FALL 2013 2012
THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Game Changer Greg Byrne Unveils
$72 Million
Lowell-Stevens Football Facility
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Greg Byrne, VP for Athletics, University of Arizona
SPECIAL REPORTS: TUCSON METRO CHAMBER CARONDELET HEALTH NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA ATHLETICS www.BizTucson.com
FALL 2013 • $2.99 • DISPLAY UNTIL 11/30/13
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BizLETTER Game Changer
According to Merriam-Webster, the term game changer is defined as “a newly introduced element or factor that changes an existing situation or activity in a significant way.” And significant it is. There’s never been a more exciting time to be an Arizona Wildcat, as University of Arizona VP for Athletics Greg Byrne would say. Thanks to the generosity of lead gifts from UA alumni Jeff and Sharon Stevens and David and Edith Lowell – as well as gifts from Peter and Nancy Salter, Louis “Buzz” Sands, Jim and Vicki Click and many others – the $72 million Lowell-Stevens Football Facility is open for business. Arizona Stadium has never looked better. Byrne’s vision for UA Athletics is profoundly impacting our community. He’s quick to point out that a financially successful athletics program not only impacts marquee sports, it also has a major impact on the nearly 500 studentathletes in all 20 sports. BizTucson’s Wildcat player-coach Gabrielle Fimbres led the Bear Down charge, along with veteran sports journalists Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzales for exciting “team coverage.” Speaking of change, Tucson Metro Chamber – led by President and CEO Mike Varney and Chairman of the Board Kurt Wadlington – is embracing the mantra of Change Ahead, as they drive pro-business initiatives throughout our region and statewide. The city’s largest business organization, the chamber is the voice of the region for our business community. Journalist Joan Liess and Coach Donna Kreutz provide a compelling report on this collaborative vision for the future. Healthcare costs today are $2.5 trillion – 18 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, according to Carondelet Health Network President & CEO Jim Beckmann. Join Mary Minor Davis, Dan Sorenson and Steve Rivera for an in-depth look at the region’s 12th largest employer and the innovations, investments and strategies Carondelet has in place to support a new vision for healthcare. Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital is now home to Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute. Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital features advanced joint replacement and neurological facilities and ground has been broken for the Carondelet Health & Wellness Pavilion in Sahuarita.
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As we emerge from the worst economic period in eight decades, business leaders stand solidly behind our nonprofits, assuring that those less fortunate do not fall through the safety net. The glow of Tucson’s corporate philanthropy is hard to match nationwide. In this issue BizTucson highlights the impact of corporate support on United Way, Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Handmaker and the Raytheon Spirit of Education Award. One man who touched seemingly every nonprofit cause was Dave Sitton, who passed away at age 58. The citywide outpouring of emotion was fitting of this truly one-of-a-kind man and my wonderful friend of 30 years. You’ll be inspired by Rivera’s heartfelt tribute. At the celebration of his life, 2,000 attendees were asked to stand if Dave had inspired them. He received his final and most heartfelt standing ovation. The loss to our community is immeasurable. Sadly, my father Howard Rosenberg passed away on July 22. He was my No.1 fan and the inspiration of my life. The lessons he instilled in me in life, business and community service will live on. He loved being my dad and I loved being his son. Humanity lost an amazing man, as you’ll read in a compelling tribute by Fimbres. His extraordinary vision expanded the Father of the Year Awards Gala into a nationwide philanthropic success – including here in Tucson. Under his leadership over the past three decades, charitable proceeds for diabetes research surpassed $50 million. This inspirational event honoring role-model dads is now in 36 U.S. markets. He leaves an exceptional legacy, and will always be my hero. Steven E. Rosenberg Publisher & Owner BizTucson
Biz
Fall 2013
Volume 5 No. 3
Publisher & Owner
Steven E. Rosenberg Brent G. Mathis
Creative Director Contributing Editors
Gabrielle Fimbres Donna Kreutz
Contributing Technology Director
Mike Serres
Contributing Cuisine Writer Edie Jarolim Contributing Writers
Mary Minor Davis Pamela Doherty Gabrielle Fimbres Jeffrey Gitomer Cindy Godwin Jay Gonzales Tara Kirkpatrick Sheryl Kornman Christy Krueger Joan Liess David B. Pittman Steve Rivera Dan Sorenson Monica Surfaro Spigelman Eric Swedlund Valerie Vinyard Romi Carrell Wittman
Contributing Photographers Carter Allen
Kris Hanning Amy Haskell Brent G. Mathis Chris Mooney Tom Spitz Balfour Walker
Member:
Arizona Builders’ Alliance Tucson Advertising Federation Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Tucson Metro Chamber Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities (TREO) 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 © 2013 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:
Steve Rosenberg with father Howard Rosenberg.
Please send address changes to: BizTucson, 4729 East Sunrise Drive, #505 Tucson, AZ 85718.
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BizCONTENTS
FEATURES
FALL 2013 Volume 5 No. 3
Cover Story: 147
BizSPORTS Game Changer $72 million Lowell-Stevens Football Facility
BizLEADERSHIP 192 Small Town Big On Accomplishments
DEPARTMENTS
102 88
4 20
BizLETTER From the Publisher
24 26
BizEVENT Energize Your Enterprise
30
BizENTREPRENEUR Artful Fun
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BizCHARITY Classic Rides, Classic Rock
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BizSALES Sales Guru Jeffrey Gitomer
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BizTRIBUTE Dave Sitton
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BizSPORTS Special Olympics
94 96
BizRESEARCH Imagine A Vaccine to Prevent Cancer’s Return
98 102
BizMILESTONE Handmaker: A Tradition of Caring
BizTOURISM A Young Urban Hotel
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35 BizSPECIAL REPORT Tucson Metro Chamber Driving Pro-Business Initiative
42 55 56 58 62 64 66 74 77
BizCOMMUNITY Shooting to Break $10 Million Record
BizHONOR 108 Sundt to Receive Raytheon Spirit of Education Award 114
BizBENEFIT Passion with a Purpose
179 184 188
BizHONORS Celebrating Outstanding Hispanic Leaders BizENTREPRENEUR The Son Also Rises BizMILESTONE Celebrating 50 Years of Mentorship
Change Ahead Super Serving Small Business First Impressions Project Skilled Workforce Shortage Looms Mike Varney Sees Change Ahead Change Architect Kurt Wadlington Board of Directors Key Accomplishments Chamber Investors Speak Up
115 BizSPECIAL REPORT Carondelet Health Network A New Vision for Healthcare
120 Well-Being 123 Carondelet’s History of Healing 128 Driving Force in I-19 Healthcare 134 Patient-First Philosophy at St. Joseph’s 140 Supporting the Vision of Carondelet
BizTECHNOLOGY Tucson’s First World-Class Data Center
BizMEDICINE 190 ‘Lab of the Future’ at TMC ABOUT THE COVER Created by design guru Brent G. Mathis Photo: Chris Mooney 12 BizTucson
BizTRIBUTE 200 Howard Rosenberg Legacy of Giving
BizFASHION Tucson Fashion Week
BizBIOSCIENCE 104 C-Path Emerging as Major Player
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BizMILESTONE 196 Changing Lives Boys & Girls Clubs Turns 50
147 BizSPECIAL REPORT Game Changer $72 million Lowell-Stevens Football Facility
150 156 158 160 162 164 168 170 172 174
21st Century Showplace Stevens Create New Era of Wildcat Football Lowells Build Athletic Tradition at UA Man on a Mission: Byrne Leads Charge UA President is Wild about the Cats Rich Rod on the Prowl UA Pumps Millions into the Economy Paying for Lowell-Stevens Investing in the Wildcat Movement Next Up: Renovations to McKale and Beyond
THIS EDITION OF BIZTUCSON IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF HOWARD ROSENBERG AND TO THE MEMORY OF DAVE SITTON
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BizFASHION
Spotlight on Fashion By Valerie Vinyard
Paula Taylor (back) Paula Taylor Productions Melanie Hebron Sutton (front) MHS Styling 20 BizTucson
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Photos: Balfour Walker Location: Mercedes-Benz of Tucson showroom
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It’s not just about making clothing. It’s art, music, fashion and food.
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– Paula Taylor Owner, Paula Taylor Productions Fashionistas and regular folks alike will be stylin’ at the third annual Tucson Fashion Week of finery and fun Oct. 17-19. Billed as “a three-day blaze of style, art, celebrity and cuisine” at three different locations, Tucson Fashion Week showcases local, national and international designers – ranging from up-and-comers to longtime celebrity designer Betsey Johnson. This year’s event is a collaborative effort of Paula Taylor of Paula Taylor Productions and Melanie Hebron Sutton of MHS Styling. Since the kickoff event at Maynards Market & Kitchen in February, casting calls took place, 15 designers were selected and 18 sponsorships secured – including the headline sponsor Mercedes-Benz of Tucson. Local chefs and mixologists are on board as well. “This is three days of really unique, interactive and fun events,” Taylor said. “It’s not just about making clothing. It’s art, music, fashion and food. “We hope to create a platform to showcase designers and to bring national recognition to Tucson. We’ve got some great talent here. This will help to educate them and give them some tools,” Taylor added. All participants take part in a competitive professional show and receive constructive feedback. Prizes include cash awards, scholarship funds and opportunities to meet with designers, manufacturers and others in the fashion industry. Sutton and Taylor’s idea is that through fashion events, charitable partnerships, unique experiences and collaborations, Tucson will find a place in the national fashion and retail spotlight. The two are the new producers of this fashion extravaganza. They took over from the recently married Elizabeth Denneau, formerly Elizabeth Albert, who created Tucson Fashion Week three years ago. Taylor relished the opportunity to put her skills to use. She’s been in the fashion industry for 18 years. The former owner of Pour Moi boutique founded Paula Taylor Productions five years ago and produces regional, national and international events. She’s the author of a textbook called “How to Produce a Fashion Show from A to Z,” published in 2012 by Pearson Prentice Hall. “It’s been a part of my DNA for a very long time,” said Taylor, who did trunk shows while serving as a divi-
TUCSON FASHION WEEK Thursday – Oct. 17 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tucson Desert Art Museum 7000 E. Tanque Verde Road Designer Fashion Presentation & Student Competition Evening features a textile competition of designs by students from the Art Institute of Tucson, Pima Community College and University of Arizona, plus fashion presentations by Jan Traficanti of Belsita Couture, Esteban Osuna and Desert Vintage. Hors d’oeuvres and wine included. $35 general admission $25 with student or military ID Friday – Oct. 18 5:30 Inspired Icon event & Platinum package holders 6:30 p.m. General admission Tucson Museum of Art 140 N. Main Ave. 5:30 p.m. Inspired Icon Moveable Feast with Celebrity Designer Betsey Johnson Engage the senses while telling a story. That’s the challenge for Tucson’s top restaurant chefs and mixologists who will serve cocktails and culinary creations inspired by original Betsey Johnson collections. Albert Hall, Daniel Scordato, Jim Murphy, Brucy Yim, Café á La C’Art and Penca are participating. $150 per person. Proceeds benefit two charities (includes Premiere Runway & Ensemble Presentation) 6:30 p.m. Premiere Runway & Ensemble Presentation The collections of national designers Betsey Johnson and Donni Charm are showcased, along with emerging designers Cybil White of Julia Love, Laura Tanzer and Elizabeth (Albert) Denneau of Candy Strike. Ensemble teams including a bartender, clothing designer, hair stylist, makeup artist and model will collaborate on a cohesive fashion presentation. Fun nibbles at The Lounge by Playground. $70 for premiere runway seating $35 general admission $25 with student or military ID Saturday – Oct. 19 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. La Encantada 2905 E. Skyline Drive Runway Wrap-Up & Fashion Awards Presentation Party The final event features celebrity designer Bert Keeter from Project Runway as well as New York designer Nicholas K and children’s designer Rebecca Gold and Her “Love Jay Girls” collection – plus local designers Heather Lindquist of Tonatiuh and Ashley Bowman and Charlene Hock of Bowman & Hock. Light bites from Tavolino Ristorante Italiano plus beverages from Alliance Beverage and Golden Eagle Distributors are included. The after party’s hosted by Shlomo & Vito’s. $35 general admission $25 with student or military ID Order tickets online: www.tucsonfashionweek.com 3-day general admission package – $75
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BizFASHION continued from page 21 sional manager for Bill Blass New York in Arizona and Nevada. Sutton has 20 years of first-hand knowledge in the fashion industry – starting as a young model then a fashion buyer, fashion editor, prop/wardrobe stylist and consultant. “They were the only people I would give my baby to,” Denneau said of Taylor and Sutton. “This is their playground – they’re much better equipped than me.” She was thrilled that Taylor made the proposal. “I couldn’t think of anyone better.” In 2009, the 34-year-old self-taught designer won the people’s choice for Designer of the Year at Scottsdale Fashion Week. Denneau’s specialty is plussized fashions. “It was the first time I had been at a really large fashion week,” Denneau said. “I thought, ‘Why doesn’t Tucson have this?’ Everybody wanted it – but no one was really doing it.” So in 2010, she did it. Tucson Fashion Week debuted on a Saturday in a
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parking lot on Toole Avenue and featured a dozen designers. “The first year it was a disaster – but a beautiful disaster. People were really excited that we did it – so we did it again.” The next year, the much-bigger production involved a core staff of 10 vol-
“
We want to create a memorable event that will continue each year. –
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Melanie Hebron Sutton MHS Styling
unteers shutting down Scott Avenue and making it a runway. “After that, I was just really exhausted,” Denneau said. “I have my own company and my own clothing line. While I was producing this huge fashion week, I was also
building a collection. It was just too much.” She was ready to hand over the reins. This fall’s Tucson Fashion Week features three distinct fashion, food and fun programs at a different location each night – the Tucson Lifestyle Desert Art Museum, the Tucson Museum of Art and La Encantada. Sutton said they’ve expanded Tucson Fashion Week, adding jewelry designers, a leather handbag line and a charitable component to raise funds for the University of Arizona’s Center for American Culture and Ideas and Lungren Center for Retailing. “We want to create a memorable event that will continue each year,” Sutton said. “We hope to elevate the emerging designers to a new level and eventually make this event a full week.” Denneau plans to participate in the event and will show “a capsule collection” of her fall line. “But it’s their baby now,” she said. “It’s cool to sit back and watch what they’re doing.”
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BizLEADERSHIP
Energize Your Enterprise All Year Long By Eric Swedlund Success stories are contagious. By showcasing some of the local entrepreneurs and businesses that have taken their enterprise ideas to new levels, the organizers behind the second annual Energize Your Enterprise event hope to spur the same sort of successful growth in other Tucson businesses. BeachFleischman and the University of Arizona Eller Executive Education, in collaboration with BizTucson Magazine, are working on the Oct.16 Energize Your Enterprise luncheon – and are adding a series of workshops to provide a year-round focus on entrepreneurship and business expansion in Tucson. “For me, it’s really all about seeing if we can contribute in some way to help create jobs in Tucson. We’re setting up a platform to get people enthused about growing their companies and adding jobs – and creating workshops to help them do that,” said Bruce Beach, chairman and CEO of BeachFleischman and founder of Energize Your Enterprise. “One of the things the participants get out of this is they get to meet some of their peers and trade information,” Beach said. “There are so many successful businesses here. If we can figure out a way to help them move to the next level and add 10 percent to their employment – that’s a lot of jobs.” The two-and-a-half-hour luncheon, at The Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, features guest speakers Harry George of Solstice Capital, Kerstin Block of Buffalo Exchange and Robert Sarver of Western Alliance Bancorporation and owner of the Phoenix Suns. Topics covered include business lessons and best practices, leadership, collaboration, scaling your business, access to capital, attracting talent, emerging issues, technology, economy, marketing, operations, regulation and more. “A lot of the businesses we talk to, because of the recession, are still a little bit paralyzed and still a little afraid of pull24 BizTucson
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ing the trigger to make the investments to grow their business,” Beach said. “If we follow it up with workshops and other events and have some success stories to build on, we can focus on growth instead of survival.” The workshops, which begin in November, are designed to be more hands on – with smaller groups and tangible, practical advice in particular areas, said Eric Majchrzak, chief marketing officer for BeachFleischman. “We want to continue to build on creating an environment of learning for these entrepreneurs. It’s working with the community and making this a forum for entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and help overcome the roadblocks they have in expanding their businesses,” Majchrzak said. The workshops will be broken into three categories:
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Functional business skills like marketing, operations, IT, finance and accounting
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Issue-driven workshops on emerging trends like healthcare reform and doing business in Mexico
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Industry-specific training in areas like real estate, healthcare, construction and manufacturing
“It’s a free flow of ideas. You get to see the things that are important to the speakers. When they give out their personal stories, they offer their experience. People will have the opportunity to submit questions,” Majchrzak said.
ENERGIZE YOUR ENTERPRISE
Entrepreneur Forum & Luncheon Wednesday Oct. 16 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa $50 per person, $450 for table of 10 www.energizeyourenterprise.org/ events/luncheon/
“What we want to be able to do instead of just a one-time event is create that environment of education and instruction on some of these business issues to continue throughout the year. This is a vehicle for people to learn from January to December.” The UA Eller College of Management is working with BeachFleischman to award entrepreneurial certificates through the workshops, said Stephen Gilliland, Eller’s associate dean of executive education. “We’re trying to give local businesses the tools they need to really accelerate their growth – to take their enterprise and move it to the next step. Through the faculty we have here and the work we’ve done throughout the years, we have a lot to offer the business community,” Gilliland said. “What’s so wonderful about this partnership is it gives us a way to reach a far broader group of people than we ever could through our own marketing efforts.” The workshops are being designed around specific needs in Tucson’s business community – matching experts in the field with companies that can gain some practical, in-depth knowledge to apply to their business. “A big part of what we’ve done at Eller Executive is customizing the learning to the client. We’re going to collect feedback from people who attend the luncheon. We’re designing a curriculum for these workshops around the needs of our local community,” Gilliland said. “If you look at the truly great midsized cities that have gotten it right – like Austin, Texas – it is because they figured out a way to accelerate the growth of their small and mid-sized businesses. I really feel that Tucson is on the cusp of turning that corner and becoming a great city,” Gilliland said. “My hope is that we provide the accelerator, the opportunity for our businesses to get the flywheel turning and get the momentum going.”
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BizTOURISM
A Young Urban Hotel By Sheryl Kornman
Simon Turner
President of Global Development Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Craig Martin
GM, ALOFT Tucson University 26 BizTucson
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PHOTO: BRENT G. MATHIS
Left to right â&#x20AC;&#x201C;
“
The vibe of a university town – young, energetic and inquisitive – led the design. The synergy is just great. –
Simon Turner, President of Global Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
ALOFT Tucson University by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide transformed an aging hotel property into a post-modern, tech-savvy hotel offering “style at a steal.” The hotel was “rebuilt from the bones,” said Simon Turner, Starwood’s president of global development. Significant renovations included new skin, windows, mechanical, electrical and plumbing – plus relocation of the swimming pool. “We totally peeled it apart and created a new asset,” Turner said of the aging former Sheraton. “It’s a kinder, gentler hotel.” The renovation took a year, and ALOFT opened in April. The new, minimalist décor and room furnishings have clean lines to appeal to a new-generation traveler. ALOFT is a “vision of W, a very successful brand for the trendsetter and trend seeker,” Turner said. ALOFT hotels are based on the W hotel model, with a contemporary, casual feel – but at a lower price point. The decision to buy the 42-year-old hotel property at 1900 E. Speedway Blvd. and reposition it in the market was made after careful study, Turner said. The site’s 600-space subterranean parking was a plus, as was its location near the University of Arizona main campus and medical center, plus downtown and Tucson International Airport. “The vibe of a university town – young, energetic and inquisitive – led
ALOFT Patio
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the design,” Turner said. “The synergy is just great.” Time-lapse photography of the transformation – pre and post-conversion – is shown in a video loop on a screen in the hotel’s open-plan lobby/ lounge. The 154 “loft-like” rooms have ninefoot ceilings and feature platform beds with plush bedding, blackout shades, retro bedside alarm clocks and plugand-play docking stations that link tablets, laptops and music devices to the room’s 42-inch LCD television. Bathrooms have walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads. The liquid soap and shampoo dispensers mounted on the shower wall reduce waste. The custom amenities are by Bliss Spa. Starwood left the sturdy, seven-story cinderblock construction of the former Four Points by Sheraton hotel intact. It converted the structure into a modern, affordable hotel. (In October, rates start at $149.) Starwood spent millions to rebuild and rewire the hotel, installing highcapacity fiber optics to serve customers traveling with multiple portable devices. The swimming pool was relocated to the east end of the building to make room for a terrace and indoor-outdoor fireplace off the bar/lounge area. General contractor was Phoenixbased Linthicum, which specializes in unique design. Tucson-based subcontractors were General Air Control Corp., Comfort Systems USA, Arizona
ALOFT Guestroom
”
Restaurant Supply and Rick Engineering Co. Arizona-based companies were Western Millwork and Patio Pools and Spas. Sustainability is part of the ALOFT model, Turner said. The HVAC system monitors air temperature to reduce energy waste and lighting in public areas turns on and off automatically. The two meeting rooms available for booking total 1,800 square feet and are fitted with AV equipment, plasma televisions and free wi-fi. The two rooms can be converted into one. The hotel has 2,000 square feet of reception space. The w xyz bar in the re:mix lounge – part of the open-space design on the ground floor – flows into the lobby, where a circular desk allows guests easy check in and out. Turner doesn’t believe that travel should be a chore. The hotel provides luggage trolleys for guests called “go carts.” The work of local artists is featured. There is no restaurant – but re:fuel by ALOFT offers cooked-to-order breakfast daily and make-your-own cappuccinos and teas. Visitors can buy healthy snacks and beverages 24/7. The coffee is Rainforest Alliance Certified. The hotel’s fitness room – re:charge – has Life Fitness equipment and is open 24 hours. Fabric panels, pillows and art in the public spaces can easily can be changed to keep the hotel “fresh,” Turner said during a walk-through of the property. continued on page 28 >>>
w xyz bar & re:mix lounge
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BizTOURISM continued from page 27 Signage in ALOFT is written with “a bit of fun.” The hotel’s no smoking policy is advertised like this: “No butts about it. ALOFT is smoke free.” The public bathrooms are labeled WC – for water closet. At night, the exterior is illuminated with horizontal strips of colored light. Turner expects the hotel will draw prospective students, families and friends visiting UA students and patients at the medical center, plus sports fans coming to Tucson to enjoy football and basketball. The hotel advertises its proximity to the Tucson Convention Center, TCC Music Hall, downtown and corporate offices in the area, aiming also to attract young professionals. ALOFT’s general manager Craig Martin, a UA business graduate, immediately positioned the hotel as a good UA neighbor and community partner. At the opening event, the hotel presented The University of Arizona Medical Center – Diamond Children’s with a $5,000 donation. Nearby mass transit is an asset, Martin said. When the Tucson streetcar project is completed, service to Fourth Avenue, downtown, the UA campus and UAMC will be available at Speedway and Warren Avenue – a short walk south of the hotel. Martin said the city also upgraded the Sun Tran bus stop in front of the hotel to make bus service more attractive to hotel visitors. Other ALOFT conversions have been completed at the San Francisco airport, in downtown Dallas, where a historic railroad depot was transformed into an ALOFT hotel and in Nashville in the heart of the West End music scene. More than 60 ALOFT hotels are open in 10 countries, including major cities such as Bejing, Brussels and Bogota. Turner is a trustee of the Urban Land Institute. Before the Tucson ALOFT project, he directed the repositioning of the Hotel George V in Paris and the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston. He’s also worked in Saudi Arabia for a Swiss-based hotel marketing and management company. He studied hotel science at Cornell University. Michael Luria, chairman of the board of Visit Tucson, said the redesigned ALOFT hotel is “a tremendous addition for residents and visitors alike. It’s an exciting concept.”
