602) 252-9761
Website
High Country Conference Center
Flagstaff
201 W. Butler Ave.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 523-9521
Website
1235 South Plaza Way Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 526-3689
Website
2227 E. Seventh Ave. Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 526-2439
Website
3716 N. Eagle Mountain Dr.
Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 526-3130
Website
Chamber Bizz Buzz highlights local business and non-profit leaders and the story behind their ventures. Airing Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8:05 AM on KAFF Legends, 93.5FM, shows can also be found on flagstaffchamber.com, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Click the links below each show or scan the code to tune in and start listening and consider following Bizz Buzz on your favorite podcast app to stay up to date on the latest shows.
FlagTag AZ owner Scott Saw yer opened FlagTag as a way of offering the community of Flagstaff a unique recre ational opportunity. If you're looking for something fun to do in Flagstaff, look no further. FlagTag offers laser tag, axe throwing, arcade games and pizza; so every base is covered if you're looking to bring the family or a group of friends out for a day of good times.
Created from fermented honey, mead is believed to be the oldest produced alcoholic beverage. Owner Evan Anderson got into making mead when he made a batch for his wedding, which evolved into an inter est that led to Flagstaff's first meadery. The Drinking Horn Meadery is located in down town Flagstaff in an historic building that fits the product perfectly.
The Keith Majors Allstate mission is to defend north ern Arizona from risks, support during disaster, and provide aid during recovery. Keith offers competitive rates for auto, home, renters, business and motorcycles. Keith is a different type of in surance agent though- one that wants to help before trouble arises. Learn more about Keith and the pas sion for what he does in this episode.
Evan Womble, a third generation builder, took his first steps on a job site and so it was only natural that in 2009 he and his dad started High Caliber Con struction. High Caliber is a custom home builder and a remodeling expert who is dedicated to excellent client communication and ex ceptional quality. The High Caliber team has decades of experience in all manner of construction.
Nestled within the largest Ponderosa Pine forest on Earth, Flagstaff residents are no strangers to the need for a good arborist. Larry Ste vens of Supertree Services, LLC has over 30 years of experience caring for trees, has been an ISA Certified Arborist for 17 of those years, and has nine years of experi ence working as a wild-land firefighter for the US Forest Service.
Iron Peak Properties is a commercial investment agency that just opened doors in Flagstaff. Iron Peak specializes in multi-tenant properties which convey the advantages of lower vacancy risk, recession resistance, higher cash flow, business-quality tenants and being pandemic proof. Tune in to this conversation with CEO and award winning mathematician, Kim Hopkins.
Flagstaff Station Market Cafe was created to give both locals and tourists a place to enjoy delicious food and beverages in a relaxed atmosphere, meet old friends, and make new ones. Located on Hwy 180, Market Station is the perfect place to grab breakfast or lunch on your way to the Grand Canyon or AZ Snowbowl. Tune in to learn more about Market Station and all their delicious offerings
Surrounded by the natural wonders of the southwest and centrally located to historic downtown Flagstaff, Lowell Observatory, and famous Route 66, Sonesta ES Suites was thoughtfully designed to ensure a comfortable stay. Whether in town for business or pleasure they offer spacious suites with multiple bedrooms, and fully equipped kitchens.