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PHOTO: AMY HASKELL
BizENTREPRENEUR
Chellie Krajnak & Kristina Valencia Owners, Creative Juice Art Bar
Artful Fun By Gabrielle Fimbres John Mayer bursts onto the iPod and artists pause for a moment – paint brushes and wine glasses in hand – to sing along. It’s a typical night at Creative Juice Art Bar, which was the first business of its kind in Tucson. Artists – from novice to experienced – sip wine and paint in a relaxed atmosphere. Classes are led by resident artists who provide step-by-step lessons in painting, with no experience required. It’s all about fun at Creative Juice, which was launched in May 2012 by Tucson teachers Chellie Krajnak and Kristina Valencia and consultant Preston Pingry. “We have had people give us hugs with tears in their eyes saying ‘I’ve always wanted to paint,’ ” said co-owner and artist Valencia. “This was our goal – to create a place where people could come and have fun and feel comfortable.” Classes provide an artistic escape for groups of friends, moms, couples or individuals looking to try something new. Adult classes include a glass of wine, beer or soft drink and lively music, with nibbles and desserts available for purchase. 30 BizTucson
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Also offered are classes and camps for children and teens, sans the wine. Corporate teambuilding events, fundraisers and private parties – everything from children’s birthday parties to groups of engineers and bachelorette parties – are also popular. “People can be intimidated by the blank canvas, but you are guided through it,” Valencia said. “You hear people say, “Gee, it’s so much fun.’ And they walk away with beautiful paintings to hang on their wall.” Valencia, who is the art teacher at Castlehill Country Day School, and Krajnak, who spent a dozen years teaching at Castlehill, mulled over the possibility of opening a business together for a couple of years. Nothing clicked until Krajnak traveled to Denver to visit family. There, she found a fun place to paint and relax with an adult beverage. Valencia traveled to Phoenix to check out a similar business there. “We knew it would be a hit in Tucson,” Krajnak said. “We www.BizTucson.com
both walked out and said, ‘Oh my gosh, that was so much fun.’” Krajnak and Valencia did their homework and found nothing like it in Tucson. They took the plunge – along with Krajnak’s brother, Preston Pingry – and opened the 2,500-squarefoot fun and lively business in La Plaza Shoppes on Tanque Verde Road. The spacious painting room is frequently packed with up to 48 artists. A smaller adjoining room is available for private parties. Leading the artistic endeavors are art teachers Valencia, Katie Branson and Valencia’s son, Dominic Valencia. Both Branson and Dominic are fine art students at the University of Arizona. A different acrylic painting is featured Wednesday through Saturday evenings. Each of the paintings is a Creative Juice original. Customer favorites boast a local flavor – with Tucson Starry Night, Desert Life and Day of the Dead paintings popular year-round. “We have people who come in who are very talented artists and we have people come in who have never done anything like this,” Valencia said. “Going to art museums is for everybody. Why can’t making art be for everybody?” Participants have total creative freedom if they wish to change up the painting or go rogue and paint their own design. Cost is $35, which includes the canvas, all supplies and a drink. Also offered are daytime open studio sessions as well as wine
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glass painting and other events. On a recent night, the art bar was packed with a book club, husband-and-wife teams, groups of girlfriends and more. The evening was filled with laughter, and painters stopped to pose for photos with their finished Tucson Starry Night works of art. Tucson counselor Cathy Zipperian painted with a group of girlfriends from her book club. “After my first wonderful experience at Creative Juice, I saw it listed as one of the Top 20 Things to Do in Tucson,” Zipperian said. “I completely agree. The climate of fun and carefree creativity is palpable. From squirting pretty paints on my own palette to bringing home my own impressive ‘Van Gogh,’ my experiences have been both joy-filled and priceless.” Pharmacy technician Stacie Mason is a Creative Juice regular who had never painted before. “Kristina and Chellie have created an environment that allows you to explore your creative side – even if you think you don’t have one – and have a blast while doing it,” Mason said. “Painting, good music, yummy snacks and wine? Yes please! I know when I walk into a class I am in for two-and-a-half hours of fun and laughter. My husband calls Creative Juice my happy place and it kind of is,” she added. That climate of fun and creativity is what sets Creative Juice apart. “It’s therapeutic,” Krajnak said. “You get to escape for a little while.”
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BizCHARITY
PHOTO: CHRIS MOONEY
The Rillito River Band – from left – John Turi, Russell Long, Oscar Chavez, John McCaleb, Roger Worley
Classic Rides Classic Rock By Cindy Godwin What could be sweeter than spending the day ogling rare and beautifully restored automobiles while rocking out to The Rillito River Band? The boys in the band will set the mood at Tucson Classics 7th Annual Classics Car Show Oct. 19 at St. Gregory College Preparatory School, 3231 N. Craycroft Road, with proceeds benefitting local charities. Car lovers can expect to see more than 400 of the Southwest’s finest on four wheels. There’s a special connection between the Tucson Classics Car Show and The Rillito River Band. John McCaleb, a past president of the Rotary Club of Tucson that puts on the car show, is a member of the band. After seeing one of their sold-out performances at Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort, Car Show Chair Chuck Sawyer knew he had to add the band to the day’s festivities. The Rillito River Band is made up 32 BizTucson
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of talented and experienced musicians who have day jobs and deep roots in the local business community. Record-setting realtor Russell Long is the grandson of the founder of Long Realty. He started playing ukulele at age 11 and, inspired by The Beatles, shifted to guitar at age 13. He played in a rock band in high school, followed by the folk scene in college and later bluegrass bands. As his daughters were growing up, he played pop and rock music with them. One daughter is a professional musician in New York City. Oscar Chavez, a realtor with Lennar, founded the band with Long in 2009, and is lead singer, guitarist and bass player. Chavez started playing saxophone and clarinet as a youngster before switching to electric guitar. As a teen, he played with a group that opened for the big Tex-Mex bands that came to Tucson. He performed for President George W. Bush at a Tucson event. Roger Worley, drummer and percus-
sionist, has provided mechanical engineering services in Tucson since 1981. He first played steel guitar at age 8. When the Beach Boys were topping the charts, he traded his steel guitar and amplifier for a set of Ludwig drums. In college, Worley helped form a group that later became Marble Phrogg. The band released an album in 1968 which didn’t sell but, because of its scarcity, it has become a highly sought collector’s item. By day, John McCaleb is president of award-winning McCaleb Construction. Nights and weekends he plays lead guitar and bass and sings harmony vocals. McCaleb played trombone through eighth grade, at which time he bought a $5 Stella guitar and began a lifelong relationship with guitars, as a player and collector. McCaleb is considered one of Tucson’s lead and finger-style musicians. John Turi is the one member whose career has been devoted to music. At 9 www.BizTucson.com
he was playing sax, and at 14, he was performing in clubs. He studied sax, piano and composition at Julliard School of Music. He met Bobby Darin who booked his band across the country. He has performed at The Peppermint Lounge and had a hit on Billboard’s Top 40 chart. In the late 70s he started working with Cyndi Lauper, writing, recording and touring with the band Blue Angel. Now he manages and produces albums for Emmy Wildwood (Long’s daughter) and plays piano, sax, bass and percussion for The Rillito River Band. Long speaks of the band as his second family. “We all like each other tremendously. Our chemistry is super and it flows into the music.” Would they all give up their day jobs to become full-time musicians? Long’s answer is a resounding “yes.” In addition to The Rillito River Band, changes to the Tucson Classics Car Show this year include the expansion of activities for children. Included are bouncing castles, a petting zoo, face painting, balloon animals, coloring activities, games and a giveaway of gently used books. Onsite parking is also expanded. Show sponsors – including this year’s title sponsor, Tucsonhomes.com – make it possible for the Rotary Club to donate more than $100,000 to local charities, including Reading Seed Children’s Literacy Program, Youth on Their Own and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
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7th annual Tucson Classics Car Show Saturday, Oct. 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Rillito River Band will perform from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. St. Gregory College Preparatory School 3231 N. Craycroft Road $5 for adults, children under 18 free with a paying adult. Ticket price includes a raffle ticket for a chance to win a 2004 LeMans Edition Corvette Convertible or $15,000 cash, in addition to other prizes. (520) 440-4503 www.RotaryTCCS.com www.BizTucson.com
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BizBRIEF
Lewis and Roca Merges With Denver Firm The attorneys of Lewis and Roca joined with the century-old Rocky Mountain firm Rothgerber Johnson and Lyons with headquarters in Denver. The 250-lawyer firm is now one of the largest in the Western United States “Combining to create a new firm – Lewis Roca Rothgerber – gives us a presence across six states and a stronger offering for our clients,” said Lewis Schorr, a partner in the Tucson office that was established in 1988. Lewis and Roca has been one of the Southwest’s leading law firms for more than 60 years, with offices in Tucson, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Reno, Albuquerque and Silicon Valley. “Over the past decade we have seen a significant shift in the legal needs of our clients. They are asking for our help with new legal challenges across a broader geographic area,” Schorr said. “Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons shared our vision for growth in both markets and practices. “Because of this, we are able to provide businesses with local coverage in important Western states – including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming.” Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons Chairman Frederick J.Baumann said, “Our clients have been expanding in the Southwest region for some time and encouraged us to find an opportunity to establish a presence there. “With Lewis and Roca, we are partnering with a firm with an equally strong reputation in its practices and markets. Lewis and Roca not only shares our commitment to client service, but is a seamless fit strategically, culturally and professionally.” This is described as a merger of complementary legal practices, comparable geographies and shared values. Lewis and Roca had 180 lawyers throughout its six offices. Rothgerber, Johnson & Lyons is one of the largest law firms in the Rocky Mountain region with 75 lawyers in three offices – Denver, Colorado Springs and Casper. Lewis and Roca’s highly regarded real estate, energy and regulatory, intellectual property, gaming, and labor and employment practices will benefit from Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons’s reputation and long-standing relationships in the Rocky Mountain region. In addition, Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons’s national litigation and insurance reorganization, religious institutions, banking and energy practices – combined with Lewis and Roca capabilities – will enable the new firm to offer clients an even greater depth and breadth of expertise.
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SPECIAL REPORT 2013
THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Tucson Metro Chamber Driving Pro-Business Initiatives
SPECIAL REPORT CORPORATE SPONSOR
Change Ahead Tucson Metro Chamber Driving Pro-Business Initiatives By Joan Liess
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Tucson is experiencing a Copernican shift. The way we view our local universe is changing dramatically. This onetime small town is energized and expanding its role in the world. The Tucson region rightly values its unique natural and cultural assets – yet recognizes its quality of lifestyle is reliant upon a robust local economy. A revitalized Tucson Metro Chamber is leading the way for positive economic change by focusing on the nexus of healthy, growing businesses and prosperity for all Tucsonans. That plan is to focus, focus, focus on pro-business initiatives. A shift in the chamber’s intensity to foster a pro-business climate began when current President and CEO Mike Varney took the helm in May 2011. Like many local businesses at that time, the chamber’s status quo was tenuous. The economy was slowly recovering from a recession that had hurt businesses and property values, escalated unemployment and dampened consumer confidence. Not surprisingly, the chamber’s membership and revenue streams plummeted in the wake of those troubled waters. It was clearly time to refocus and rebuild. “Mike brought a lot of different ideas based on his experience in other chambers and his own personal experience,” current Board Chairman Kurt Wadlington said. “Businesses were struggling and they were looking for solutions. Now we have a guy with a new perspective. That’s been good for Tucson.” The chamber concluded its 2012-13 fiscal year in June – under the leadership of then Board Chairman Bruce Dusenberry – with a litany of accomplishments and an improved balance sheet. The investor curve was reversed as small businesses re-upped and the top-tier Chairman’s Circle expanded from a dozen companies to nearly 80. Clearly Tucson businesses began recognizing the value of investing in the chamber and that drove this renaissance. The chamber is 100 percent funded by member investments and special events. “We get things done” “We are putting on a full-court press to bring positive
pro-business changes to Southern Arizona,” Varney said. “Companies invest in us because we demonstrated that we get things done.”
Cover Photo:©iStockphoto.com/dszc
BizLEADERSHIP
continued on page 44 >>>
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I was impressed with how much the chamber cared about me and my business. – Emmett O’Leary President, O’Leary Construction
continued from page 43
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Just ask chamber investor Emmett O’Leary, president of
O’Leary Construction, a site preparation company with 60 employees. In 2008 “I dropped out of everything because I was in survival mode,” explained O’Leary, who recently rejoined after the chamber helped him overcome some roadblocks with the City of Tucson on a permit issue. “All I heard was ‘no, no, no,’” said O’Leary, whose experience mirrors that of other business owners when navigating governmental processes. “I was impressed with how much the chamber cared about me and my business.” The snafu O’Leary experienced was a systemic predicament, according to some business owners. The concern drove the chamber’s agenda during its last fiscal year. “Our goal is to change the local culture to say ‘yes’ to business opportunities and then work out the fine details – rather than starting from a position of ‘no’ and making the opportunity justify itself,” said Varney. Robert Medler, VP of government affairs, points to the chamber’s creation of the Joint Business Objectives as a positive step towards improving outcomes when dealing with local governments. “New York City and Portland had established a Business Bill of Rights – which inspired us to do something similar,” Medler said. Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry readily bought into the initiative. “Our document is based on give-and-take on both sides,” explained Medler, who included the development directors for both the city and county in the process. “What are the basic things that need to happen to make this process work for both government and business?” Both the city and county now have poster-sized Joint Business Objectives documents on display in their development offices. “A lot of the problems were simple,” said Medler. “It’s a common-sense starting point.”
Mike Varney
Chuck Huckelberry
Bruce Dusenberry
Face Time With Top City, County Leaders
The chamber also instituted the Interface forum offering regular opportunities to speak directly with top city and county officials about public policy and doing business in Southern Arizona. The Interface sessions rotate between the city and county leadership. Rothschild met with chamber investors in August, with the next session scheduled for Nov. 21. Huckelberry and/or Board Chairman Ramon Valadez are scheduled Oct. 31 and again on Jan. 23. During the hour-long exchange, politicos can get direct feedback about the city’s latest policy decisions or current initiatives such as the county’s proposed aerospace and de44 BizTucson
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fense corridor and its proposed bond package. “You get an hour of direct face-to-face time with this region’s senior political leaders,” Medler said. If capacity attendance is a measure of success, investors clearly value the productive meeting of minds at these forums. The chamber encourages openness, transparency and robust discussion.
Advancing Pro-business Initiatives
The chamber recently commissioned a comprehensive study conducted by Smith & Dale, a local nonprofit consulting firm, to evaluate its effectiveness and set its agenda based on the priorities of investors. “Businesses place a very high value on the chamber being their voice in the halls of government,” said Wadlington, who added that more than 100 business people were interviewed as part of this commissioned study.
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Our goal is to change the local culture to say ‘yes’ to business opportunities and then work out the fine details – rather than starting from a position of ‘no’ and making the opportunity justify itself.
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– Mike Varney President & CEO, Tucson Metro Chamber
Wadlington said the findings were “a third-party, environmental scan to get insight on things we are doing that are valuable – and things that weren’t as important so we shouldn’t spend valuable time on those.” Key to advancing pro-business initiatives via the ballot box is the Southern Arizona Business Political Action Committee, the political action arm of the chamber. The chamber formed its political action committee in 1978 and was certified as a Super-PAC in 2012 as its means to endorse candidates and support or oppose issues. “Just the creation of that PAC sends a powerful message that not only are we paying attention, but in terms of finances, we’re armed and ready,” Varney said. During the 2012 election cycle, 94 percent of candidates supported by SAZPAC won their elections. With the blessing of Varney and SAZPAC’s board, Medler formalized and expanded the candidate evaluation process in 2011 by creating the candidate evaluation committee comprised of chamber investors equally identified as Republicans, Democrats and Independents. The committee also mirrors the blend of ages, gender, ethnicity and industry sectors of chamber investors. “If you take out that one person who is a really strong R and his or her score, and one person who’s a really strong D and his or her score, everyone else is almost always within the first standard of deviation,” Medler explained. “They’re all pretty close when it comes to the business issues – and that’s continued on page 46 >>> www.BizTucson.com
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BizLEADERSHIP Business on the Ballot
State of Education Luncheon – Guy Gunther, VP & GM, CenturyLink with scholarship recipient Sarah Hefferan
Hot Topics in 2014 • City of Tucson budget and oversight of Proposition 409 road bonds • Statewide offices including governor and legislators • Proposed Interstate 11 project to complete a north-south three-country international trade corridor • Permitting and construction of the Rosemont Copper mine project
Continuing Efforts • Union Pacific rail yard project – supporting a multi-modal transportation hub on the Pima-Pinal county line
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• Supporting F-35 Joint Strike Fighter basing at the 162nd Air National Guard and attracting other new Department of Defense programming
Businesses place a very high value on the chamber being their voice in the halls of government.
• Advancing tax policies that encourage job creation and capital investment, including the film tax credit
Kurt Wadlington Board Chairman Tucson Metro Chamber
• Ending Highway User Revenue Fund sweeps and other funding sweeps
• Focusing on education issues including results measurements, education finance policy and reinstating funding for four-year Joint Technical Education District programming known as JTED • Supporting downtown improvement projects • Supporting policies that encourage increased trade with Mexico • Adopting immigration policy based on the S.A.N.E. framework • Reforming the initiative process to increase transparency, prevent abuses and further limitations on the legislature’s ability to set state budgets For more information visit www.tucsonchamber.org
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continued from page 45 what matters as a chamber.” Medler invites all viable local and state candidates to participate in the chamber’s vetting process – which includes submitting a written questionnaire or track record (for incumbents), engaging in a scheduled interview conducted by the candidate evaluation committee and providing empirical information about his or her campaign. After evaluating the data, the committee submits its recommendations to SAZPAC’s board which reviews the collected information and considers the committee’s endorsements in earnest when making its final decisions. Medler admitted, “It took a few years to get the process just right – but it’s working well now.”
Focus on Workforce
Pro-business public policy is effective stimulus for business growth. Equally as important is a workforce fit to convert growth into tangible, quality-of-life benefits for both businesses and our community. The workforce challenges of tomorrow are already upon us. As a result of a dwindling pool of skilled workers, 3.5 million current job openings are not being filled by U.S. companies, according to a new study published by the Apollo Group, parent company of the University of Phoenix. Compounding this problem, one of the most educated segments of our workforce – the baby-boom generation – is reaching retirement age. Thanks to the University of Arizona, Tucson can call dibs on high-end college graduates and advanced-degree talent. The UA is the major source of engineers for Raytheon Missile Systems, the region’s largest private employer. Conversely, Tucson was the sixth-poorest of the nation’s top 500 metropolitan areas in 2011 with a poverty rate of 20.4 percent, according to U.S. Census Bureau data – despite the fact that quality jobs in aerospace, mining, manufacturing and other trade professions went unfilled. continued on page 48 >>> www.BizTucson.com
BizLEADERSHIP ment working together to make sure this happens.”
Chamber’s Mission
The mission of the Tucson Metro Chamber is to promote a strong local economy resulting in business growth, ample employment and improved quality of life for all citizens.
Chamber’s Mantra
Robert Medler
When business is good, life is good.
Chamber’s Core Fundamentals Promote a strong local economy Because when business is good, life is good…and jobs are plentiful. Provide opportunities to build relationships To help businesses open new channels of opportunity. Deliver programs to help businesses grow To help business survive and thrive. Represent and advocate on behalf of business Because what happens in government often impacts business. Enhance commerce through community steweardship So that quality of life improves and our community has more to offer. Increase public awareness of member businesses So that investor companies stand out in a crowded and competitive marketplace. Provide symbols of credibility Because consumers really do prefer to do business with investors of the Tucson Metro Chamber. Source: Tucson Metro Chamber
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New York City and Portland had established a Business Bill of Rights – which inspired us to do something similar.
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– Robert Medler VP of Government Affairs Tucson Metro Chamber
continued from page 46 The chamber intends to be an active partner in efforts to cross this chasm. “We’ve reached a critical point. We have to move ahead,” said Gregg Johnson, campus director for the University of Phoenix in Tucson, who was tapped to head a new chamber committee charged with addressing workforce readiness and education – including strategies to reduce the high school dropout rate. “How do we put people into the careers they want – and more importantly – match them to the careers of the future?” Johnson said. That’s the big question here and nationwide. “We have the educational resources but we don’t always have the trade development that we need.” The Joint Technical Education District is one key to developing this segment of the workforce for the future. “We want to keep the triangle of business, education and govern-
Build Partnerships Pima Community College is poised to step up its role in vocational education. PCC Chancellor Lee Lambert, who took office on July 1, is a proven innovator in that arena and is certain to be an influential voice in the chamber’s efforts. Lambert is a founding member and current board chair of the National Coalition of Certification Centers, known as NC3, a corporately supported organization that emphasizes increasing the competencies of the workforce in three key sectors – transportation, energy and aviation. Lee Lambert – Lee Lambert Chancellor Pima Community College
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We need investments to the region that are not tied to state and federal dollars.
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“We’re going to bring PCC into the NC3 network,” said Lambert who explained the two entities will work together with industry to develop curriculum and faculty currency, while building an assessment instrument to validate that the training programs for Pima students meet the needs of industry. “Together, that’s the key. That’s a big change,” Lambert emphasized, referencing the rarity of educators continued on page 50 >>>
Outlooks Conference 2013 From left – Philip J. Dion, Senior VP of Public Policy and Customer Solutions, UNS Energy Corporation; T. Boone Pickens, BP Capital and Natural Gas Advocate; Dr. Cathy Mincberg, President & CEO Center for Reform of School Systems
Intelligence Gatherings
Chamber Event Calendar Annual Events
Copper Cactus Awards September 27 Awards dinner event to celebrate the accomplishments and innovation of Southern Arizona’s small businesses
Copper Cactus Awards Best Practice Showcase October 17 Relaxed happy-hour event featuring knowledge-sharing presentations by the 13 Copper Cactus Award winners
State of the State Luncheon January 14, 2014 Gov. Jan Brewer’s legislative address details the issues affecting Southern Arizona and the state
State of the City Luncheon February 26, 2014 Mayor Jonathan Rothschild outlines the goals, planned policies and objectives for the City of Tucson for 2014
University of Arizona Athletics Luncheon September 2014 UA coaches share updates and plans for Wildcat athletic programs
Recurring Events
Knowledge Transfer Series September through May Local experts mentor investors on sales, marketing, digital media and social media and other aspects of business operations
Chamber XChange Monthly Investor businesses host other investors and guests to XChange contacts, XChange business, XChange ideas and XChange knowledge
Interface Quarterly Interface is a series of discussions with Mayor Rothschild and County Administrator Huckelberry and/or County Board Chairman Valadez that provides business owners and executives with opportunities to speak directly to these high level public officials about public policy and doing business in Southern Arizona
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continued from page 48 and industries collaborating as full partners. “It’s not, ‘My way as the college; we’re going to do it and trust us.’ It’s a reciprocal relationship.” Companies like Snap-on and Trane are handson in the NC3 program. “As we strengthen our relations with these multi-nationals, the hope is that it’s going to strengthen the small businesses here that sell and service their products,” said Lambert. “Pima’s role is to make sure that we’re producing high-quality workers for those businesses.” Lambert also intends to participate in economic recruitment endeavors. “We need investments to the region that are not tied to state and federal dollars,” he said. “If the community of Tucson wants to attract a large scale manufacturer, for example, PCC can be a big part of the supply chain.” The Pima County Joint Technical Education District is also pivotal for training the new workforce. JTED works with business and industry to not only teach the technical skills for students to succeed in college and careers, but also workplace – or soft skills – so students know how to interact with coworkers and supervisors professionally. At a recent Arizona Technology Council meeting, high-tech firms said those skills are paramount. Pima County JTED offers career and technical-education programs to more than 13,000 students each year at 34 high schools and nine central campus locations. Its Business and Industry Advisories represent 25 program areas, providing curriculum and equipment guidance as well as internships and job shadowing experiences for students.
Investors, Revenues Up
Tucson Metro Chamber chose the tagline, “Growing Businesses. Building Communities.” The theme is not an idle platitude. It’s the organization’s marching orders from its investors. Lori Banzhaf, VP of business development said the number of investors hovers around 1,400 businesses which employ more than 110,000 in Tucson and Pima County. That’s a 7 percent increase from the recessionary fallout – with 75 percent of those designated as small businesses with 25 or fewer full-time employees. Better yet, revenues grew by almost 20 percent, in part because investments in the Chairman’s Circle increased nearly seven fold. Banzhaf, who came onboard in the fall of 2011, is also charged with planning and operating chamber events – a key component of investor retention. “We created a strategic layout of events aligned with our goals that deliver high value to our investors,” she said. continued on page 52 >>> www.BizTucson.com
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BizLEADERSHIP continued from page 50 Realignments included handing over the Man and Woman of the Year program to the Greater Tucson Leadership organization, which made “perfect sense,” Banzhaf said, as did eliminating fundraising golf tournaments from the schedule. On the flip side, acquiring the Copper Cactus Awards – which recognize innovative businesses, many of them chamber investors – was a good fit. Banzhaf avowed that, “The number one reason more businesses are not chamber investors is because they haven’t been asked.” Her message to prospective investors going forward is clear: “We heard you. You’ve told us you haven’t invested because you haven’t been asked. I’m asking you now to stand with the chamber as we move our community forward.” The chamber’s “asking” is codified by the Business Expansion and Retention project, known as BEAR, which sets up exchanges of information between chamber volunteers and key business decision makers in a person-to-person setting. The project targets businesses with 100 or more full-time equivalent
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Lori Banzhaf
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The number one reason more businesses are not chamber members is because they haven’t been asked.
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– Lori Banzhaf VP of Business Development Tucson Metro Chamber
employees. By year’s end, the BEAR committee will present a white paper of its findings to the board and community. The chamber, which has roots in this community dating to 1896, operates with an executive committee of five officers, plus 20 other members of the board of directors and a staff of 14. There are six key committees addressing specific priorities in the year ahead. Numbers don’t lie and the uptick in revenues speaks volumes. “There’s a definite reinvigoration of our investment base,” Varney said. “Our investors expect us to do whatever is necessary to promote a strong local economy. Addressing government affairs and quality workforce issues are clearly the top priorities. We are putting on a full-court press to bring positive pro-business changes to Southern Arizona,” he said. Varney summed up the chamber’s positioning in the investor-based nonprofit marketplace. “We don’t just want to be known as an organization that does things – we want to be known as an organization that gets things done.”
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BizLEADERSHIP
Jerry Schuchardt
A Mentor’s Peerspective Brian Woods from Southwest Print & Promotions and Mary Rowley from Strongpoint Marketing cofacilitate a monthly CEO roundtable support group called Peerspectives, which seats up to 12 business owners from non-competing companies. “You’d be surprised how many people think their problems may be unique,” said Jerry Schuchardt, owner and president of Unicom Grafix. “We all share the same fundamental challenges – whether it be growing your business, hiring employees, producing a quality product, navigating government regulations and, of course, always taking good care of your customers.” The topic varies each month and is determined by the two subjects the group votes to discuss. “One may want to grow his business, another wants to streamline manufacturing, another is looking for ways to get a better handle on her accounts receivables,” explained Schuchardt, who confessed he still experiences some of those problems, too. “At least I think I know how to handle it this time around.”
Super-Serving Small Business By Joan Liess
The majority of jobs and the bulk of our country’s gross national product are generated by small businesses. Here in Pima County, 300,956 people are employed by 20,059 private non-farm businesses, according to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2011. Do the math. That’s an average of 15 employees per establishment. Tucson Metro Chamber pledges to help small businesses protect
those jobs, add even more jobs and beef up their bottom line. The chamber recently formed the investor-run Small Business Advisory Council charged with identifying programs, products and services needed by small businesses to support their success and ultimately their growth. Here are the committee’s initiatives and the key chamber resources to help fulfill them.
Make Money
• Military procurement workshops through the military affairs committee
Save Money
• Money-in-Your-Pocket discounts of 40 percent or more on frequently purchased office supplies at Office Depot. • SCF Arizona Safety Association program for workers compensation insurance – 118 members collected an average of $786 in bonus dividends and credits in 2012
Build Relationships
• Monthly Chamber XChange networking event for investors and their guests • Peerspectives CEO roundtable for small and medium-sized business owners – conducted monthly by an experienced facilitator
Transfer Knowledge
• Knowledge Transfer Series – Workshops on priority topics conducted by local experts to help small businesses learn to run a more profitable company • Networking How-To Seminars organized by the new connections committee – experts share knowledge and techniques to maximize the benefits of networking • Tools for Business one-stop online resource center – direct links to government procurement sites, business license offices, the Small and Medium-Size EnterprisesToolkit and Affordable Care Act resources
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First Impressions Project
Looking Good By Joan Liess
Tucson Metro Chamber’s First Impressions initiative to corral the private sector to help spruce up high-traffic city sites is evolving from conception to the construction phase. Its first project – the beautification of Tucson Boulevard from the airport to Valencia Road – should gear up in early December. According to Richard Underwood, a chamber board member and the real bulldozer behind the project, several businesses have come on board with cash in hand and City of Tucson officials have pledged to help navigate ordinance roadblocks. “Completing this upgrade will give every citizen of Southern Arizona something to be proud of and will make the most positive impression possible on anyone visiting our region,” said Underwood, who committed resources from his company, AAA Landscape. Many of the 3.6 million people who deplane each year at Tucson International Airport experience their first impression of Southern Arizona at the airport. TIA’s striking design and 56 BizTucson
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new solar-panel canopy over the public parking lot visually signals that “Tucson is an innovative city.” Not so for the roughly half-mile corridor they travel from the airport to the city proper. Because of budget restraints, existing plants and medians along Tucson Boulevard have been poorly maintained on the city-owned road and right-of-way. Private donors are crucial to the success of the planned $350,000 upgrade to the medians and streetscape. Underwood credits First Impressions com-
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Cody and his team were able to raise three quarters of the sum needed in two weeks. I was amazed.
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– Richard Underwood Chair, First Impressions
mittee co-chair Cody Ritchie of Crest Insurance for doing the heavy lifting on fundraising. “Frankly, we were stuck on the fundraising side until Cody, with the help of Mike Varney and Kurt Wadlington and other chamber members, stepped up,” said Underwood. “Cody and his team were able to raise three quarters of the sum needed in two weeks. I was amazed as well as delighted. Cody may be one of the most can-do guys in Tucson. We are blessed to have him in our town.” Underwood acknowledges that once the facelift is finished his company will work with the city on the costs of maintenance. “AAA will handle any shortfall if that helps Tucson make a great first impression,” vowed Underwood. “That’s a chore we’re eager to take on.” Contributions to the First Impressions project are welcome from individuals as well as businesses. Donations via credit card are accepted online at www. TucsonChamber.org/firstimpressions – or any Bank of America or Bank of Tucson branch.
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TREE PALETTE Ironwood Tree Texas Ebony INERT GROUNDCOVER 6” Colored Rip Rap (Brown) 2-4” Colored Rip Rap (Tan)
www.BizTucson.com
SHRUB PALETTE Beavertail Cactus Blue Elf Aloe Giant Hesperaloe Golden Barrel Cactus Grass Tree
Ocotillo Old Man Cactus Red Barrel Cactus Saguaro Silver Queen Agave Santa Rita Prickly Pear
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BizLEADERSHIP
Skilled Workforce Shortage Looms When Baby Boomers Bail By Tara Kirkpatrick Tucson leaders have some major work to do to ensure this community can compete in a contemporary economic climate – one in which the most tactical cities will nab the top talent and the rest will slowly perish. It’s not unemployment we should fear – but full employment, Mark Lautman told leaders from the Tucson Metro Chamber and Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities. “We have a looming shortage of qualified workers.” Lautman helped build the economic
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base of Rio Rancho, N.M. in the 1980s and has worked in economic development for three decades. He’s the author of “When the Boomers Bail – How Demographics will Sort Communities into Winners and Losers.” He’s based in Albuquerque. Baby boomers, the hardest working and most productive group of U.S. citizens, are nearing retirement – and along the way, they did not have enough children to fully replace themselves, Lautman explained. Essentially, this
will leave the nation with jobs unable to be filled. There won’t be enough workers with the skill sets to fill them. “Everyone you’re going to hire in the next 25 years has already been born,” he told the Tucson leaders. “It’s not enough.” So, cities will fight to attract the most qualified workers to keep their economies growing faster than their populations – the absolute key to survival, Lautman said. “This is the game now. In this new economic and demographic continued on page 60 >>> www.BizTucson.com
BizLEADERSHIP continued from page 58
heading into, you have to be aggressive and play at a level you’ve never known or you are at risk.”
environment, talented people will be in short supply and thus, will increasingly be able to choose where they want to live.” Tucson must become a city that can steal these top workers from other cities because as we move forward, they will hold all the power. “It won’t be enough to be one of the best at industry recruiting,” he said. “From now on, economic development will require a much broader and more integrated mix of programming and a much higher, more strategic level of commitment to keep the local economy growing faster than the population.” “So, are we going to be a Bedford Falls or a Pottersville?” he asked local leaders, citing the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” You are not going to be in the middle, period.” Tucson – The Challenges Because of its 300-plus days of sunshine and beautiful landscape, Tucson is a very attractive place to retire. Yet, retirees, who may move here in good health, within a decade likely won’t be able to drive and quickly become part of the dependent portion of the economic equation – those who need the services of an economy and workers to care for them. “Communities like Tucson have to be especially careful in a labor-constrained economy,” Lautman said. “Even if the retirees you are attracting are relatively healthy and wealthy, they increase the demand for qualified workers and will put a major strain on public infrastructure, only exacerbating the economic imbalance issues.” Tucson and Southern Arizona’s economic base has also been heavily dependent on federal government funding – including military installations like Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Raytheon Missile Systems, one of the region’s top private employers with 10,000 employees. “It’s been a safe place to be.” Lautman said. “Yet, if those jobs go – almost everything is at risk. Each job that goes will take a service sector job with it.” 60 BizTucson
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“
You have the opportunity to be the quality alternative to Phoenix.
”
– Mark Lautman Author & Veteran Economic Developer
Lastly, there are numerous leadership groups here – but they must work together like never before because their destinies are linked, he said. It’s no use having different chambers of commerce and business groups if their missions aren’t aligned toward growing Tucson’s economic base. “One of the biggest problems in a place like Tucson is we’re all cordoned off from each other,” Lautman said. “It’s easy to get indifferent to the others. Given the economic waters we’re
Tucson – The Potential Yet, Tucson has incredible assets and passionate people. With some predictive, strategic work, the city could fare well, Lautman said. “You have the opportunity to be the quality alternative to Phoenix. Being located within the magnetic field of an economic powerhouse like metro Phoenix gives Tucson a much longer list of strategic options than communities of comparable size. Your proximity to Phoenix frees you from having to be everything to the economic region. You have the luxury of being able to specialize, be selective and move up the market.” Michael Varney, president and CEO of the Tucson Metro Chamber, agreed. “I not only believe that a coalition of different leader groups is possible – I think it is mandatory,” he said. That’s why, in 2011, the Tucson Metro Chamber signed a cooperation agreement with TREO, the Southern Arizona Leadership Council and the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to work together to help Tucson advance and compete on a global stage. Reaching out to the independent contractors – those employees who work from home – might be another strategy that could pay off for Tucson, Lautman suggested. “This is the fastest growing economic base in the country. There is no strategy I have seen yet to recruit them. Tucson has the DNA required to become a magnet for this sector that has been, up until now, completely ignored by traditional economic development programs.” More than anything, as the biological clocks of the baby boomers tick down, time is of the essence. “You aren’t different than anywhere else in the country,” Lautman concluded. “There is an unlimited list of things you can do to solve these problems.”
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PHOTO: CHRIS MOONEY
Mike Varney President & CEO Tucson Metro Chamber
BizLEADERSHIP
Mike Varney Sees Change Ahead By Joan Liess Mike Varney’s road from Madison, Wisconsin to Tucson by way of Las Vegas, Nevada was paved with experiences apropos for a business organization in need of a revival. The Tucson Metro Chamber board voted unanimously to hire Varney in April 2011, in the wake of a lingering recession. Two-plus years later Varney is still full-steam ahead. Chamber board member Richard Underwood reported that candidate Varney arrived at his interview with a list of 20 ways to improve the chamber, then proceeded to outline a long-term business plan. That’s not surprising for a senior executive who describes himself on his LinkedIn page as “a believer in the power of participatory management, servant leadership, precise planning, quality communications and expectation of excellence.” Varney’s professional experience encapsulates the spectrum of business diversity. He’s served in leadership positions at other chambers for 10 years and held high-level positions at forprofit entities, including his own small business. In his current role at the Tucson Metro Chamber, Varney is responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations including planning, product development, government affairs, communications, research, finance and investor services. Varney replaced retiring Jack Camper, who served 32 years. The chamber’s roots go back to 1896. Varney immediately reinvigorated the chamber and laser focused its energies on pro-business initiatives. He sees the chamber as “a major force in creating positive change.” A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Varney graduated from the University www.BizTucson.com
of Wisconsin earning a bachelor of arts degree in communication arts. He established his career in the broadcasting industry, moving up to GM of a Madison radio station before creating and operating his own small business for six years. Varney moved to Las Vegas in 1997, embracing the economic energy of America’s fastest growing city at the time.
“
The Tucson Metro Chamber is making a difference every day. We’re growing businesses and building a better community. –
”
Mike Varney, President & CEO Tucson Metro Chamber
He did a nearly nine-year stint as VP of marketing at the 7,000-member Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. Prior to arriving in Tucson, he served as president and CEO of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. Between those positions, Varney was president of Nevada Corporate Headquarters, a start-up business consulting firm, and worked as an independent organizational consultant. Varney is a master networker and sought-after guest speaker who continually gathers and shares information with the intent of developing new ideas and tactical strategies for the Tucson Metro Chamber. He’s currently a member of the executive committee of the board of directors of the Western Association of
Chamber Executives and is also on the board of directors at the Arizona Chamber Executives and the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. Varney is a past recipient of the Gerald Hathaway Award for excellence in chamber of commerce operations from the Western Association of Chamber Executives. Alliances with other local economic development organizations complements the chamber’s efforts. Varney serves on boards for the Pima County Sports and Tourism Authority, Visit Tucson, the Southern Arizona Defense Alliance, Linkages and Habitat for Humanity. His enthusiasm is contagious, demonstrated by the growth in membership and the expansion of the chamber’s Chairman’s Circle to nearly 80 investors. “The Tucson Metro Chamber is making a difference every day. We’re growing businesses and building a better community,” he said. The chamber’s top four priorites this year are: • Lead government relations and public policy • Improve workforce readiness and education • Super-serve small business • Develop the local economy
When recently asked about his adopted home of Tucson, Varney answered in a nanosecond. “Fabulous city. The natural beauty is exquisite. The pace of life is very, very nice,” he said with a smile. “Great friends, great people. Very much a neighborly feeling reminiscent of where I grew up.” Welcome home, Mr. Varney.
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PHOTO: CHRIS MOONEY
Kurt Wadlington Chairman of the Board Tucson Metro Chamber
BizLEADERSHIP
Change Architect Kurt Wadlington By Joan Liess Kurt Wadlington is invested in Tucson. As an employee owner and project executive at Sundt Construction, Wadlington understands the value of business in building communities beyond the brick and mortar. Wadlington, chairman of the board for Tucson Metro Chamber, is an accomplished architect who joined Sundt in 1999. He brings Tucson life experience as well as business expertise to the table in the chamber’s boardroom. Wadlington said Tucson has tremendous potential for economic growth. “It has so much going for it in terms of climate and culture and in terms of the diversity of offerings,” he said. “We’re very well positioned but we’re missing opportunities. It’s time to get our economy growing.” On the job, Wadlington , a 1979 University of Arizona graduate, is a building group leader responsible for his team’s delivery of pre-construction and construction services consistent with client goals and objectives. This includes active participation in business development and project execution consistent with budget, schedule and quality requirements. Wadlington is active in the American Institute of Architects and is a registered architect in the State of Arizona. He is a Designated Design-Build Professional as certified by the Design Build Institute of America. Subcontractor and supplier relationships are a key component of Sundt’s project delivery and Wadlington maintains active relationships with many Tucson companies and fellow chamber investors. Over his career, he has been involved in the design and construction of projects for clients including the UA, Pima and Cochise Community www.BizTucson.com
Colleges, Tucson, Sahuarita, Marana and Catalina Unified School Districts, City of Tucson, Pima County, Tucson International Airport, Northwest Fire District, Muscular Dystrophy Association and Square & Compass Children’s Clinic. Wadlington was front and center during the construction of Sundt’s Tucson corporate headquarters at River Road and La Cholla Boulevard. The award-winning 47,000-square-foot
“
We are a center of progress and innovation. And we are a community where neighbors care about neighbors.
”
– Kurt Wadlington Chairman of the Board Tucson Metro Chamber
LEED-Gold office building was completed in 2010. He is a LEED accredited professional as designated by the United States Green Building Council. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design. “By looking for ways to employ innovative construction practices in our own facility, we were able to develop several techniques, especially with tilt-up and finished concrete, that are now proven and can be employed with confidence on client projects,” Wadlington said. Amenities in Sundt’s home for its 100 Tucson employees include a fitness center with showers, meditation room, multimedia “innovation gallery” high-
lighting past work and even a health clinic. “Sundt has long recognized that business success is directly correlated to employee engagement,” Wadlington said. “An investment in improving the work environment is an investment in future business prosperity.” Wadlington’s commitment to and professional support for the Southern Arizona community is exemplified by his participation in numerous business, philanthropic and service organizations. Beyond his service at the Tucson Metro Chamber, Wadlington is active in the Southern Arizona Leadership Council P-20 Education Committee, Southern Arizona Business Education Roundtable, Habitat For Humanity Building Freedom Day, Teacher for a Day at Vail Unified School District and 2011 Advocacy Chair for the USGBC Southern Arizona Branch. Sundt Construction is one of the country’s largest and most respected general contractors and has been active in the Tucson market for more than 80 years. Known nationally for its innovative approach to construction services, the 100-percent-employee-owned company is ranked the 64th largest construction company in the United States by ENR, the industry’s principal trade magazine. He sees Tucson as “a city of multinational companies and local small businesses, with prominent companies in the solar, high-tech, defense and aerospace industries, plus major medical and bioscience facilities. We are a center of progress and innovation. And we are a community where neighbors care about neighbors.”
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B O A R D
O F
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T U C S O N
Chair Elect Tony Penn
Immediate Past Chairman Bruce Dusenberry
Penn’s primary role is leading the United Way toward its goal of creating positive social change in education, financial stability and access to health care. He’s chair elect for the chamber, is on its development committee and serves with Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities. Honors include Congressional Recognition for Leadership by U.S. Rep. Ron Barber and Southern Arizona’s 25 Most Influential African Americans by the Black Chamber of Commerce.
Dusenberry helps customers through personal and business transitions by providing outstanding moving experiences. His former company - Horizon Moving Systems, the largest moving and storage company in Arizona - is now part of the Suddath Companies, with operations in 22 cities nationwide. He serves on numerous boards, including Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, Southern Arizona Leadership Council and DM50. He was named Tucson Metro Chamber’s “Man of the Year” in 2009.
William R. Assenmacher
Assenmacher presides over the day-to-day operations necessary to manage a $40 to $50-million-dollar business that manufactures a wide variety of engineered products, both domestic and international. He’s active with the chamber in development and in improving job opportunities. In addition, Assenmacher is a member of AMIGOS, Southern Arizona Leadership Council and Air National Guard Minuteman Committee. He’s founder and president of Southern Arizona Business Coalition.
President & CEO United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
President & CEO Caid Industries
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M E T R O
C H A M B E R
2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 4
Treasurer Robert Ramirez
Secretary Cyndy A. Valdez
In addition to his involvement with Tucson Metro Chamber, Ramirez is active in numerous community organizations, including DM50, Pima Community College Foundation, 162nd FW Minuteman Committee and Ronald McDonald House Charities. He serves on the board of directors for Mountain West Credit Union Association and Carondelet Foundation Board of Trustees.
Valdez provides legal counsel and guidance to Golden Eagle’s officers and upper management and oversees the company’s human resources department. She belongs to numerous beverage associations and holds positions with Greater Tucson Leadership and Association of Corporate Counsel, Arizona Chapter. Valdez has committed her time to Child Parent Centers and Volunteer Center of Tucson.
James K. Beckmann
Jim Burns
John Gibson
As President and CEO of Carondelet’s regional network of hospitals, primary care, specialty care and outpatient clinics, it’s Beckmann’s responsibility to ensure that the 133-year-old legacy as Southern Arizona’s only faith-based healthcare provider continues for many years. He’s a member of Southern Arizona Leadership Council, Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association board of directors and Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities Chairman’s Circle.
Burns oversees more than 1,400 employees and is responsible for the daily management of the resort and related properties. He provides financial expertise to the Tucson Metro Chamber board of directors. While Burns is new to Tucson, he is a member of the Arizona CPA Society and a past member of the board of governors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale.
As area president for Wells Fargo Bank in Southern Arizona, Gibson is responsible for 780 team members and 52 banking stores with $3.3 billion in deposits. In addition to his service with the chamber, he contributes time to United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson. Gibson is a recipient of Wells Fargo’s National Leadership Award.
Business Development Consultant Suddath Relocation Systems
President & CEO Carondelet Health Network
President & CEO Vantage West Credit Union
CEO & CFO Casino Del Sol Resort
VP General Counsel Golden Eagle Distributors
Area President Wells Fargo Bank in Southern Arizona
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M E T R O
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2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 4
Guy Gunther
Stephanie Healy
Robert E. Lenhard
Larry Lucero
As CenturyLink’s head of operations, network development and customer support for the greater Arizona market, Gunther works with the company’s technicians, sales representatives and marketing personnel. He’s a chamber Chairman’s Circle investor and immediate past chair of the education committee. He also devotes time to Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Boy Scouts of America and Foothills Chargers Football and Cheer.
Healy oversees government affairs, public relations, community development and media relations in Southern Arizona for Cox Communications. She is a Flinn Brown fellow and has received a number of leadership awards in the community. Her list of civic participation and board membership is long, including El Rio Health Center Foundation, Arizona Forward, DM50, City of Tucson’s Economic and Workforce Development Commission and Komen Advisory Council.
Lenhard leads the 25-year-old firm that represents buyers and sellers of all business categories and has more than 500 transactions under its belt. Lenhard is active with the chamber’s knowledge transfer committee and business expansion and retention committee. Additional community involvement includes membership with Arizona Business Brokers Association and Merger and Acquisition Source. He received an Arizona broker award of excellence in 2003.
Returning to an area where he spent many years, Lucero’s vast experience in the legislative arena will assist in advancing the interests of the utility and its customers. He’s a new member of the chamber, focusing on public affairs. Lucero also works with a variety of community organizations, including Chicanos por la Causa, Campus Research Corporation and Tucson Youth Development /ACE Charter High School.
Tom McGovern
Kay J. McLoughlin
Mike Proctor
Walter Richter
McGovern manages the Arizona operations of Psomas, a top-ranked engineering firm. He’s a member of its board of directors with assignments on the governance, audit & finance and retirement committees. He served as infrastructure committee chair for the chamber and contributes his time to Southern Arizona Leadership Council, American Council of Engineering Companies, American Society of Civil Engineers, Arizona Forward and Southern Regional Council.
McLoughlin serves as Raytheon’s local interface with business associations, nonprofits, educators and the general public. She’s in charge of the company’s in-kind gifting. She recently joined the Tucson Metro Chamber board of directors and is a member of Greater Tucson Leadership, Catholic Diocese of Tucson School Board and University of Arizona Alumni board of directors.
Proctor manages the university’s international activity, distance education, branch campuses and regional development efforts. He serves on a number of local boards and committees, including Arizona Town Hall, Downtown Tucson Partnership, Pima County Library Foundation, Downtown Tucson Economic Development Committee and Imagine Greater Tucson Leadership Council.
Richter handles government relations for Southwest Gas throughout Southern Arizona, working closely with government partners at local, regional and state levels to provide safe, reliable service to customers. He serves on the Tucson Metro Chamber government affairs committee and is the former chair of the candidate evaluation committee. Richter also serves on the board of directors for Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities.
VP & GM CenturyLink
Director of Public Affairs Cox Communications
VP/Regional Manager Psomas
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Community and Government Relations Manager Raytheon Missile Systems
President Hallmark Business Consultants
VP of Outreach and Global Initiatives University of Arizona
Senior Director of Government and External Affairs UNS Energy Corporation
Administrator Corporate Public Affairs Southwest Gas
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2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 4
Cody Ritchie
Steve Rosenberg
Keri Lazarus Silvyn
Howard Stewart
Ritchie oversees the operations of Crest Insurance in Tucson and Phoenix, concentrating on the agency’s sales and marketing functions. He serves on the First Impressions committee with the chamber and is active with other community groups, including Rio Nuevo, Tucson Conquistadores, State Compensation Fund Broker Advisory Board and San Miguel High School. Cody also volunteers as a youth coach.
Rosenberg is founder of BizTucson, the region’s quarterly business magazine. In addition to the chamber, he serves as a board member for Raytheon Spirit of Education Awards and Steven M. Gootter Foundation. Rosenberg is the founding chairman and a board member of Father’s Day Council Tucson. He serves on the chamber’s First Impressions committee. BizTucson also produces the CEO Leadership Summit and the Healthcare Summit, which are issues-based community forums.
Silvyn is a land use attorney, working predominantly with private property owners and developers to help create responsible development. She serves on the chamber’s government affairs committee and the Southern Arizona Business Political Action Committee. She’s founder of Imagine Greater Tucson and a member of Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities. In 2011 Silvyn received an Athena Award for community leadership through the Small Business Association.
Stewart leads AGM managers in developing organizational policies, planning business objectives and coordinating operations between departments. He’s a member of the chamber’s Chairman’s Circle and he received the Small Business Leader of the Year Award in 2002. Additional community participation includes membership in the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, President’s Council for San Miguel High School – Cristo Rey Network and United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona.
Cristie Street
Richard Underwood
Wendy West
Judy Wood
Heading up this locally based IT firm’s team of professionals keeps Street on her toes. The company sponsors the chamber’s Copper Cactus Awards, saluting innovation through technology. With Street’s dedication, it also supports Ronald McDonald House, United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, Social Venture Partners, Mobile Meals, Arizona Public Media and other local nonprofit organizations.
In addition to presiding over AAA Landscape, Underwood is a partner with Arid Solutions Wholesale Plant Nursery and chairman of the chamber’s First Impressions committee. Underwood serves on Arizona State Landscape Contractors Advisory Board, Metropolitan Pima Alliance, Southern Arizona Leadership Council and the Dean’s Executive Advisory Board for the University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. He’s director of Canyon Community Bank and is a member of Tucson Airport Authority.
West’s diverse job responsibilities at IBM include overseeing budget, finance, operations, planning, business controls and professional development. Her focus with the chamber and in the community is education, specifically in the areas of K-12 outreach and science/ technology/engineering/math initiatives known as STEM. She’s earned several President’s Volunteer Service Awards and presents workshops on generational differences in the workplace for nonprofits.
Managing Director Crest Insurance Group
Owner & Publisher BizTucson Magazine
Managing Partner Nextrio
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President AAA Landscape
Fall 2013
Attorney Lazarus, Silvyn and Bangs
Tucson Site Operations Manager IBM
President & CEO AGM Container Controls
CEO Contact One Call Center Community outreach, special projects and business development make up Wood’s primary job functions with Contact One Call Center. She serves on the government affairs committee and nominating committee for the chamber. In addition, she’s active with Beacon Group, Arizona Commerce Authority, Governor’s Council on Small Business, Women at the Top and Southern Arizona Leadership Council.
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BizLEADERSHIP
Chairman’s Circle
In the past year the number of businesses who invested in the Chairman’s Circle – the top-tier investment level of the Tucson Metro Chamber – skyrocketed from a dozen to nearly 80. These investors include: AAA Landscape Aerotek Agape Hospice & Palliative Care AGM Container Controls Alliance Bank of Arizona American Family Insurance Amity Foundation Arizona Daily Star Bank of America BBVA Compass BFL Construction Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Bombardier Aerospace CAID Industries Caliber Group Carondelet Health Network Casino del Sol Resort & Conference Center CenturyLink Chase Bank Citi Climatec BTG Community Partnership of Southern Arizona Coventry Health Care – First Script Network Services Cox Communications Crest Insurance Group
CyraCom International Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment Diamond Ventures DRS Technologies – Integrated Defense Systems and Services El Rio Community Health Center Film Creations Financial Associates/ Gem & Jewelry Exchange Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Golden Eagle Distributors Granite Construction Company Graybar Holualoa Arizona HSL Properties IBM Institute for Better Education Intuit Journal Broadcast Group KVOI Madden Media HyperLocal Online Solutions McDonald’s Nextrio Pima Federal Credit Union Pima Medical Institute
Providence Service Corp. Quarles & Brady Raytheon Missile Systems Rosemont Copper Sam’s Club SCF Arizona Securaplane Sinfonia Healthcare Corp. Southwest Airlines Southwest Gas Sundt Construction Target Commercial Interiors Texas Instruments The Jim Click Automotive Team The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa Tucson Electric Power Tucson Medical Center University of Arizona for College of Science UA Tech Park Union Pacific Railroad University of Phoenix – Southern Arizona Campus Vantage West Credit Union Walgreens Wells Fargo Zanes Law
Teamwork Tucson Metro Chamber works collaboratively with local and state officials. Together we are helping create a more business friendly environment. We appreciate the leadership team that helps make this possible.
Jan Brewer Governor State of Arizona
Chuck Huckelberry Pima County Administrator
Jonathan Rothschild Mayor City of Tucson
Satish I. Hiremath Mayor Town of Oro Valley
Ed Honea Mayor Town of Marana
Duane Blumberg Mayor Town of Sahuarita
Join the Tucson Metro Chamber – Growing Businesses. Building Communities. The chamber offers an assortment of membership investment levels with varying portfolios of products, services and benefits to meet the needs of small businesses, those in a stage of growth and the interests of large businesses. To learn more about membership and how it can benefit your business or organization, contact Lori Banzhaf, VP of business development at (520) 792-2250 x 152 or lbanzhaf@tucsonchamber.org.
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Tucson Metro Chamber
Key Accomplishments Local Government Victories Worked with Tucson City Council and Pima County Board of Supervisors to build a more business-friendly atmosphere, including:
• Created Interface program to pro-
bills allowing open and transparent access for members to follow issues the chamber is addressing
• Hosted the State of the State pre-
created and promoted adoption of a Business Bill of Rights, the Joint Business Objectives platform with Pima County and the City of Tucson to improve businessfriendly service delivery
• Non-partisan candidate evaluation
committee held more than 40 candidate interviews, providing an excellent opportunity for chamber volunteers to meet candidates and assess business positions of future elected officials
• Successfully
vide investors with access to city and county leaders
sentation with Gov. Jan Brewer to deliver information about state issues
• Hosted
meetings with all newly elected state legislators in January so they would know the chamber’s priorities and positions on state business issues
• Successfully promoted the adoption
• Met with city, county and state of-
• The
• Hosted the State of the City presen- Education • Collaborated with the Tucson Centation with Mayor Jonathan Roth-
of a local purchasing preference in City of Tucson procurement Southern Arizona Business PAC attained a ‘Super-PAC’ status. The chamber is the only business organization with a Super-PAC headquartered in Southern Arizona. This places the Tucson Metro Chamber in a unique political position to strongly support pro-business candidates and public policy.
• Ninety-four percent of
candidates supported by the Southern Arizona Business PAC won their election – demonstrating that the voice of business is listened to in our community
• Legislative agenda was created for
2013 and communicated to members of the Arizona Legislature in face-to-face meetings. Businesses did very well at the last legislative session
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ficials more than 100 times
schild to deliver information about city issues
• Hosted town-hall style debate for
Arizona Corporation Commission candidates, providing direct access for investors to interface with candidates and elected officials
Federal and State Victories Tucson Metro Chamber worked to promote a pro-business agenda through the following:
ter for Cultural Enrichment to deliver the State of Education to provide information on education needs in our community
• Collaborated
with the Tucson Center for Cultural Enrichment to award seven scholarships to graduating high school seniors to continue their education and establish careers in Southern Arizona
Community Affairs Publicly promoted eradication of weeds on city streets and medians
• Implemented new legislative track- • ing system allowing the chamber and investors to effectively manage • Backed Proposition 409 to repair and track more than 300 bills at the legislature this session
• Created online access to a tracking list of the chamber’s most important
city streets
BizLEADERSHIP Economic Development Worked to support the F-35’s arrival at the 162nd Air National Guard station to create 2,000 construction jobs
•
• Chamber leads multi-organizational
effort called the Southern Arizona Defense Alliance to protect and promote the military presence in Southern Arizona
• Chamber President and CEO Mike
Varney serves on the Mayor’s Business Advisory Group to promote a stronger local economy and a more business-friendly city government
• Promoted permitting for the Rose-
mont Copper mine facility to create 1,200 construction jobs and 450 permanent jobs
• Varney serves on Air Service Committee to encourage more airline flights into and out of Tucson
• Worked to defeat single-use plastic
bag ban in City of Tucson, keeping the choice of bagging options between the retail consumer and business owner
• Varney
serves on Pima County Sports and Tourism Authority board to increase tourism through amateur sports events
• Asked for and received appointment
of Dale Calvert, CPA to the Road Bond Oversight Committee to ensure compliance with financing intentions and application of funds
• Varney works on city work group
• Recognized and celebrated locally
• Promoted the development of
• Military affairs committee held fed-
to represent business and deal with abandoned shopping carts
the Red Rock multimodal transportation facility and improved trade with Mexico
owned small businesses at the Copper Cactus Awards eral procurement workshops to help small companies do business with the federal government
• Held Outlooks event to deliver in- • Created a library of
resources on the chamber’s website to help members navigate the Affordable Care Act
formation about growing and improving our community
Business and Workforce Development Saved members hundreds of thousands of dollars by way of chamber discount programs with Office Depot, SCF Arizona and Effortless HR
•
• Conducted a successful marketing
support project for small businesses through the University of Arizona Eller College to assist member businesses in solving marketing challenges
• Launched
the Peerspectives program to give small- and mediumsized businesses a resource for problem solving
• Upgraded
the chamber’s online resources library to provide a comprehensive body of online resources for small businesses
• Introduced Tools for Business, pro-
Communications Integrated mobile website increasing visibility and lead generation to investor businesses
•
• Received WACE Journalistic Excellence Award, recognizing the chamber for quality communications with investors
• Increased website traffic by 16 percent, providing investors greater visibility and lead generation
• Increased
distribution of The Chamber Edge by 25 percent, providing investors greater visibility and access to information
• Hosted workshops to help businesses
understand the Affordable Care Act
Source: Tucson Metro Chamber
viding members a resource for extensive information on how to start and grow a business
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Chamber Investors Speak Up
BizLEADERSHIP
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Having a vibrant and engaged chamber is critical for business to be represented as a stakeholder in our community. The new leadership under Mike Varney has been on point – making the needs of the business community known to our elected officials and demonstrating to them what it takes to create jobs in the private sector. A robust economy is dependent on a business-friendly climate that facilitates businesses prospering so that more people can be employed.
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– Doug Martin, President & GM, Good News Radio Broadcasting
The chamber’s priority to promote job growth in our beloved Tucson is strong. That we connect strongly with all our military units not only builds community partnerships, it also promotes local and small businesses. This needs to continue and grow stronger – with the leadership of Mike Varney and the board of directors, it will. The rest of the country will ultimately see what we know to be true – Tucson values our military and Tucson values job growth.
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–Ellen Jimenez, Senior Sales Manager, Radisson Suites Tucson
Mike (Varney) has brought laser focus on business issues impacting Tucson and Southern Arizona to the chamber. I really appreciate how Mike has specifically and very openly tackled some tough issues in a direct and honest fashion. He’s willing to confront those issues head on. I joined the chamber when I met Mike two-plus years ago because I thought he had the right vision for Tucson.
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– Alan Madison, VP & COO, Coventry Health Care
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In a short period of time, the chamber has initiated a lot of great things for companies and for the city. The number of resources they’re able to provide – not just for small business but for all businesses, from a standpoint of networking and getting to know other people in the community – is invaluable to business men and women.
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– Rob Elias, VP Marketing, Pima Federal Credit Union
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The Metro Chamber is leading the way to enhance the economic development in Tucson. El Rio Community Health Center is actively involved in supporting these efforts. The energy that the chamber has created is helping to strengthen our community.
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– Miguel A. Cruz, Marketing Director, El Rio Community Health Center and its foundation
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The chamber’s BEAR project is a great proactive, collaborative effort between the Tucson Metro Chamber and the local business community. Through this process, we are hearing job creation is critical, especially high paying jobs, along with the need to address the trailing spouse and family issues. Doing things the way we have always done them will not allow us to grow. Preparing us for the future will take change.
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– Kristyn Meza, Business Development Director, Strongpoint Marketing
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Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 77
BizLEADERSHIP PHOTO: CHRIS MOONEY
Tucson Metro Chamber Staff EXECUTIVE TEAM President & CEO Mike Varney VP of Business Development Lori Banzhaf VP of Government Affairs Robert Medler Communications Director Carissa Fairbanks Member Services/Advertising Director Jackie Chambers Bond Finance and Operations Director Laura Nagore EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION Executive Assistant Shirley Wilka SALES Senior Account Executive Edgar Martinez Senior Account Executive Rebeka Kasle SPECIAL PROGRAMS & EVENTS Event Director Amanda Reynolds Event Coordinator Jason Cook MEMBER SERVICES Member Operations Manager Tammy Jensen Member Services Coordinator Andrew Gaines Member Services Administrative Assistant Nealie Neff COMMUNICATIONS Communications Coordinator Emily Grace Newkirk 78 BizTucson
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Executive team from left â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lori Banzhaf, VP of Business Development; Carissa Fairbanks, Director of Communications; Mike Varney, President & CEO; Robert Medler, VP of Government Affairs, and Laura Nagore, Finance and Operations Director. Not pictured: Jackie Chambers Bond, Member Services/Advertising Director.
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BizSALES A New Way to Look at Questions – Emotionally by Jeffrey Gitomer
When you’re asking an existing or prospective customer a question, the objective is to get them to think and respond emotionally. To most salespeople this strategy sounds like a foreign language. Start Your Thinking Here – The sale is made emotionally and justified logically. Once you understand that, it makes perfect sense to engage the customer emotionally to set the tone for them to decide to buy. Most salespeople are taught the difference between openended and closed-ended questions. A closed-ended question is one that results in a yes or no answer. An open-ended question is one that begins to create dialogue with the customer. Open-ended questions are good – but they don’t necessarily breed emotion. Here’s a new way of thinking about your questioning strategy – logic-based questions vs. emotion-based questions. This thought process and strategy will give you a new awakening about how customers think and decide. And by using emotion-based questions, you can get them to decide on you. Caution and Challenge – This is insight to a new questioning process that will help you formulate emotionally engaging questions. I’ll give you phrases to use, and a few sample questions. Your job is to understand the process and create your own questions based on your product, service, customer needs and customer’s desired outcome. Questions that draw out their emotion and keep focus away from logic – AKA price. Logic-based questions center around the old-world “qualifying” questions. These are questions that both annoy and aggravate the customer. Logic-based questions basically ask for money information so the salesperson can begin to salivate. “What’s your present payment?” or “What’s your budget?” These questions fall under the category of “none of your business.” Key Concept – Do not qualify the buyer. Let them qualify themselves because you’re so friendly, engaging and genuinely interested. The late, great Dale Carnegie said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming really interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” Emotion-based questions ask about their life and use – not their money. Prior to beginning your presentation, ask the customer emotion-based questions that begin with the words “How long have you been thinking about…” or “What were you hoping for…” 84 BizTucson
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Get the customer to paint a personal picture of “after they buy.” During the purchase, ask emotion-based questions such as, “Is this what you had in mind?” or “How do you see this serving your purpose?” Emotion-based questions draw out feelings – feelings that will lead to true engagement and honest answers about how your product or service will affect their expected outcome. When you can get the customer to visualize outcome, you also have them visualizing ownership. Major Point of Understanding – People don’t actually come to purchase. They come to purchase because they want to use. What happens after the purchase is more important to the customer than the purchasing process. So during the sales presentation you might ask questions that begin with phrases like, “What are you hoping to achieve?” or “How will you use this in your business?” or “How do you envision this will add to your productivity?” Whether you are selling to a consumer or a business, whether you are selling on the phone or face-to-face, the process and the emotional involvement are the same. Someone wants to take ownership and your job is to get them to visualize it, be engaged by you, agree with you, believe you, have confidence in you, trust you, accept your price and pull the trigger. The Key is Emotional Involvement – No manipulation, no pressure, no old world sales techniques – just friendly and genuine emotional engagement. “Jeffrey, I’ve been taught to ‘find the pain.’ Is that emotional?” Yes, but in a negative way. Dumb questions like, “What keeps you up at night?” create an uncomfortable atmosphere between you and the customer. Aha! Don’t find the pain. Find the pleasure. Pleasure evokes positive emotion. “Tell me about your vacation.” “Where was your biking trip this year?” Find their pleasure, find their purpose, find their expected outcome, uncover their true emotional motives – and you will find their wallet. Now that’s pleasure.
Biz
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars. Email him at salesman@gitomer.com © 2013 All Rights Reserved. Don’t even think about reproducing this document without written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer. (704) 333-1112. www.BizTucson.com
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BizBRIEFS
Julie Sherrill at Helm of St. Gregory College Prep Accomplished educator Julie A. Sherrill is the new head of school at St. Gregory College Preparatory School, following an 18-month national search. She replaced Rick Belding, who retired from the independent school in June. Sherrill served for a decade as principal at Sunrise Drive Elementary School in the Catalina Foothills School District before being named head of school at St. Gregory. With a background in leadership at all educational levels, Sherrill began her career as a high school teacher in California and Ohio after receiving a bachelor’s degree from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif. She earned a master’s degree in education administration and a doctorate in professional development of teachers from The Ohio State University. She served as an administrator at Ohio State, then served as a high school assistant principal and a middle school principal in Ohio prior to assuming the position at Sunrise elementary. “St. Gregory provides excellence in education through remarkable faculty and innovative, rigorous educational programs, and I am excited to carry that tradition into the future,” Sherrill said of the school, with grades 6 though 12. St. Gregory also announced officers for the 2013-14 board of trustees. They are: • President Margaret Larsen, Larsen Baker • VP Johnny Helenbolt, attorney, Duffield Adamson & Helenbolt • Treasurer Doug Purdom, independent financial services professional • Secretary Debby Kennedy, former St. Gregory admissions director • Assistant Secretary Lorraine Glazar, director of provider relations, Arizona Connected Care 86 BizTucson
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Sampert Named GM at The Westin La Paloma Glenn Sampert is the new GM at The Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, a AAA Four Diamond resort. Sampert previously served as GM at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort and Casino in Nassau, Bahamas. The native of Vancouver, British Columbia, has been a part of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide team since 1998. “Glenn brings extensive resort and brand experience to his new role as general manager of The Westin La Paloma,” said Mark Vinciguerra, area managing director of Starwood Arizona. “His leadership and strategic vision will be important assets as we continue to develop and enhance our premier resort offerings.” His career took him to The Westin Los Angeles Airport, The Westin Maui Resort and Spa and the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel after starting out at the Sutton Place Hotel in Vancouver. Sampert is a certified hotel administrator with a degree in hospitality and tourism administration from the British Columbian Institute of Technology. He will oversee all fiscal, marketing, programming and day-to-day operations of the hospitality, culinary and event divisions of the recently renovated resort. The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa’s 250-acre property offers 60,000 square feet of meeting space, the 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, the Red Door Spa, five pools, ten championship tennis courts, Azul Restaurant Lounge and other dining options.
Biz
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BizTRIBUTE
Tucson Bids a Tearful Farewell to
Dave Sitton By Steve Rivera
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No one ever said life was going to be all fun and games, it only turned out that way. – Dave Sitton
What a ride it was for William David Sitton, one of Tucson’s eclectic icons who did seemingly everything for everybody. He did it with energy and enthusiasm. People – and their causes – were his labor of love. “In terms of service to the community, I don’t know of anyone who gave so unselfishly to so many causes as Dave,” said Chris Clements, CEO of Golden Eagle Distributors and a loyal friend who considered Sitton a father figure after his own father, Bill Clements, passed away. Sitton’s impact went far beyond Southern Arizona, and could be felt
1. Conquistador Dave Sitton at The First Tee ceremony
throughout the world. From rugby to business ventures, sports leadership to building connections, Sitton touched the lives of many. Sitton died Aug. 12 in Tucson from a pulmonary embolism. He was 58. “He wanted to be part of the solution,” said Mark Irvin, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson. “He was kind, good-spirited, he was caring,” Irvin added. “He wasn’t good at saying ‘no.’ He believed in the handshake. And if he said he was going to do something, he did it.” When the more than 2,000 people who attended Sitton’s public memorial at University of Arizona’s McKale
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2. With William Clements at a University of Arizona Rugby Awards ceremony 3. With Chris Clements at the Reagan Library aboard Air Force One 4. With broadcasters Bob Elliott (center) and Sean Mooney prior to a telecast 5. Rugby Coach “Pop” Sitton leads the charge
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6. Sitton with daughter Blakeney Sitton, sister Margie Sitton and daughter Olivia Sitton 7. Cancer warrior receives treatment during successful battle with lymphoma 88 BizTucson
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Center were asked to stand if Sitton had made an impact on them, all rose to their feet, demonstrating the magnitude of his influence. “He’s left a huge void and I’m not sure if the community realizes how much we need him,” said Tim Stilb of the Tucson Conquistadores, of which Sitton was a member. “His passion was to help people. He did it because he believed in it.” And Sitton believed in a lot. Known as the “Voice of the Wildcats,” Sitton announced UA baseball, football and basketball games. He worked for Fox Sports Net. And Sitton, who coached rugby at UA for 35 years,
was the worldwide voice of U.S. and international rugby on ESPN. The Los Angeles native came to Tucson to attend the UA in 1973, earning a fine arts degree in 1978. He loved to sing and was an avid fan of the Tucson Pops where he served on the board and raised funds for three decades. He also had a passion for history and politics. He ran enthusiastically, but unsuccessfully, in the 2012 Republican race to fill the seat of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. From The Centurions to the Conquistadores and everything in between, Sitton worked a room and a golf course as he raised money for causes dear to his heart. “Dave was more than just a member (of The Centurions),” said Bill Hussey, president of the board. “He joined in 1984 and had been very involved. He was our emcee and he’d jump on the stage and join the band in the many different songs – ‘Mack the Knife,’ ‘Secret Agent Man.’ Dave was a mentor, a business leader and a friend to so many.” Hussey, national sales manager at Clear Channel Outdoor (formerly Eller Media Company), said Sitton was hired by Karl Eller to run the Tucson plant “because of his extensive community connections and PR skills.” Sitton remained GM and VP for nearly nine years. “Dave’s relationships
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with the university and Eller College of Management benefited the business greatly. On a personal level, he was a lot of fun to work with and we all miss him,” Hussey said. In addition to his work, Sitton loved his country, loved rugby, loved his daughters – Olivia and Blakeney – and, of course, his Los Angeles Dodgers. There was no obstacle too high, no challenge too great. As Irvin said, he
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He was a great human being and a fabulous ambassador to the University of Arizona and the city of Tucson. Tommy Lasorda Retired Manager Los Angeles Dodgers –
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even “kicked cancer’s ass,” having beaten lymphoma. That was no shock to his sister Margie Sitton, who was used to her younger brother winning, striving. He knew nothing of the word “defeat.” “When he went in for treatments he’d
wear camouflage and asked the doctor to wear camouflage because they were in the fight together,” she said. “He wasn’t going to be a victim. He was going to beat it.” More importantly, she said he wanted to be a role model for children who were battling cancer. “He wanted them to know it wasn’t a death sentence and that they could win.” She’d often encourage people to listen to a Sunday radio show her brother hosted because it was part inspiring and informational. “It was filled with optimism,” she said. “It was about fighting and winning.” Sean Mooney, Sitton’s good friend, said Sitton loved that radio show. “He did three shows – Cancer Fighters, American Warrior and Daily Male – and all were a platform to spread his message on three causes he felt strongly about,” Mooney said. Former Arizona baseball coach Jerry Kindall knew Sitton for nearly 40 years, first meeting on the baseball field when Sitton was attempting to walk on at UA. Kindall called Sitton a constitution scholar, gamer, a patriot and so much more. “Dave Sitton was a gamer, one of the highest names a coach can give to his players,” Kindall said. “He was always ready and unselfish and clutch when continued on page 90 >>>
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Photos 1, 2, 5 & 7 by Chris Mooney
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Dave Sitton was a dear friend to America’s airmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines and their families. To the thousands of us who serve or who have served at DavisMonthan Air Force Base, he was a brother. Dave was also a true patriot . . . a defender of liberty and freedom as strong as any man that I’ve known. We are all better, and America is more free, for the life, friendship, courage, and love of this good and noble man. Dave, Godspeed to you.
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– Col. Kent Laughbaum Retired Commander, 355th Fighter Wing Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Fall 2012 > > > BizTucson 89
BizTRIBUTE continued from page 89 the game was on the line.” Yet Sitton never played in what Kindall said was a mutual retirement after Sitton suffered bad knees and a bad shoulder. “And he still stayed connected with us for the next 40 years,” Kindall recalled. “He became one of our gamers when he became one of our radio broadcasters when we joined the Pac-10. We owe him so much in the athletic department, particularly in the baseball program.” Greg Byrne, VP for athletics at Arizona, talked about Sitton’s zest for life, community and all things UA. Byrne called Sitton the “bucket filler,” making people’s lives better just because he was around. Arizona has named its Arizona Stadium broadcast booth after him. How appropriate. Who but Sitton would have been important enough for Tommy Lasorda to send a letter of condolence? The former Los Angeles Dodgers manager wrote to Sitton’s family, “Dave struck me as such a well-rounded human being and endeared himself to
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me as a huge fan of baseball. He was a fabulous ambassador to the University of Arizona and the city of Tucson.” How many organizations was Sitton involved with? It would be easier to list the ones he wasn’t. “There is nothing greater in life than people giving of themselves – and Dave gave of himself more than anybody in the community,” said Michael Hannley, a longtime friend. “His assets were not in dollar signs but through all his friends.” Hannley, president and CEO of the Bank of Tucson, said for years he tried to convince Sitton to charge for his services as auctioneer, emcee or marketing guru. “He’d never do it,” Hannley said. Sitton was Mr. Sweat Equity. If he couldn’t do it – rarely – he’d find someone who could. He was a man of impact and importance, but never acted like he was. There was substance behind his sizzle. “He helped so many people through so many organizations,” said Dr. Fayez Ghishan, head of pediatrics, director at the UA Steele Children’s Research Center and physician-in-chief at The University of Arizona Medical Center
– Diamond Children’s. “He helped raise an incredible amount of money to start incredible programs,” including ones to develop better treatments and hopefully an eventual cure for type 1 diabetes, through Father’s Day Council Tucson. “Everything was because of Dave,” he said. “We’ve done so much. And none of it would have happened without Dave. We’d still be in the dark ages without him.” When Sitton passed away, the city – the world – lost an ambassador for seemingly every cause known to man. If Sitton was at an event, you knew it was a worthy cause. Cindy Parseghian knows his impact all too well. She’s known him for more than 30 years, and they sat together on a number of boards, including the March of Dimes in the mid-1980s. “That’s when I realized the true depth of Dave’s huge heart,” Parseghian said. “We started families and our daughters, Olivia and Marcia, were weeks apart in age and attended the same preschool. Being a parent was Dave’s biggest joy.” When the Parseghians suffered a parent’s worst nightmare with three
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In terms of service to the community, I don’t know of anyone who gave so unselfishly to so many causes as Dave. –
of their four children being diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Type C – a rare and fatal disease – Sitton, of course, was there to help. “One More Victory” became yet another rallying cry for Sitton, and the community gathered annually to raise funds for a cure. “Dave, of course, would be the master of ceremonies,” recalled Parseghian, president of the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation. “Each year he would introduce my husband Mike and me with praise and accolades,” she said. “I always remember thinking it should be the other way around, we should be praising him. We didn’t have a choice whether to show up. But Dave had a choice and Dave always showed up.” He may have been running late – it turned into a signature move for pretty much every event – but the guy many called Pops, WD, David or Davey was always there. He was as predictable as
Chris Clements, CEO, Golden Eagle Distributors Tucson’s sunshine. He could go from serious to funny in a split-second, go from wearing a tuxedo to a pair of gym shorts and an oversized rugby shirt just as fast. He was a man for all occasions. He loved his role as coach of the UA rugby team, influencing 1,200 young men over more than three decades. And his love for military and country was, well, epic. He was honorary commander for the 55th Rescue Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and was on the DM50 board of directors. “He was a very dedicated squadron commander,” said Jay Humphrey, a friend for nearly 20 years and now assistant director of operations of the 66th Rescue Squadron in Las Vegas. He said you could talk to some of the commanders and they wouldn’t know who they commanded – “but not Dave. Whenever we’d return from deployment he’d always be there.” While he did none of this for the
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accolades, his tireless efforts did not go unnoticed. Sitton received the U.S. Marine Corps Outstanding Citizen Citation, the Lute Olson Scouts Honor Award from the Boy Scouts of America, the Willie Kane Humanitarian Award and the Bear Down Award from the UA Alumni Association. He was named a Father of the Year by Father’s Day Council Tucson and Tucson Man of the Year by what is now known as Tucson Metro Chamber. Sitton lived life to the fullest. Whether it was on the field or in the broadcasting booth or behind the microphone at an event, he was home. And he did it all for the love of his community. “The community owes him a tremendous amount of gratitude,” said lifelong friend Clements. “He stood in the gap for countless individuals and organizations. It’s time for the community to do the same for him and for his family.” Good night and goodbye, Mr. Sitton. And thank you. Biz
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Olympians Angela Hernandez and Jose Carlos Bustamante
Photo: Chris Heising, Special Olympics Arizona volunteer – courtesy of Special Olympics
BizSPORTS
Special Olympics Athletes Go All Out By Steve Rivera If Bo knows, well then, Marc Frederick REALLY knows. That would be sports, of course. When it comes to sports and Special Olympics, Frederick, 21, knows all about running, jumping and throwing. And, oh yes, hitting and fielding and everything else that goes into America’s favorite pastime. Frederick’s passionate participation in sports harkens back to the decades-old ad slogan “Bo knows” – referring to Bo Jackson knowing how to play so many sports and excel at all. Frederick’s favorite sport? “Everything,” he said. It’s the common theme for many in Special Olympics, both nationwide and in Southern Arizona. Frederick, who has Down syndrome, is Tucson’s Special Olympic version of the multi-sport athlete who does it all. He’s into sports “because it makes me feel powerful and it helps support the team,” he said through email. At Special Olympics, it’s all about the team, all about the individuals and, definitely, all about the dream.
There are actually many multi-sport Fredericks in Southern Arizona. He’s not alone. “For the athletes, it gives them a social outlet,” said Chris Carlin, aunt to Matthew Carlin, a 33-year-old bowler, runner and tennis player in Special Olympics. “When he first moved here he wasn’t involved – but now he has friends who don’t judge him, and accept him for who he is. He’s able to have fun and compete.” Special Olympics provides a home away from home – or at the very least an avenue for the athletes to be themselves. “For all of them, I think it builds their self-esteem,” Carlin said. “There are no mistakes made. We try to coach them to do their best – and as long as they try to be brave in their attempt, they’re happy and content.” Ribbons and medals are just a bonus. When anyone involved sees the number of participants at a Special Olympics event – no matter where it is – there is a sense of pride that overcomes them. “I’m enormously proud of Marc – but it’s not just me, it’s
2013 Southern Arizona Breakfast with Champions Keynote Speaker: Joe Kay, Tucson High standout athlete and Stanford grad Thursday, October 10 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. La Paloma Country Club
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No charge. For reservations (520) 262-5464 Miguel@SpecialOlympicsArizona.org www.BizTucson.com
every parent and teacher who is involved and united in their enthusiasm and joy in seeing what’s going on,” said Marci Frederick, his mother. “There’s nothing like it. The competition makes me feel emotional talking about it. It’s inspiring – very inspiring.” That, in part, puts the “special” in Special Olympics. Participants are able to compete and enjoy the thrill of victory and inclusion into events that are available to everyone else. In fact, Special Olympics’ mission statement is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities – giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. “What it does is give them a sense of unity and being part of the community,” said Kali Knaack, marketing and communications manager for Special Olympics Arizona. “It gives our athletes the ability to be like everybody else. And be able to compete with everyone else.” Area athletes take advantage. There are an estimated 1,800-plus local athletes in Southern Arizona among the 14,000 athletes who compete statewide. If one were to include the Young Athlete Program participants, the number increases to more than 2,250. In order to make it all happen and work, there are 650 active Class A volunteers, comprised of coaches, assistant coaches and team volunteers. For event days, more than 1,800 volunteers come together in a given year, helping with fundraising and any other needed duty. What would happen if Special Olympics were not available? “It would be devastating, especially in this community,” said Marci Frederick. “I’m glad it’s financially supported. Tucson has a huge special-needs population. It just makes a huge difference in so many lives who would otherwise lead sedentary lives.” Events aren’t easy or cheap. In 2012, it cost roughly $35,000 to run competitions, and that includes only supplies, equipment, meals and so on. The program budget for Southern Arizona is about $275,000, said Holly Thompson, Coronado Area director. “Special Olympics has been highly embraced in Southern Arizona,” said Knaack. “The community plays a big role in the year-round training and competitions by sponsoring, volunteering and making general donations throughout the year. Organizations such as the Tucson Conquistadores, The University of Arizona Health Plans, Knights of Columbus, CVS, GEICO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, and Community Partnership of Southern Arizona are major supporters of Special Olympics. “Law enforcement agencies across Southern Arizona are another immense partner who not only volunteer but also raise funds through the Law Enforcement Torch Run. Volunteers are the backbone of Special Olympics Arizona. We would not exist without them,” Knaack continued. For that, Carlin is grateful. “It creates that sense that this is a really safe place to be. It’s a very safe, loving, nurturing supportive environment,” she said. “It’s a great thing, an incredible thing.”
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Dr. Emmanuel Katsanis Director, UA Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program
A Vaccine to Prevent Cancerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Return By Eric Swedlund
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Photo: BalfourWalker.com
Imagine
BizRESEARCH Imagine a vaccine created from the cancer cells of a child that could prevent the disease from ever coming back. That is the goal of doctors at the University of Arizona Steele Children’s Research Center. Helping to fund this critically important research is a recent $537,230 grant from Angel Charity for Children. Dr. Emmanuel Katsanis, section chief of pediatric hematology, oncology and blood and marrow transplantation as well as director of the UA’s Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, says the grant will fund clinical trials and aid in the expansion of research in pediatric cancers. Each year, Steele Center research physicians diagnose about 60 new pediatric cancer patients, who are added to the hundreds of kids with cancer and blood disorders that they treat and provide long-term follow-up care at The University of Arizona Medical Center – Diamond Children’s and its affiliated clinics. “We are profoundly grateful to Angel Charity for this gift,” said Dr. Fayez K. Ghishan, head of pediatrics, director of the Steele Center, and physician-inchief at Diamond Children’s. “We will be able to triple the number of clinical trials available to our children suffering with cancer.” Leading some of the most promising Steele Center research projects is Katsanis, who came to the UA in 1997 from the University of Minnesota, where his oncology fellowship was influenced by UM’s strong immunology research. “Even though I was an oncologist, the field of immunology seemed very exciting at that time,” Katsanis said. “New therapies were being used in humans with activated cells.” When he arrived at the UA, Katsanis set up his lab with a post-doc fellow who had a background in biochemistry. “A lot of times, it takes two people with different backgrounds to come up with something,” Katsanis said. “Between the two of us, we came up with this vaccine.” Katsanis is the principle inventor of Chaperone Rich Cell Lysate, or CRCL, a vaccine developed from a patient’s own cancer cells that is predicted to prevent cancer recurrence. “In most cancers, we can induce canwww.BizTucson.com
cer remission. If the cancer returns, the chance of survival decreases exponentially,” Katsanis said. “Angel Charity’s grant will propel pediatric cancer research forward. We are all excited to move basic and translational cancer research at the Steele Center to the highest level.” To develop the CRCL vaccine, Katsanis began his research by taking a mouse tumor – leukemia for example – and breaking up the cells to isolate the breakdown products. Some fractions are very rich in chaperone proteins, which exist in all cells to pick up the smaller particles of proteins called peptides and move them around. Angel Charity for Children’s 2013 Angel Ball Saturday, Dec. 14, 5:30 p.m. Cocktails, games of chance, dining and dancing The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, 3800 E. Sunrise Drive $375 per person $3,750 table of 10 Proceeds benefit University of Arizona Steele Children’s Research Center, Easter Seals Blake Foundation and Tucson Village Farm (520) 326-3686 www.angelcharity.org In a tumor broken down to 20 fractions, for example, four or five fractions would contain high levels of chaperone proteins. Those chaperone proteinbound peptides may generate an immune response and be used to make a vaccine. Like bacteria, however, tumors find ways to resist the vaccine. One advantage of Katsanis’ vaccine is that researchers don’t need to identify what specific peptide the tumor expresses in order to fight it. Katsanis envisions a cancer treat-
ment one day that could use the very tumors attacking patients to create vaccines to fight the cancer. “We feel there are unique peptides in everybody’s cancer, so this vaccine will work better if it’s taken from the patients’ own cancer cells,” he said. “But it’s hard to imagine large pharmaceutical companies interested in preparing unique vaccinations for each patient.” Katsanis said he would anticipate that drug companies may be interested in pooling specific patient tumors until perhaps a large enough group could be discovered to make the vaccine universal. Katsanis has published his results on a variety of cancers in mice – leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma, sarcoma, neuroblastoma and breast cancer. Another challenge is cancer’s ability to suppress the immune system as a way to defend itself. Cancer’s immunosuppressive maneuvers essentially form a shield so that white blood cells called T lymphocytes won’t be capable of attacking the cancer. “It’s not enough to be able to activate an army of T lymphocytes – you also have to find a way to disarm the cancer to allow these T cells you’ve stimulated with the vaccine to work,” Katsanis said. As a pediatric oncologist, Katsanis knows that pharmaceutical companies are primarily interested in adult cancers that impact the largest number of patients. His goal is to bring forward clinical trials in both adult and pediatric patients. Once a cancer has gone into remission through traditional therapies, the vaccine could be applied to perform “mop-up” work, ensuring against a relapse. The vaccine would essentially educate the immune system to focus on attacking any cancer cells left behind. The Angel grant will enable Katsanis to bring two more post-doctoral research fellows into his lab, as well as begin establishing the support infrastructure necessary to hold clinical trials in Tucson. “We developed it here, we’d like to see something happen here at the University of Arizona,” said Katsanis, who’s hoping to see clinical trials begin within the next three years.
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PHOTO:CHRIS MOONEY
BizTECHNOLOGY
Tucsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First
World-Class Data Center By Eric Swedlund
Troy Ward Regional Sales Director Involta 96 BizTucson
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Tucson’s first world-class data center launched operations earlier this year in a $15 million, 38,000-square-foot facility that offers secure storage and IT solutions, allowing companies and organizations to focus on their core business. Involta, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, unveiled its seventh facility with a grand opening ceremony in April. Tucson is Involta’s largest market and largest single facility – a Tier III multiple tenant data center that exceeds industry standards for temperature and climate control, power redundancy and security and monitoring. Companies like Involta make Tucson more attractive to businesses considering opening up shop here. “We looked at Tucson and it was the largest community without a worldclass facility like this,” said Bruce Lehrman, Involta founder and CEO. “This is not only good for Involta, this is good for the community as well. In this age, having a data center is like having electricity or an Interstate highway.” In 2010, Involta was ranked by Inc. 500 as the 40th fastest growing private company in the country. In addition to Tucson, the company operates data centers in Iowa, Idaho, Minnesota and Ohio. “IT has really changed over the last couple decades,” Lehrman said. “Today, IT is mission critical. Everybody in an organization needs to be set up and operational 24/7. To do that kind of redundancy and resiliency is expensive.” Troy Ward, regional sales director, said Involta “allows companies to leverage expertise and facilities that were not an option in the region prior to Involta coming to Tucson. “We see Involta playing a part in helping the Southern Arizona regional business community to grow,” Ward added. Lonnie Bloomquist, Involta’s chief technology officer, said all systems in the facility are built as “N+1” to have a redundant backup. As far as security, an iris scan is required to access the racks of servers, which are in separate and isolated rooms, so only those with proper authority can access the space. Mechanical rooms are also separate from the data storage rooms. The facility has dual power feeds and can run on generator power at any time. For connectivity, Involta is carrier neutral, wired with redundant fiber optic cables from CenturyLink, Cox and tw telewww.BizTucson.com
com. Tier III is the second-highest level under industry standards. The facility has the space for 145 cabinets in the first bay and will have four bays when it is fully built. The facility will have the capability to store multiple petabytes – or multiple millions of gigabytes – when it’s completed, Bloomquist said. The building currently has 10,000 square feet of office space and 5,000 square feet of space for data storage and support. The center’s expansion depends on customer demand, but as an example, Bloomquist said he opened a 10,000-square-foot data center in 2004 and filled it within 18 months. Involta has customers in a variety of industries and public organizations, including healthcare, government, education and large enterprise, and is adding more every day, Bloomquist said. Asarco is among its first local clients. Involta removes technological head-
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A data center like this really drives the community’s ability to serve high-tech companies.
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– Lonnie Bloomquist Chief Technology Officer, Involta
aches for clients by allowing them to basically outsource the entire IT operation, from data backup to routine day-to-day activity. Involta complies with SSAE 16 standards for controlled audits and reporting. “To a customer who has a need for up-time 100 percent of the time, the cloud kind of scares them,” Bloomquist said. “Where is your data? Involta provides those types of cloud services in a facility they know is redundant and secure. Most cloud providers don’t have those capabilities. It’s more than running storage. It’s pulling it all together in a system for our customers. We are supplying multiple systems in IT.” Involta opened its Tucson operation with two employees, with an expected three more hires in the near future and up to 20 employees in all. While not a large employer, the data center becomes crucial to other employers. “We can serve huge companies now,” Bloomquist said. “A data center like this
really drives the community’s ability to serve high-tech companies.” Involta would not typically retrofit an exiting facility for a data storage center, but was able to save significant capital by converting the former Aurora Optical facility near South Park Avenue and East Ajo Way. Tucson Electric Power worked closely with Involta throughout the process of locating and building the data center. “This is the future of this community, just like the other components of the infrastructure,” said Larry Lucero, senior director of government and external affairs for UNS Energy Corporation. Blake Wetzel, VP of sales for CenturyLink, said he has worked with hundreds of data centers across the country and “Involta has been the single best partnership we’ve had. “IT is changing massively and that means customers are relying on organizations like Involta,” he said. “ Businesses can grow because they can focus on their own business.” David Welsh, executive VP for strategic partnerships at Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, said that his job as a salesman for Tucson as a destination for new businesses becomes easier with Involta’s presence. TREO was part of a team that was instrumental in bringing the new company to Tucson. “We’re thrilled to have another arrow in the quiver. This will pay benefits as we go out and tell the world that Tucson is a great place to do business. This asset added to our base is going to be incredibly valuable,” he said. Mike Varney, president and CEO of Tucson Metro Chamber, said Involta’s new data center makes Tucson a more attractive place to locate a business. “It’s very exciting to see a company like this plant some seeds in the Tucson community. We don’t see things like this popping up every day and it underscores the commitment Involta has made in Tucson. It provides one more reason for companies to come to Tucson,” he said. Mayor Jonathan Rothschild said high-tech and clean industries make Tucson attractive to new businesses and Involta’s reputation of reliability will count for a lot. “There are many reasons it makes sense for Involta to be in Tucson – and we’re glad they made the right choice,” Rothschild said.
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BizMILESTONE
Handmaker
A Tradition of Caring Since1963 By Sheryl Kornman Rendering of the $4.5 million Kalmanovitz Elder-Care Center
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PHOTOS: HOWARD PALEY & COURTESY HANDMAKER
In November, Handmaker celebrates half a century of providing respectful, responsible and medically appropriate care to Southern Arizona’s seniors in the region’s only nursing home and assisted living facility with a kosher kitchen. “We create a positive life experience for families and offer solutions,” said Handmaker Development Director Howard Paley. He said Handmaker is the only faithbased nonsectarian facility in Tucson that does not force residents to move out once their own funds are exhausted. The cost of their care is borne by donations, Social Security and Medicare benefits, and contributions to the Handmaker Foundation in the form of a Working Poor Tax credit. “Handmaker’s mission, in part, involves setting right what is wrong in the world,” said Handmaker CEO Arthur L. Martin. “Many organizations that provide high-quality care no longer want their residents when their financial resources run out. Handmaker is a people-driven organization – not a profit-driven organization – and can retain its residents even after their financial resources are expended,” he said, with support from the community. Times have indeed changed since Handmaker broke ground. Many more residents are living beyond their long-term care benefits and private assets, Paley said. “Today, about 30 percent of the population can’t afford the care they need (at Handmaker). They simply have too much life left
over at the end of their money.” The facilities, at 2221 N. Rosemont Blvd., encompass 10 acres with a physical plant of 154,000 square feet. Today Handmaker is much more than a nursing home. It still doesn’t serve pork or mix milk and meat products, but it provides healthy meals to individuals who receive care in the 16 post-hospital rehabilitation beds, 42 skilled nursing beds, 16 secure-living apartments, 39 advanced assisted living apartments, 54 assisted living apartments and 12 independent living apartments.
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Handmaker’s mission, in part, involves setting right what is wrong in the world. Arthur L. Martin CEO, Handmaker
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The post-hospital rehab beds will see 1,000 patients in 2013, Paley said. This service “is especially gratifying,” for example, when someone comes in after hip surgery for rehab and “gets their life back.” He added that these grateful patients could become a resource for the Handmaker Endowment.
In August 2013, Handmaker broke ground at the Rosemont campus for the region’s first geriatric psychiatric center. The $4.5 million, two-story Kalmanovitz Elder-Care Center will provide medical stabilization for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients and long-term care for those with confusion. The project was funded in part by the Paul and Lydia Kalmanovitz Foundation of San Francisco, which gave Handmaker a $3 million grant for the new facilities. The remaining $1.5 million was raised from the community, Paley said. Handmaker will own the new building and offer 20 skilled-nursing beds for those with dementia. TMC will operate the second floor as a specialty hospital for seniors with mental health issues. The facilities are expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2014. The architect is CDG Architects and W.E. O’Neil is the construction company. Now known simply as Handmaker, the facility today follows Jewish dietary laws under the supervision of Rabbi Robert Eisen of Congregation Anshei Israel. And it continues to honors tenets of Jewish life – honor thy mother and thy father, and heal the world. “We don’t allow non-kosher products into the building. It costs more to do this – but we do it so the Jewish community always feels their loved ones are welcome here, too. We never want to lose that connection.” “Today our goal is to honor the past and imagine the future,” said Paley. continued on page 100 >>>
Mother’s New Home
“Five years ago when I was told that my mother needed to be placed in some type of assisted facility, the task of finding a facility that would meet my mother’s needs and provide the atmosphere that I wanted for her became quite a chore – until I visited Handmaker. Upon my first visit, I knew immediately that Handmaker would be perfect and would be my mother’s new home. “When moving my mother in, I did worry that she would go through a period of depression because she would think she was no longer independent and would think that I put her away. Exactly the opposite happened. Within two days she had made several new friends and was involved in new activities. The staff took her under their wing and helped her be independent while still receiving help – and the social atmosphere helped her loneliness. “Several years later when she broke her hip and was moved upstairs, I again worried that depression would set in. It took a little longer for her to settle in with her new room and surroundings, but your wonderful staff worked extra hard to bring her around. Before long she was excited about the ribbon that she won from her wheelchair race.” – Cecelia Carnes, Handmaker Video Testimonials, www.handmaker.org/testimonials Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 99
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The endowment fund will help us to create the extra money we need to provide quality care and create a lasting legacy that will provide for future residents in perpetuity. – Howard Paley Development Director, Handmaker
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continued from page 99 Handmaker’s dedication to excellence helps assure its success. This summer it received a 5-Star rating from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Medicare and Medicaid Divison. In May 2012, CEO Martin received a Facility Leadership Award from the American College of Health Care Administrators. Martin is a registered nurse with master’s degrees from the University of Arizona in public health and business administration. He worked for a Fortune 500 senior living company, then served as a skilled-nursing inspection specialist for the Arizona Department of Health Services. His academic background prepared him to oversee Handmaker’s future as it continues to adapt to the growing demand for service from seniors in their 70s, 80s and 90s. Many who come to Handmaker these days have lived longer on their own than past generations – and some are more debilitated by the time they move into its facilities, which are organized by “neighborhoods,” according to the level of need for assistance and skilled nursing care, Paley said. Handmaker was built on land donated by civil engineer and local builder Charles Wilson, who died at 89 in 2010, having spent his last weeks at the nursing facility he helped create. Construction began 50 years ago through the generosity of I. H. “Murf ” Handmaker, a businessman and the first U.S.-born child in his large Russian-immigrant family. Many thousands of lives have been touched through the years by the quality care, kindness and professionalism of Handmaker’s staff and administrators, plus its board of directors and board presidents, who have represented Tucson’s top-tier medical, legal and business professionals. “Decisions made in the past and for the future are the vision of a lot of people – including all the previous Handmaker board presidents,” Paley said. “Through its capital campaigns, Handmaker has come to be what it is today.” Under Handmaker’s business model, Paley said, new residents must have the resources to pay for services for three years. “We help them navigate that and understand what their options are. We are careful on admission so we aren’t intentionally bankrupting Handmaker,” he said. “We very rarely turn people away.” continued on page 101 >>> 100 BizTucson
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BizMILESTONE continued from page 100 Handmaker’s skilled nursing beds are “substantially occupied most of the time,” Paley said. Residents who need hospice care are referred to hospice care providers. Today’s Handmaker offers Jewish, Catholic and Protestant religious services. In the 1990s, it added tai chi to its activity calendar and today offers a range of enrichment and physical activities to provide satisfaction and meaning to the lives of its residents. Handmaker offers a program for elderly non-Handmaker residents with weekday activities and lunch, as well as a day program for the elderly developmentally disabled. And its one-day a week Adventure Bus serves a handful of elders who have mild cognitive challenges, giving a respite to caregivers. The bus visits cultural and educational sites around Tucson and also serves lunch themed to that day’s activities. Handmaker also diversified services offered. It hired a pastry chef and now does wedding and birthday cakes and offers off-site and onsite catering from the kosher kitchen for business and family events. It prepares trays of food for families after a death for the meal of condolence. And it rents its state-of-the-art digital Great Room for corporate, religious or other special events. Handmaker is a beneficiary of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and is affiliated with Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Pima Council on Aging and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It also works with funding from the Arizona Long Term Care System, Evercare and Mercy Care. An employee fund recognizes the hard work of its dedicated staff. Donations may be made to that fund in the name of an employee or a department to provide additional support for Handmaker staff. Paley said Handmaker is now focusing on growing its endowment fund. “The cost of care is increasing. The future is changing and the economic basis under which nursing homes operate is changing. The endowment fund will help us to create the extra money we need to provide quality care and create a lasting legacy that will provide for future residents in perpetuity.”
Biz
TOP HAT – Handmaker’s 50th Anniversary Jubilee Saturday, Nov. 9 The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa 6:30 p.m. – VIP Reception & Dinner $325 7:30 p.m. – Dinner Only $250 Tickets: 322-3632 Black Tie www.BizTucson.com
Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 101
$10 Million Record By Steve Rivera
Lisa Lovallo 2013-2014 Campaign Chair United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona 102 BizTucson
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Location: Cragin Elementary School, a beneficiary of United Way funding
PHOTO: AMY HASKELL
Shooting to Break
BizCOMMUNITY A few years back, Lisa Lovallo received her University of Arizona basketball jersey and the name was misspelled – Louallo. “Talk about your ego getting a hit,” she said. Well, how times have changed. Through the years, who doesn’t know Lovallo and the impact she’s had on a number of agencies that need it most? The Cox Communications VP currently serves on 10 community boards. Lovallo has gone from an unknown former UA women’s basketball player to a key figure in Tucson’s business sector and world of nonprofits, where she is THE point guard, if you will, for United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona.. She’s dynamic and determined. Of course, she’s also a former college athlete with a history of mixing it up in the roller derby world. Sorry, had to mention, but it shows her varied interests and dogged will to get things done. “Lisa is a passionate, determined supporter of United Way who is truly dedicated to her role in the 2013-2014 United Way Campaign,” said Tony Penn, President and CEO of United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona. “I know Lisa will work tirelessly throughout our community because she understands our mission to advance the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all.” This year’s official goal is $10,654,305. The United Way strategic plan calls for a five percent increase each year. “Her entrepreneurial spirit has already been effective as we look at new and creative ways to improve our campaign and build awareness about United Way. Because of Lisa’s ambitious goals, we’re confident that United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona will be able to meet the increased needs in our community and continue to provide resources for our Southern Arizona neighbors who are facing challenging times,” Penn added. Lovallo’s background taught her that no challenge is too tough and no obstacle too steep. She does have a good challenge ahead – with the United Way raising more than the hoped-for $10 million last year. It came in at $10.14 million, which helped fund more than 80 agencies. “It’s an honor for Cox to be asked to lead this effort – but a campaign like www.BizTucson.com
this requires a team of dedicated folks to pitch in and get engaged,” Lovallo said. “I am confident that other businesses, like Cox, will step up and provide leadership, support and ultimately funds to make the 2014 campaign a record year.” Penn said, “Together we are making sure people in need in Southern Arizona are getting help. Particularly in these challenging economic times, to exceed our goal is a reflection of our caring community and the work of United Way staff and volunteers. From my perspective, this means there is a commitment from the community to serve people in need.” The clock has started for 2013-14. Then again, when does the clock ever stop when the need is always there? But, hey, who operates better with a shot clock than a former athlete? In fact, Lovallo’s right at home when time is of the essence and goals are necessary. “I learned a lot about myself running stairs at McKale Center – goal-setting, teamwork, temperament, grinding … winning and losing. All are important to being effective in life and at work,” said Lovallo. “Roller derby, on the other hand, taught me to always wear a mouth guard and never insult anyone whose handle has the word ‘BOOM’ in it.” Good advice. And of course, she jokes. Yet she’s more than serious about making her stint as United Way’s fundraising chair a huge success. She humorously said last year’s number is, well, but a number. “Ha! Yes, of course I want to beat last year’s number,” she said. “And when we do, you can bet I won’t let Paul Bonavia (chairman and CEO of UNS Energy Corporation) ever forget it! “Seriously, I have great admiration for the hard work and outstanding results our community delivered last year. I see this as Cox’s turn to lead – so I will do my best to beat the $10 million mark.” It’s all to help those in this commu-
UNITED WAY DAYS OF CARING Wednesday, Oct. 23 Saturday, Oct. 26
Volunteers needed for more than 160 projects for nonprofits, child-care centers and schools. www.unitedwaytucson.org/daysofcaring
nity whose life figures aren’t good. According to Tucson’s United Way, more than 20 percent of people live in poverty. United Way reports that for every $1 invested in childhood development, $7 is saved in future remedial education, welfare and jail time. United Way invests where the community needs it most – youth graduating from high school, older adults staying as independent as possible, and providing support for emergencies and basic needs. “Even when the economy is strong, there are people in our community who need help,” Lovallo said, “A strong United Way makes it possible for us to take on these tough challenges.” Lovallo is well aware it takes a village – or in Penn’s words a “collective impact” where everyone comes together to help. United Way has more than 30,000 donors and an inspiring board of directors to help lead the way. Businesses, cities, government, schools, churches, foundations and nonprofit organizations are all united to help every child succeed, every step of the way, from “cradle to career,” Penn said. “Our United Way possesses the infrastructure to achieve that collective impact,” Penn said. “United Way is the backbone organization in our nonprofit, social services sector, possessing the infrastructure required to achieve largescale social change.” Every penny makes a difference. “One out of every 10 people in Southern Arizona is touched by the United Way,” Lovallo said. “Supporting the United Way makes it possible for over 100,000 of our friends and neighbors to access programs and services they need to live healthier, more prosperous lives.” And in the end, isn’t that what it’s all about? “That’s our goal – to be the catalyst for leading genuine collective impact that moves the needle in the areas of the greatest needs in our community,” Penn said. “We do that by performing our mission of ‘building a better community by uniting people, ideas, and resources.’ As individuals across sectors continue to realize the value of making an investment through United Way, we will be able to one-up our achievements year after year.” And it’s Lovallo’s turn to make it happen.
Biz
Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 103
Martha Brumfield CEO & President Critical Path Institute
C-Path Emerging as Major Player Tucson’s Critical Path Institute, better known as C-Path, is emerging as a major player in a movement to improve and hasten the drug approval process – not just in the United States but worldwide. At the head of that effort is C-Path’s new CEO and President Martha Brumfield, a veteran of the pharmaceutical industry. Brumfield said C-Path is already deeply involved in providing the tools to develop new pharmaceuticals that hold promise for Alzheimer’s disease, tuberculosis, polycystic kidney disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s. And she’s optimistic that there is no limit to the diseases to which its game-changing system for research and development could be applied. Yet success has brought inquiries about projects that are beyond the capacity of C-Path’s present 34-member staff. Brumfield said she’d like to expand the staff and its capabilities. 104 BizTucson
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Don’t look for Brumfield and C-Path to be credited with creating drugs that will treat or cure some of today’s mostfeared diseases. To get society the medical products it needs, the organization’s strategy is to harness the power of “Big Data” and modern technology – by sharing the research of competing pharmaceutical companies and combining that with the eternally sought goal of streamlining bureaucracy. Brumfield said C-Path’s scientists, technologists and administrators want to overcome the obstacles to scientific solutions – to improve and get out of the way of good science. C-Path founder Dr. Raymond L. Woosley noted it was typically taking 15 years to develop major “important drugs” – with a 95-percent failure rate for getting to market. Woosley said he would like to see C-Path shorten that path to three years with a 95 percent success rate. He cited HIV/AIDS research as proof that such a massive change can take place.
PHOTO: AMY HASKELL
By Dan Sorenson
BizBIOSCIENCE “It was done for HIV/AIDS and it can be done again,” he said. The pace of scientific advances in the lab has skyrocketed. In the previous decade new drug approvals were declining – but this improved in recent years. Last year turned out to be a record setter for new drug approvals in the in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration blessed 39 new molecular entities in 2012 – the most in 16 years Part of the problem is the risk of latestage drug trials, which can cost hundreds of millions of dollars. If drug companies don’t see a good chance of a payoff, they won’t spend money on getting through those final stages of the approval process. “The drug development process is a long process,” Brumfield said. C-Path’s efforts to break the log jam won’t happen overnight – but we are starting to have an impact. “I wish you could measure it in months, but it’s usually measured in years,” Brumfield said of the industry’s pace. But she said the thinking behind the founding of CPath was based on knowing that “science in a company’s lab is developing much faster than it is out in the world.” Sharing data requires trust It could work even faster and more effectively if the research of a number of companies were to be combined. However, the drug industry is one of the most competitive sectors in the world – and for good reason. The financial risks are huge. While the payoff for a drug that can save millions of lives worldwide is potentially huge, so are the costs racked up during the development stages and the government approval processes the drug must pass through before the profits can be rung up. No government approval, no payback and no profits. Getting pharmaceutical companies to share information would have been unthinkable just a few years ago – and it still requires a lot of trust, Brumfield said. Credibility is everything. Yet, she said C-Path has already made inroads with both the private pharmaceutical industry and the government agencies that regulate them and their products – thanks to a precedent-setting C-Path project. In 2010, C-Path scientists and technologists, working with member companies, combined data from multiple Alzheimer’s clinical trials to create an integrated, standardized database. This database was used to develop a unique clinical trial simulation tool for Alzheimer’s disease now endorsed by the FDA and European Medicines www.BizTucson.com
Agency. This tool is now available to qualified researchers doing work in Alzheimer’s – free of charge, Brumfield said. This data integration is not easy, considering the competitive and confidential nature of the industry. And it’s even more difficult when you add the problem of melding massive piles of proprietary data. “Everybody talks about the Big Data concept of going out and data mining,” Brumfield said. “There are areas where it has applicability – but clearly when we’re talking about controlled clinical trials in the setting of a regulated industry such as that we work with, the data has to be formatted so that you can compare and look across multiple trials. “That’s a huge effort, but we did that successfully and we’re doing that with some other disease areas as well. Because of all that, it’s clear to me that the companies that we work with have a lot of trust of our capability in this space. “The benefit realized when you aggregate tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of data points across 10 companies becomes very powerful,” Brumfield said. She said that C-Path’s work with the Alzheimer’s disease database generated further inquiries about collaborative efforts. Getting governments to streamline and coordinate their drug approval processes is another major part of the C-Path formula for breaking the new product log jam – and one for which C-Path founder Woosley said Brumfield is well qualified. “Martha Brumfield is ideally qualified to lead C-Path,” Woosley said. “She has over 20 years of experience at Pfizer, one of our nation’s most successful pharmaceutical companies – and she fully understands the challenges facing drug developers and regulators. She brings an additional sphere of expertise that is essential for C-Path’s future success – and that is her experience with international regulatory agencies in Europe and Asia. Since drug development is a global enterprise, her experience and expertise in global regulatory affairs will be invaluable.” Among the streamlining efforts are coordinating the submission and approval processes in the U.S. and European Union. Brumfield said the submission documents have already been synchronized. Beyond the already strong ties between the U.S. FDA and EU’s regulatory body, Brumfield said China is an undeniably massive – and massively different – market continued on page 106 >>>
Defining Paths to Accelerate Drug Development Process C-Path works with academic scientists, industry scientists and regulatory scientists in the pharmaceutical industry to collaborate, innovate and accelerate the process of getting newer, safer drugs from the lab to the marketplace. According to C-Path CEO and President Martha Brumfield, CPath improves efficiency of the development of drugs and other medical products by identifying pathways to convey new scientific advances through existing regulatory processes. As a trusted and neutral third party, C-Path works closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency and other regulatory agencies to define the pathway to reach an appropriate level of regulatory input specific to the new science. When formal regulatory decisions are necessary (such as qualification or fitness-for-purpose determinations), C-Path gathers the necessary evidence – which requires developing data, measurement and methods standards, aggregating data, as well as preparing regulatory documentation of the evidence. For more information, visit www.c-path.org Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 105
BizBIOSCIENCE continued from page 105 for the industry. In addition to her experience in the Far East while with Pfizer, Brumfield recently visited China on behalf of C-Path. That relationship may have implications for Tucson. Brumfield took two visiting Chinese regulators to meet with the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy and C-Path to discuss potential collaboration on projects such as biomarker and standards development. “China is definitely a horse of a different color,” Brumfield said. “But there’s interest in what we’re doing. I believe there is the potential for some work and some funding in China. This (latest visit) is a first step in the water. “They are going to be a player in the future. If we could bring some projects where the Tucson area could collaborate with China, I think that could be great for our community. There’s a lot of money to be spent in China. If we could tap into it in a way that adds value to what we’re doing with the biotech community here in Southern Arizona, I think that would be phenomenal.” What lies ahead As an administrator Brumfield’s work will also involve growing the organization and its funding. The original federal grant that established C-Path expires next year. And Brumfield said getting funding from the industry is a delicate situation – because maintaining C-Path’s independence and credibility is paramount. “Originally we were funded by the FDA, which was able to give us a five-year grant of $8.5 million dollars,” Brumfield said. “That grant expires August of 2014. Science Foundation Arizona was able and willing to match that grant. Were it not for Science Foundation Arizona we would not be here today. They have contributed more than $13 million over the life cycle of C-Path. “In addition we’ve raised about $9.8 million through philanthropy in the Tucson area. That was the genesis. Were it not for the FDA, Science Foundation Arizona and the local community we wouldn’t have gotten started. Since then we now have brought in some grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation.” In response to the end of the FDA and Science Foundation Arizona grants, C-Path has already entered a new phase – where its funding is coming in part from industry. “Our model now is that we have a fee structure. So when a group of companies and academia come together and propose they want to accomplish X – whether it’s a new biomarker or data standard or modeling tool – we put a price tag around that and each of the members pays a certain fee. That money goes into a protected bank account where it’s spent to support the staffing needs, the technology needs, the data-basing needs etc. to accomplish that goal,” Brumfield said. She said this fee structure was put in place “to allow us to continue to do the work that we’re doing. The companies have been fairly accepting of that. They see value in the money that they’re putting into these consortia – because they know what they’ll get out of it at the other end.”
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From left – Kurt Wadlington, Project Executive; Dave Crawford, President & CEO; Richard Condit, Chief Administrative Officer; and Eric Hedlund, COO – all of Sundt Construction.
Passion for
Sundt Honored with Raytheon Spirit of Education Award The third annual Raytheon Spirit of Education Award will be presented in December to Sundt Construction. The award honors Sundt’s long history of supporting education – not only through the construction of world-class facilities – but also through avid and active support for vocational education, large-scale initiatives and individual, community-oriented service projects attached to each building project. Sundt was the awarding committee’s unanimous selection this year. “Sundt represents the very best in business investment in and support of education in the state,” said Jacquelyn Jackson, executive director of Tucson Values Teachers. “It’s a great honor and we’re very humbled by it. There are lots of good people doing good things and it’s great to get this recognition,” said President and CEO Dave Crawford. “I’ve spent my entire career with Sundt and for the length of my career, we’ve always been engaged in education. We have supported and celebrated education at all levels as a company because we think it’s integral to a better future for our communities. It’s always been important in the Sundt family to be active in our communities and give back to our communities.” Crawford began his career at Sundt as a concrete laborer in 1968 and was named CEO in 2011. The Raytheon Spirit of Education Award was launched in December 108 BizTucson
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2010 to recognize and celebrate business investment in education in Arizona, Jackson said. Proceeds from the event benefit TVT. Taylor W. Lawrence, president of Raytheon Missile Systems, accepted the inaugural award. Last year’s honoree was auto dealer Jim Click. Sundt, one of the oldest and largest construction companies in the United States, was founded in 1890 by Mauritz Martinsen Sundt, a Norwegian ship carpenter who immigrated to the United States as a teenager. The company’s first major Tucson project was a Methodist church, built in 1929 by one of his 12 children – John Sundt. He liked Tucson so much he decided to stay, and in the 1930s, he relocated the company to Tucson. In the 1930s, Sundt was awarded six projects on the University of Arizona campus, funded by the Public Works Administration, and since then has built more buildings on campus than any other contractor. Yet Sundt’s commitment to education is about much, much more than buildings, said COO Eric Hedlund. “We build things – but there’s more to it for us. It’s about building and supporting a broader quality future for Arizona,” he said. “The things we do in education are about Arizona’s competitive edge. We need to improve our educational system that feeds the workforce for tomorrow.” Executives at Sundt, an employee-
owned company, again and again emphasized the company’s mission – “Serving our clients and communities to increase shareholder value.” It’s no surprise to see such devotion to education when the mission statement has such a deep emphasis on community. In 1993 to make a greater investment in the company’s own people, Sundt took a gamble and hired Richard Condit away from the Arizona Department of Education. In his first role as director of training for Sundt, Condit realized that the emphasis on education couldn’t just be internal. If the company was going to find the high-quality employees it needed, it would have to be active in supporting vocational education and the Joint Technological Education Districts in the state. “We’ve got to get other pathways into the system. We’ve been in this paradigm for 40 years that the only pathway to success is to get a baccalaureate degree. But the vast majority are going to have to make it in this world without the benefit of a baccalaureate degree,” Condit said. “We need some other pathways that recognize what opportunities exist – high-paying, high-quality jobs that exist.” Condit, now Sundt’s senior VP and chief administrative officer, taught vocational agriculture for nine years and then spent 13 years in the Arizona Department of Education, reaching the level of associate superintendent for
Education By Eric Swedlund
vocational education. “At all levels, we’re dependent on education for our workforce. Sundt very much understands that we benefit when we participate as a company in trying to improve the educational system,” Condit said. “Business and industry have to play a much different role in education in America than they have. The business community should be more aware what sort of active roles it can play in education,” Condit added. “We’ve got to better define and understand and get the business community involved. There are many ways. One is making sure the content delivered in career and technical education lines up with the workplace skills needed. We can provide updating experiences for the teachers,” he said. Business and industry leaders also can help by leading some of the necessary changes to the nation’s educational system. Students who leave high school before graduation – and don’t find a route into an alternate form of education – are a big drain on the system. “A lot of our focus has been around the tragedy of dropouts in our school system. We’ve been supporting alternative pathways for students to have economic independence,” Condit said. “We know that 80 percent or so of kids who drop out say if they had some relevance of what they’re asked to learn demonstrated to them, they’d stay in school. More of education needs to be
delivered that way. Most of us can learn better when we see the relevance of it.” Delivering important skill-based education to those students who will benefit the most can have positive ripples across the entire economy. “There’s a fundamental misalignment between what’s happening in schools and what’s happening in the workplace. We raise kids with a false expectation of what they’re going to face when they go to work,” Condit said.
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We have supported and celebrated education at all levels as a company because we think it’s integral to a better future for our communities.
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– Dave Crawford President & CEO, Sundt Construction
“Business and education are going to have to come together more if we’re going to compete going forward. Everything has to raise up so the skillsets people possess provide the greatest economic security.” Sometimes it takes people who have
worked in both education and business to cut through the difficulties in communicating and set a clear path forward, Condit said. “I’ve had my foot in both worlds for a long time now. I’ve seen business leaders at times engage the educational community and be negatively disruptive because they don’t understand the language. We need more people who will seek first to understand and then engage in a positive way. And that’s true of educators, too.” The Spirit of Education Award is something Sundt can use as leverage to strengthen the company’s efforts. “Sundt right now in the state of Arizona is recognized as one of the most prominent companies involved in education.” Condit said. “You don’t do these things for recognition. But it’s nice when you get recognized because I think the validation has to come externally,” Condit said. “You can think you’re doing the right things, but when somebody else recognizes that you’re stepping up and providing leadership to increase the quality of education – that’s important. You hope that recognition will cause others to join in, other businesses to say ‘This is import to engage in.’ We fundamentally believe it’s the best for our state and our country.” Project Executive Kurt Wadlington, who leads Sundt’s Tucson building group, describes the array of projects continued on page 110 >>> Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 109
PHOTO: AMY HASKELL
BizHONOR
BizHONOR
Goal
100 Businesses to Support Teachers Tucson Values Teachers and the Southern Arizona Leadership Council are launching a new fund that will be used for direct support of local educators. Auto dealer Jim Click made the first donation of $50,000 to establish the Tucson Supports Teachers fund – and in doing so, set a goal of recruiting at least 100 other business leaders to pledge $1,000 each as an investment to support local teachers. The fund will provide district, private and charter-school teachers with supplies and professional development, as well as support various Tucson Values Teachers programs that highlight the important role of teachers as community partners in the economic future of Southern Arizona, said Jacquelyn Jackson, executive director of TVT. In addition to the donations from Click and other local business leaders, Tucson Values Teachers will launch a crowd-funding campaign to encourage more widespread community investment. Tucsonans are encouraged to contribute to the fund by making a donation – at any dollar amount – in honor of a favorite teacher. The ongoing multi-year, sustaining fundraising campaign will be an effort to replenish funds each year. Tucson Values Teachers is a regional initiative that sprang out of the March 2007 Economic Blueprint from Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities. The aim is to foster and encourage the “collaboration, optimism and support necessary to retain, recruit and reward K-12 teachers who, every day, nurture and educate the nation’s presidents, doctors, artists, legislators and teachers of tomorrow.” Funding partners to date are the Community Finance Corporation, Community Foundation of Southern Arizona, Cox Communications, Diamond Family Foundation, Helios Education Foundation, Jim Click Automotive Team, Raytheon Missile Systems, Rodel Charitable Foundation of Arizona, University of Arizona Foundation, Wells Fargo and Zuckerman Community Outreach Foundation. More information is at www.tucsonvaluesteachers.org. 110 BizTucson
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Sundt and its employees engage in locally to support education. An architect who practiced for 20 years before joining Sundt in 1999, Wadlington designed more than 30 elementary, middle and high schools – a work history that fuels his passion for education. “I got to know educators pretty well and gained an appreciation for the challenges they faced and the dedication they gave to their job. As you evolve in your career, you just develop certain interests where you try to help where you can – and education has been it for me,” he said. “If you’re going to put your efforts toward a philanthropic cause, education is one that has an exponential benefit in terms of what it starts.” One Sundt program, in collaboration with the UA’s College of Education, creates company internships, with a math and/or science component, for current teachers as they seek master’s degrees. During the summer months when they’re not teaching, they work as paid interns and gain additional skills. “We have them perform job functions that have a connection to math or science. They create real-world examples to take back to the classroom to show how science and math apply to jobs,” Wadlington said. “It’s part of the whole experiential learning process. When a kid asks ‘What is math going to do for me?’ they have a real-life example.” Sundt has also supported the University of Arizona BIO5 Institute’s Keep Engaging Youth in Science, the summer research internship program known as KEYS. Sundt helps underwrite the cost for high school students to work side-byside with university researchers in worldclass labs. “It blew me away the complexity of the projects these kids are doing, learning real in-depth science,” Wadlington said. “Many of them have ambitions for when they go to college and this is a way for them to get exposure to it and get a jump on it.” A number of activities capitalize on Sundt’s long relationship with the UA’s College of Engineering. Sundt sponsors projects for the school’s Engineering Day, in which students compete on realworld projects. One Sundt program for younger students partners the company with TUSD’s John B. Wright Elementary School. A STEM-oriented school in a fairly disadvantaged neighborhood, Wright connected with Sundt on a
PHOTO: KRIS HANNING
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Dave Sitton & Jim Click at the 2012 Raytheon Spirit of Education Award. This year’s event is dedicated to the memory of Dave Sitton.
courtyard redevelopment project. Sundt employees volunteered time to construct a courtyard that has learning components, including a garden. “It’s not unusual for businesses to provide financial support, and we do that. But we try to do more than that,” Wadlington said. “It’s easy to write a check, but you can do more when you interact directly with students. That’s the key. Getting more involved makes more of a difference.” Crawford said the company’s employees overall find it more enriching to engage personally and directly when it comes to education. “We’re working on elementary schools, high schools, educational facilities at universities and community colleges. We get to talk to the educators because we’re so closely associated. It’s a little bit more tangible to us,” he said. “Sometimes you want to donate money because that’s an answer, but other times you want it to be hands on. You want people to participate for the experience. People want to contribute with their hands and if they’re willing to contribute time and efforts, it’s more meaningful to them.” Biz
3RD ANNUAL Raytheon Spirit of Education Award A Salute to Sundt Construction Thursday, Dec. 5 5 to 7:30 pm Loews Ventana Canyon $75 per person Sponsorships available tucsonvaluesteachers.org www.BizTucson.com
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BizBRIEF
Martha Furnas Regional VP GEICO
GEICO Provides $4 Million for Scholarships GEICO, in partnership with Arizona Leadership Foundation, will provide $4 million in scholarship assistance for low-income and disabled or displaced students. Foundation President Aaron Muth said, “GEICO recently celebrated 10 years in Tucson and has been an integral part of improving the lives of Tucsonans and residents of Pima County since their offices opened. “This donation is unique because families that quality for the low-income and disabled/displaced programs can get funding under both scholarship programs,” he added. GEICO partners with Arizona Leadership Foundation to participate in the state’s corporate tax credit program which offers scholarships through Arizona Corporate Income Tuition Tax Credit Scholarship Program and the Lexie’s Law Corporate Income Tax Credit Program. “GEICO is an advocate for enhancing the education of our Arizona students. We look forward to sharing in their success,” said Martha Furnas, GEICO regional VP. GEICO stands for Government Employees Insurance Company and is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies.
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Passion Purpose
with a
By Monica Surfaro Spigelman Photos published this summer of a lone adult male jaguar roaming in the Santa Rita Mountains put this endangered species back into the spotlight. Precious few Panthera onca – or “roaring” jaguars – demand our attention in Southern Arizona. Yet it is here where a multinational effort is underway to ensure both a sanctuary and a pathway along the U.S.Mexico borderland that will allow the endangered wild felines to again roam free in their former range in the southwestern United States. “We cannot only save this species, but we can offer an umbrella of protection to the abundant biodiversity that shares this habitat,” said Diana Hadley, retired director of the Arizona State Museum’s Office of Ethnohistorical Research at the University of Arizona. The former rancher is now president of the international nonprofit Northern Jaguar Project. Currently there are dozens of threatened or endangered bird, amphibian and butterfly species that inhabit the Northern Jaguar Reserve. The reserve is believed to be the northernmost nesting site for the military macaw, as well as the southern-most nesting site of the bald 114 BizTucson
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eagle – and the only area where these two bird species intermingle, according to the NJP website. In 2003, 10,000 acres were acquired, followed by the purchase of an adjacent ranch, adding 35,000 acres in 2008 and officially establishing the Northern Jaguar Reserve and a bi-national partnership with Naturalia, Mexico’s respected nonprofit conservation organization. The jaguar was hunted to near extinction by the mid-1900s, Hadley said. The last kill of a resident female jag-
Jaguar Jamboree Benefitting the Northern Jaguar Project Friday, Oct. 25 – 5 to 8 p.m. Jane Hamilton Fine Art Gallery 2890 E. Skyline Drive No charge, but donations encouraged. Raffle tickets for Tigres del Desierto $10 Raffle drawing at 7:30 p.m. www.northernjaguarproject.org or www.jcsaz.com
uar residing in the Grand Canyon was documented in 1963. Only lone males have been sighted since then. An estimated 80 to 120 jaguars inhabit the isolated zone of the Sonoran Desert in Mexico, approximately 125 miles south of Douglas, Hadley said. On Oct. 25, Jane Hamilton Fine Art gallery will host the Jaguar Jamboree, a benefit for the Northern Jaguar Project. Guests can purchase raffle tickets for local artist Barry Sapp’s original acrylic Tigres del Desierto – a painting based on video taken by a remote camera of two jaguars walking together through an arroyo. Event highlights include jaguar blues music by singer/songwriter Kevin Pakulis, Sonoran-style appetizers, Bacanora tasting and Mexican ethnic artistic jaguar masks for sale. The Jaguar Club of Southern Arizona is a Jaguar Jamboree event supporter, as is the Royal Jaguar dealership of Tucson. JCSA president Diana Raymond said, “We’ll have a 50/50 raffle in support of the National Jaguar Project during our Concours D’Elegance event that weekend. Our members also are encouraged to attend and support the Jamboree.” Biz www.BizTucson.com
Detail of “Tigres Del Desierto” Acrylic by Barry Sapp – Courtesy Jane Hamilton Fine Art Gallery
BizBENEFIT
SPECIAL REPORT 2013
THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Carondelet Health Network A New Vision of Healthcare
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Well“
We have to take up the charge of the health and well-being of our community if we are to have an impact on the national cost of care. Jim Beckmann President & CEO Carondelet Health Network –
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BizHEALTHCARE
-Being A New Vision for Healthcare
Carondelet Health Network, a pioneer in Southern Arizona healthcare, is building an innovative system of wellbeing designed to create a healthier community while reducing skyrocketing medical costs. At the heart of this evolution is a new health management philosophy – launched with the “Be Well” brand last year – that sets aside the traditional way of doing things and integrates a holistic approach to community care. Defined as “population health management,” the new approach provides the ability to keep healthy people well, identify and “course correct” those who may be at risk, better manage those who are chronically ill and work to eliminate gaps in care. As Jim Beckmann, president and CEO of Carondelet Health Network put it, even as the Affordable Care Act
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has been driving dialogue about the need to address healthcare reform, Carondelet leadership believes that real change needs to begin within the industry. “We’re excited to be participating in one of the greatest opportunities of our time,” Beckmann said of the new philosophy. The history of Carondelet in Tucson dates back to the 19th century, when the Catholic Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet opened St. Mary’s Hospital in 1880. Today, with nearly 30 facilities and medical offices throughout Southern Arizona, Carondelet is the leading provider of healthcare services, serving a community of more than 1 million residents and employing more than 4,000. From Tucson to Nogales, the region’s 12th largest employer is investing millions of dollars in resources, technology
and innovative medical procedures – all designed to provide for the health and well-being of Southern Arizonans while raising the standard of care. Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital has been revitalized as part of the investment, and is now home to the Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute. Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital has been the focus of growth and expansion, and ground has been broken on the new Carondelet Health & Wellness Pavilion in Sahuarita. To develop its population health management approach, Carondelet is currently partnering with Healthways, a global leader in providing well-being improvement solutions that focus on this comprehensive model of care. It begins with an assessment of what’s needed to meet Carondelet’s goals and continued on page 122 >>>
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PHOTO: TOM SPITZ
By Mary Minor Davis
Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital
PHOTOS: TOM SPITZ
BizHEALTHCARE
Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital
Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital
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Changing the paradigm happens one person at a time – with the right social networks around them – with a strong base of primary care physicians to lead the effort.
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– Chris Castellano Executive VP & Chief Strategy Officer, Carondelet Health Network
continued from page 121 ends with primary care physicians working in tandem with their patients, other physicians, specialists and the patients’ extended community to ensure comprehensive care and well-being that will transition care from “volume” to “value.” Traditionally, healthcare has been delivered in a kind of silo system, with the primary care physician identifying medical conditions and then referring the patient to specialists. Carondelet is removing those silos with this holistic approach, which takes into consideration all aspects of a person’s well-being – including financial, mental and physical – combined with the biometrics of the individual. “With this information, we can then stratify individuals within the population into three main groups,” explained Dr. Donald Denmark, Carondelet’s senior VP and chief medical officer. “The ‘at-risk’ group will, over time, drive costs, but studies have proven that intervention can help,” he added. “For individuals with chronic disease you employ intervention tactics focused on aggressive care management.” Chris Castellano, executive VP and chief strategy officer for Carondelet, added, “For example, patients most often come to the St. Mary’s emergency room with stomach pain or dental pain. These issues can often be prevented or managed if people build trusting, valued relationships with a primary care provider or specialist. Without that opportunity for intervention and management, those with chronic disease turn to ERs once their condition has worsened continued on page 124 >>>
Tuberculosis Sanatorium, 1900s
St. Mary’s Hospital, 1887
Seven Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
St. Mary’s School of Nursing, 1914
St. Mary’s Hospital, 1955
Carondelet’s History of Healing PHOTOS: COURTESY CARONDELET HEALTH NETWORK
By Gabrielle Fimbres In 1870, a group of seven Catholic Sisters from Missouri bravely set out on a mission to the untamed West to care for the people of Tucson. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet – a congregation established in France in 1650 – were asked by the bishop of Tucson to leave their home in Carondelet, Missouri to teach in the barrios of Tucson and at Mission San Xavier del Bac. The journey lasted a month as the Sisters traveled by train, ship and covered wagon. They were greeted at Picacho Peak by soldiers, who provided them safe passage into town. On May 26, 1870, the Sisters arrived in Tucson, a town of a little over 3,000 souls. They were welcomed with celebrations and a fireworks display, and soon set up schools. A decade later, responding to the
needs of the injured workers of the Southern Pacific railroad’s westward expansion, they were asked by the bishop to open Arizona’s first continuously operating hospital – St. Mary’s. The 12-bed hospital was built in collaboration with the Tohono O’odham tribe, who helped the Sisters build the little hospital from rocks and boulders. St. Mary’s cared for its first patients on May 1, 1880. Today, 143 years after their journey to Tucson, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet continue to care for the people of Southern Arizona. Sister Irma Odabashian, a patient advocate at St. Mary’s, said the mission of the Sisters remains strong. “Our existence continues to be driven by the needs of the people we serve, which is our way of responding to the mission of Jesus – he taught, he healed,
he counseled, he loved,” said Sister Odabashian, one of eight Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet living in Tucson. The Sisters have led the transformation from a small hospital on Tucson’s west side to the modern day Carondelet Health Network. They have overseen the growth of St. Mary’s, the addition of St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1961, Holy Cross Hospital in Nogales in 1981 and the many areas of specialization that thrive today. “We are still growing, and it’s very exciting,” Sister Odabashian said. “We are deeply immersed in the community of Southern Arizona. The needs of the people of Southern Arizona will continue to direct our future growth. We continue to embrace courageously and with a strong faith the direction that current changes require of us in order to have a strong future.”
For a complete history of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in Tucson, go to www.carondelet.org. www.BizTucson.com
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BizHEALTHCARE Evaluating Our Well-Being Carondelet Health Network is partnering with Healthways in building an innovative system of well-being, based on information garnered about Southern Arizona residents in the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. We turned to Healthways’ CEO Mike Farris for details.
is the Gallup-Healthways Q: What Well-Being Index?
The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index was developed to establish official statistics on the state of wellbeing in the United States and globally. It is the first-ever daily assessment of U.S. residents’ well-being, and was developed by scientists at Gallup and Healthways. By interviewing at least 500 U.S. adults every day, the Well-Being Index provides real-time measurement and insights needed to improve well-being, increase performance and productivity, and lower healthcare costs. There are more than 1.8 million completed surveys since inception in 2008, making this the world’s largest data set on well-being.
does it work? Q: How The survey covers topics such as emotional health, life evaluation, physical health, healthy behavior, work environment and basic access. The methodology relies on live interviewers conducting telephone interviews with randomly sampled respondents ages 18 and older. Location data allows researchers to map the responses.
does information collected Q: How benefit communities?
The information can be used to inform leaders about the well-being of their communities. Leaders can compare their community and population to other communities and populations across the country. They can use this information to identify opportunities for well-being improvement, which has a direct impact on increasing performance and lowering healthcare costs.
can Tucson take away? Q: What The Well-Being Index provides government officials,
business leaders and residents of Tucson with the opportunity to measure their current level of well-being relative to other cities. Carondelet’s partnership with Healthways enables leaders to create an action plan for improving well-being and execute programs to improve Tucson’s well-being.
is the value of increasing a Q: What population’s well-being?
Our research shows that a 1 point difference in wellbeing equates to a 1 percent difference in healthcare costs, a 2.2 percent difference in likelihood of hospital admission and a 1.7 percent difference in the likelihood of being admitted to the emergency room. Research also indicates that well-being change is a statistically significant predictor of change in many valuable areas including individual productivity, unscheduled absences and retention/turnover rates.
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I’ve been a physician on staff at Carondelet for over 20 years. We’re all very proud of this new direction we’re taking. –
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Dr. Amy Beiter, President & CEO, St. Mary’s Hospital
continued from page 122 to a point where a higher level of care feels like their only option.” A trip to the ER is far more costly than preventive care. Under the new Carondelet/Healthways model, the value of care will be improved, reducing the number of treatable conditions entering the ER by boosting care before conditions become emergencies. Healthcare costs today are $2.5 trillion – making up 18 percent of the gross domestic product, Beckmann said. “As professionals, we have to take up the charge of the health and well-being of our community if we are to have an impact on the national cost of care,” he said. A key element of community health management is that it is built around a team concept. Physicians, specialists, clinicians, social service organizations, family members, employers and patients themselves all play a role in making the model successful. The Healthways model promotes engagement at all levels, providing individuals with simple, fun tools that encourage active participation in and personal accountability for the management of one’s health and well-being. “Engagement is the result of motivation, inspiration,” Castellano said. “Changing the paradigm happens one person at a time – with the right social networks around them – with a strong base of primary care physicians to lead the effort.” Beckmann and his team recognize that it will take time to implement this change, both from the patient and the physician standpoint. Many Carondelet stakeholders and community members across Southern Arizona have already participated in the assessment, and Carondelet is implementing the program first within its own internal community of more than 4,000 employees. The organization has set a goal of a 5 percent improvement in the overall health condition within its own organization in 12 months – primarily among employees with chronic illnesses – as well as a decrease in employee absenteeism due to sick leave. Healthways claims increasing the well-being of a population – like a company’s employee base – can increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and improve job performance. “In the end it will require each individual and family to take action for their health,” Beckmann added. “That’s why this is going to take time, and the investment is significant – but the results will be also.” The energy that the program has generated is palpable when talking to physicians about the new approach. “I’ve been a physician on staff at Carondelet for over 20 years,” said Dr. Amy Beiter, president and CEO of St. Mary’s Hospital. “We’re all very proud of this new direction we’re taking.” Beckmann said the new philosophy is in line with the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet to serve “every dear neighbor with dignity and respect.” “We are fortunate in that we are grounded in the history of the Sisters,” he said. “This gives us a sense of purpose, greater than just being part of the medical community. We are able to maintain the legacy and mission of the Sisters, not only for today, but well into our community’s future.” Biz www.BizTucson.com
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Faces of Carondelet
Since 1880, Carondelet has provided compassionate healthcare to Southern Arizonans. Today, the Carondelet Health Network team of more than 5,000 employees and physician partners carries on the mission of improving the well-being of the community and providing the latest in technology in nearly 30 locations throughout
PHOTOS: TOM SPITZ & COURTESY CARONDELET
Southern Arizona.
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PHOTO: TOM SPITZ
From left – Dr. Amy Beiter, President & CEO, Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital; Debbie Knapheide, VP, COO & Chief Nursing Officer, Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital; Chris Castellano, Executive VP & Chief Strategy Officer and Tawnya Tretschok, VP, Physician Practices.
Driving Force in Four women are driving the growth of Carondelet Health Network along the Interstate 19 corridor, from Tucson’s west side to the U.S.-Mexico border in Nogales. From the growing and reinvigorated Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital in Tucson to Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital in Nogales, Ariz. – and everything in between – Carondelet is providing a broad scope of healthcare specialties to address a wide range of needs among a diverse population. Guiding the strategic roadmap between Tucson and Nogales is Chris Castellano, Carondelet’s executive VP and chief strategy officer.
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Joining her are:
Amy Beiter, president and CEO • Dr. of St. Mary’s Knapheide, VP, COO and • Debbie chief nursing officer at Holy Cross Tretschok, VP of physician • Tawnya practices
They carry on the work of the seven Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, who arrived in Tucson in 1870 with the mission of educating and caring for our residents. Castellano joined Carondelet in 2012, bringing with her 25 years in healthcare leadership in Tucson. She is inspired by the new vision of care developed by
Carondelet leaders working closely with her. “The current complexities in the healthcare ecosystem create bold and exciting new opportunities for all of us,” Castellano said. “If you look at growth patterns in Tucson and along the path of I-19 and combine that with St. Mary’s location, we see a synergy that creates the opportunity to view things differently.” St. Mary’s, which has undergone $20 million in recent improvements – inside and out – is now home to Carondelet’s Heart & Vascular Institute. Among the Tucson companies behind the growth are Chestnut Construction and Diversified Design & Construction.
Never have I been more excited about our direction than I am today. – <<<
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Dr. Amy Beiter, President & CEO, St. Mary’s Hospital
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BizHEALTHCARE
Healthcare By Mary Minor Davis
Of the 73 primary care physicians in the Carondelet network, 23 work along the I-19 corridor. Additionally, Carondelet specialists make “house calls” – in a way. They often drive to the system’s medical practices in Green Valley and Nogales – and soon to Sahuarita – to see patients close to home. Tretschok, one of the newer mem bers of the Carondelet team, said the concept of bringing specialists into local communities provides convenience for residents who can’t make the drive to Tucson regularly. That synergy is tied to the growth
and expansion that exists in the neighborhoods as you drive south. Carondelet Medical Mall at Green Valley, Holy Cross in Nogales and the network’s newest facility, soon to be constructed in Sahuarita, provide a connection that extends from Tucson to the border. The $6.5 million Carondelet Health & Wellness Pavilion in Sahuarita is scheduled to open in late 2014. The 14,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will celebrate the region and its heritage with a nod to the 17th century Spanish Colonial architecture that once dotted the landscape.
Carondelet contracted with FreemanWhite and Diversified Design and Construction to build the facility. Construction is set to begin in January 2014, with completion in November 2014. Features of the pavilion include:
• A
lobby with a glass-enclosed children’s playroom, family waiting room and a separate waiting area for individuals looking for a quieter environment.
• 27 exam rooms • Nine physicians specializing in internal and family medicine and pediatrics
• Visiting specialists • Mobile imaging onsite
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BizHEALTHCARE continued from page 129 The expansion provides access to the newest advancements in medical technology. “Collectively, we can incorporate this technology into the healthcare delivery system,” which in turn provides quality care with lower risk and shorter hospital stays, fewer emergency room visits and reduction in healthcare costs, Tretschok said.
Carondelet also partners with organizations along I-19 in collaborative opportunities to educate and raise awareness of health issues with residents. Clinicians hold educational health seminars in Rancho Sahuarita. The network will be collaborating with Sahuarita Unified School District to provide students with hands-on career shadowing opportunities. Carondelet sponsors summer camps for kids, kindness initiatives and programs including Walk with
a Doc. These programs are all aimed at increasing the community’s well-being holistically – body, mind and spirit. Knapheide manages the “very, very busy” Holy Cross Hospital. With St. Mary’s being the closest hospital to Nogales – 66 miles to the north – Knapheide said providing community care in Santa Cruz County is crucial. Diabetes education and management, obstetrics and gynecology, plus continued on page 132 >>>
Heart & Soul of St. Mary’s By Mary Minor Davis As part of Carondelet Health Network’s approach to holistic community care, the Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute has moved into the network’s legacy facility, St. Mary’s Hospital. About $17 million in renovations to the interior of the hospital have resulted in the creation of the institute known as CHVI – 96,000 square feet dedicated to patients seeking the latest in cardiac and vascular care. The new facility features some of the latest in technology and tools, including resources to enhance minimally invasive cardiac and vascular surgical procedures and support scientific research undertaken by many of Carondelet’s nationally recognized heart and vascular specialists. A dedicated cardiovascular intensive care unit, a specially appointed hospital wing with all private rooms, outpatient cardiac rehabilitative services, new operating suites, catheterization labs for electrophysiology procedures and a noninvasive cardiac testing area are some of the amenities that offer comprehensive support, ensuring the highest quality in care, according to Carondelet administrators and physician leaders. In addition to providing the newest technologies, CHVI’s location within St. Mary’s Hospital provides greater access from Interstates 10 and 19, helicopter access for emergencies and room to grow. One of the most advanced features is the addition of a 1,000-square-foot hybrid operating room, supporting the ability of surgeons and cardiologists to perform the latest in minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures. Dr. Derek von Haag, medical director of cardiothoracic surgery at CHVI, 130 BizTucson
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is a leader in minimally invasive cardiac surgery. He notes that there are many unique aspects of the new hybrid OR, particularly live audio/video streaming capability, which allow other physicians to remotely observe surgeries and learn more about these advanced procedures from CHVI specialists. According to von Haag, this makes the institute a “major destination for cardiac care,” not only for patients, but also physicians. “Our goal is to teach other physicians around the country what is possible,” von Haag said.
Did you know? The Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute, while far more sophisticated, is a return to Carondelet’s cardiovascular and cardiothoracic pioneering roots. In 1959, St. Mary’s was the first hospital in Arizona to perform open heart surgery, and the first hospital in the state to use a heart-lung machine. St. Mary’s implanted Tucson’s first pacemaker in 1960. Dr. Scott Berman is medical director of vascular surgery at CHVI. He has been at the forefront of vascular surgery in Southern Arizona since the mid-1990s. He began the first minimally invasive endovascular program in the area, and his commitment has resulted in new procedures for patients with vascular disease. In 2000, Berman’s practice – Tucson Vascular Surgery – and St. Mary’s Hospital performed Southern Arizona’s first endovascular stent graft for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. In 2006, he placed the first endovascular stent graft
for the treatment of thoracic aneurysm disease. While more minimally invasive vascular procedures are being conducted in the United States, fewer than 10 percent of vascular surgeons perform them, and not all of the time. “There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a patient walking, eating a regular diet and being discharged home on the first day after a procedure,” Berman said. “This is in stark contrast to traditional open surgery that would require days in the intensive care unit, a week in the hospital and months for full recovery.” Today, Berman and von Haag are part of Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute Physicians, a local medical practice that employs cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and vascular surgeons. A practice that employs an array of specialists working side by side and consulting with one another about cases is unique in Tucson. The goal is to provide patients with a comprehensive “team approach” to their care. Stanley Curd was the first patient at the new CHVI. Curd lived with a prolapsed mitral valve for years until his cardiologist, Dr. Kirk Gavlick, highly recommended that Curd see von Haag for a valve repair. In November 2012, Curd underwent a minimally invasive procedure that required only a 3-inch incision. He experienced a shorter length of stay and three weeks later, he was walking two miles. Within a month, the 72-year-old was back at the gym, working up to his regular two-hour workout regimen. “I was really impressed with both of my doctors,” Curd said of his experience.
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The Breast Center at St. Mary’s
The Breast Center at Carondelet St. Mary’s helps set the revitalized hospital apart by providing comprehensive breast care to Southern Arizonans. The center is a multi-disciplinary, integrated group of independent radiologists, pathologists, medical and radiation oncologists and breast surgeons whose focus is the prevention, early detection and prompt treatment of breast disease. A patient navigator, experienced in breast health education, helps guide patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. “We encompass the whole scope of breast disease and – more specifically – breast cancer,” said Dr. Gerlinde Tynan, medical director of The Breast Center and the Breast Health Program at St. Mary’s. “Everything from the screening mammogram through biopsy, surgery to chemotherapy and radiation treatment, support groups and educational resources is handled under our auspices,” Tynan added. The Breast Center opened in 2012, the same year that the National Cancer Institute estimated there were 229,060 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the United States, with 3,400 in Arizona. Imaging services are offered onsite, including digital mammography, breast ultrasound, bone densitometry, breast MRI and interventional breast procedures – stereotactic, ultrasound and MRI-guided breast biopsy. The Breast Center is unique in Southern Arizona in its use of high-tech imaging software, said Radiologist said Dr. Christopher Reed, radiologist. Physicians also offer patients the latest technology in treatment options including 5-day brachytherapy radiation, genetic testing, immediate breast reconstruction, cryoablation of fibroadenomas and participation in clinical trials. Also setting The Breast Center apart is the speed with which patients proceed from initial screening to follow-up treatment – usually 2 to 3 days between screening, diagnostic workup and surgical consult appointments. Each new cancer case is presented during a weekly conference and a custom treatment plan is created by the team of doctors. “Like any other area in medicine, we have patients asking, ‘Are you going to tell this to my doctor?’ The thing about The Breast Center is all your doctors are already there. The radiologist, the pathologist, the oncologist – we’re all familiar with your records,” said Dr. Robert Gin, a radiation oncologist. “It’s a team approach. Everything is integrated.”
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Adapting and creating our new future is one way to honor our 133year legacy in this community. – Chris Castellano Executive VP & Chief Strategy Officer Carondelet Health Network
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continued from page 130 emergency services make up the bulk of patient care. Under the proactive team approach, Knapheide said the full continuum of care – primary care, acute care and chronic care management – will keep the community healthier. “It’s amazing how we’ve already turned a lot of the business (at Holy Cross) from inpatient to outpatient treatment,” Knapheide said. Outpatient care is less expensive and more appealing for patients who can recuperate in their own homes. “We have a patient-centric vision of identifying what our patients need and then defining what we need to do as a team to provide for those needs,” she said. As the longest serving executive leader with Carondelet, Beiter, with 20 years of service at St. Mary’s, has seen tremendous change in local healthcare. “Never have I been more excited about our direction than I am today,” she said. Watching a traditional healthcare practice move from operating in “silos” to the holistic, community-wide approach is “the right thing to do,” Beiter added. “The focus is now on the value of the care provided, as opposed to the volume a hospital produces – from volume to value,” she said. “Patient-centric care will bring tremendous benefits.” She cites the multi-disciplinary team approach that will provide one-stop service. She gave the example of The Breast Center at Carondelet St. Mary’s – a physician-led program in which doctors from across the breast cancer continuum are working in tandem to support the needs of each patient. There’s no disconnect from screening to survivorship for breast cancer patients, she said. Similar approaches are also in place at Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute and Carondelet Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital. If passion and excitement are prescriptions for success, these women who stand at the forefront of Carondelet’s approach to community care will ensure that success is reached. They each said Carondelet’s innovation has reinvigorated their personal commitment to healthcare and renewed their dedication to the patients and the communities they serve. Beiter said the approach “reflects the heart and the quality of care on the part of everyone at Carondelet. It’s an outward demonstration of what we’ve always known. We are all proud of the direction we’re taking.” Said Castellano, “Our values, vision and mission set the context and provide fertile ground for innovation. Adapting and creating our new future is one way to honor our 133-year legacy in this community.”
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Dr. Robert P. Goldfarb, Consulting Neurosurgeon & Chairman, Carondelet Neurological Institute
Dr. Eric P. Sipos Neurosurgeon & Medical Director Carondelet Neurological Institute
From left – St. Joseph’s President & CEO Tony Fonze and Dr. Donald M. Denmark, Chief Medical Officer at St. Joseph’s Hospital & VP for Carondelet Health Network
Rehabilitation Pool at St. Joseph’s Hospital
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Patient-first Philosophy at St. Joseph’s By Dan Sorenson
PHOTOS: TOM SPITZ
We’ve all heard that healthcare is going to change dramatically in the next few years. At Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital, it already has. Patients are seen as customers, consumers with a choice. Hospital administration and staff want to keep these paying patrons happy – as happy as one can be when in need of a hospital. To pull that off, St. Joseph’s President and CEO Tony Fonze says that patientfirst philosophy has to run deep throughout the culture of the hospital. “A hospital is really like a little city, and you have many of the same services, problems and issues that a city would have,” Fonze said. “We have facilities that we have to manage, environmental services, very extensive food and restaurant services, security – except the population of our city consists of people who are often in a very vulnerable, frightened and sometimes dangerous part in their lives.” Besides this patient-as-consumer philosophy, Fonze reels off a list of “products and services” to back up this new version of St. Joseph’s – dedicated
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state-of-the-art units, including the new Joint Replacement Center, Carondelet Neurological Institute and the Women’s Care Pavilion – with a neonatal intensive care unit, as well as robotic surgery suites. Also included are a regional eye center and the O’Reilly Care Center for behavioral health. Fonze has what could only be called an interesting resume, with career stops as a Grand Canyon helicopter pilot and a software business executive before landing in healthcare. Along the way, Fonze said he picked up a style that recognizes service as a product and the customer as a consumer with a choice. He and Dr. Donald M. Denmark, chief medical officer at St. Joseph’s and a senior VP for Carondelet Health Network, present this approach as a natural evolution, something that just makes sense both in terms of the quality of healthcare and as a way to do business. “Doctors understand that this is more of a competitive market than it has ever been and that we have to accommodate our customer base,” Fonze added. continued on page 136 >>>
A hospital is really like a little city… except the population of our city consists of people who are often in a very vulnerable, frightened and sometimes dangerous part in their lives.
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– Tony Fonze, President & CEO Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital
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New Chapel
Place of Healing At the heart of Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital is a serene spot where families and patients can go to find peace and give thanks. After years of fundraising and months of construction, the Fred & Olga Pace Spiritual Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital opened in April 2013, featuring a healing garden, spaces for quiet reflection and the centerpiece – the hospital chapel. “The chapel and the spiritual center offer us all a very special place where we can rejoice and be thankful for the wonderful things that happen in our lives – but also we can find consolation and peace during times of confusion and loss,” said Tony Fonze, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s. The spiritual center and chapel, built by W.E. O’Neil Construction Company and designed by Swaim Associates Architects, were made possible by private donations from the community and fundraising efforts by Carondelet Foundation. Most of the windows were salvaged from the hospital’s last chapel – which was built in 1984 – and restored by the original artist, Mary Myers. Only the meditation room window is new, and was designed and fabricated by Myers along with stained glass artist Teresa Karjalainen. Biz Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 135
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Program Coordinator Jamie Wagoner holds Joint Camp for patients at the Joint Replacement Center.
Sometimes solving simple problems keeps patients healthier and out of the hospital.
PHOTO: TOM SPITZ
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– Dr. Donald M. Denmark Chief Medical Officer & Senior VP, Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital
Carondelet’s Joint Replacement Center is One New, Hip Place By Dan Sorenson Among the specialized units at Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital is the new Joint Replacement Center, with an expert staff of joint specialists – a dedicated unit with 20 private rooms and pre- and postoperative programs credited with greatly improving patient outcomes. “What most people want from a hospital is to know what they’re getting into,” said Dr. Edward Berghausen, a fellowship-trained joint replacement surgeon. St. Joseph’s Joint Replacement Center provides that information about every stage of the upcoming procedure – from two weeks before admission to discharge and through physical therapy. In addition to the overview, patients are screened for other medical problems that could affect the success of a joint replacement. “We set expectations and educate patients. It not only engages them, it empowers them because now they are a more active part of their care,” said Kyle Bennion, St. Joseph’s senior director of product management. A week or two before surgery, Berghausen said, a nurse practitioner assesses “that you’re fully prepared for surgery. If there is a deficiency, she’ll make sure you receive the right treatment before surgery. We believe that this has had a great impact on our outcomes – patients are prepared for surgery.” Berghausen said patients are overwhelmingly positive about the thoroughness of the program and being involved in their own outcomes. He said the 136 BizTucson
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health evaluation and repeated meetings with the surgeon and staff improve their comfort level on the day of surgery. “What I’ve frequently heard from patients who have gone through this process is that they have never been more thoroughly evaluated,” Berghausen said. “Our patients experience a 30 percent improvement in mobility after joint replacement – walking, standing for lengths of time, maneuvering through a store – that type of everyday activity,” Bennion said. Berghausen attributes success rates to the big-picture approach to joint replacement, not just the expertise of the center’s surgeons. “The surgical procedure involves so many other people than the surgeon – it involves the nurses, the physical therapists, the operating room staff,” he said. “The one thing I can provide for my patients is safety. That’s the part I think the surgeon should take charge of.” Bennion credits the collaboration of surgeons from several orthopedic practices who all participated in the design of the Joint Replacement Center for the program’s success and the many positive responses from patients. “Why is our program unique? For several reasons,” Bennion said. “Our surgeons represent five or more different practices. And they have come together to help in the design. That is unique to our region. And it makes our program stronger.”
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continued from page 135 “Our other customer is your primary care physician, the person who is going to take care of you once you are discharged,” Fonze continued. “Or, if you’re not quite ready to go home and are going to be discharged to a skilled nursing facility, it could be the doctor there. “So what we’re working toward now is customizing the care that we give to the other doctor,” he said. “We have an automatic mechanism to notify them if their patient has been admitted or discharged. But what we’re adding to that is follow-up on how the patient is doing.” Bringing the primary care physician and the patient’s family or significant other into the communication loop can improve outcomes for patients, Denmark said. And after discharge, the communication continues with the primary care physician. Denmark and Fonze said this post-discharge care began as an effort to reduce re-admissions of recently discharged Medicare patients. “We’ve put a program in place and we’ve actually had very positive results,” Denmark said. “One of the things it focuses on is making sure there is an effective handoff to either another provider or set of providers. Sometimes, these people have simple yet complicating issues – they don’t have transportation so they can’t get to another caregiver or another service. Sometimes solving simple problems keeps patients healthier and out of the hospital.” Denmark said a crucial part of this post-discharge care involves a partnership with the Pima Council on Aging. continued on page 138 >>> www.BizTucson.com
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BizHEALTHCARE continued from page 136 “We have a team that assesses and evaluates these patients and does the transition and handoff. The communitybased team then looks after the patient’s needs,” Denmark said. “As a result of this collaboration with the Pima Council on Aging, we have significantly reduced re-admission rates. The re-admission rate for this population of Medicare patients has gone from about 22 percent to approximately 7 percent,” Denmark said. Registered nurse Amy Salgado is the clinical coordinator for St. Joseph’s Carondelet/Pima Council on Aging Transitional Care Navigation Program. Salgado knows St. Joseph’s, having
worked her way from volunteer in 1995 to head of this program. She’s a believer in getting everyone who can help involved, inside and outside of the hospital. “We’re out there for (patients), for the home health agencies, for the nursing homes and for the families,” she added. Sometimes the job means using her clinical experience. Sometimes it involves going to a patient’s home or finding a way to help them afford the medications they need. “When a patient leaves and they can’t get their prescription because it’s too expensive, who do they call? So, I call the doctor in the hospital and say, ‘You just discharged this patient yesterday. Their
medicine is going to cost them $80. Can you find something different that they can afford?’ ” she said. Associates like Salgado recognize they play multiple roles at St. Joseph’s – as champions for their patients’ needs, torchbearers of the healthcare system’s commitment to serve with quality and compassion and representatives of a service-oriented industry. “Our product here is everything we do – it’s not just surgery, it’s not just inpatient care,” Fonze said. “If you come in here you’re likely to have a whole range of services. Your impression when you leave is every aspect of that. We all own the whole product.”
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When Time Matters Most By Dan Sorenson
Just over five years ago, if you needed emergency neurosurgery in Tucson on some nights, you might have been out of luck – or racing time in a helicopter or airplane headed for Phoenix, Flagstaff or San Diego. Tucson didn’t have sufficient on-call neurosurgeons and hospital neurosurgical operating facilities that were staffed 24/7. “It turned out to be a little bit of a lottery. If you got injured on Monday, there might be a neurosurgeon available. But if you got injured on Tuesday, there might not,” said Dr. Robert P. Goldfarb, consulting neurosurgeon and chairman of the Carondelet Neurological Institute. “You’ve heard of the Golden Hour – the hour following the onset of a neurological illness or injury, when care may change the outcome significantly. That hour was often passed while an emergency room doctor tried to find both a neurosurgeon and a hospital that were available to treat an emergency neurosurgical condition,” he added. Neurosurgeons are scarce, Goldfarb added, because training for neurosurgery is intense, requiring seven to nine years after medical school. “But in a city of 1 million, we had to do better.” That’s when Carondelet Health Network and Western Neurosurgery col-
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laborated on a vision to develop a neurological institute with the latest in technology and 24/7 coverage in neurosurgery and neurology. Carondelet has not stopped improving neurological services and coverage for Tucson – recently recruiting to the team Dr. Emun Abdu, the first vascular neurosurgeon in Southern Arizona. Soon after her arrival, a patient came to St. Joseph’s showing significant signs of an acute stroke, unable to move her left side or speak, and unresponsive to initial medical treatment. Abdu performed a clot extraction and within days, the patient was able to walk, talk and eat without impairment. “Our vision was nobody should have to leave Tucson under emergency conditions to seek help elsewhere,” Goldfarb said. Unique to the institute are state-of-theart operating rooms. “The technology we have at our disposal allows sub-millimeter precision during complex brain and spine surgery,” Goldfarb said. That kind of accuracy allows surgeons to minimize damage to other parts of the brain while reaching surgical targets that might have otherwise been considered inoperable. Included in the OR is a CT scanner. “We were the first in the U.S. to have
the most advanced Brain Suite technology,” Goldfarb said. “They had some of this technology in Singapore and Munich, and we were the first to have all of this technology together. Our operating rooms have become something of a showpiece, with neurosurgeons visiting us from other major neurological centers.” That has attracted neurosurgeons from all over the world wanting to see CNI’s operating rooms, Goldfarb said. And that technology helped with staff recruiting – including one of Goldfarb’s partners, Dr. Ryan Kretzer, formerly of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. “My expertise is in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery, including adult degenerative deformity and spinal oncology,” said Kretzer. “Dr. Goldfarb’s goal in recruiting me to Tucson was to provide more complex spinal surgery techniques that weren’t previously provided.” With 14 neurologists and neurosurgeons, Carondelet Neurological Institute provides comprehensive neurological expertise and services with a focus on advanced technology and optimal outcomes, Goldfarb said. “The bottom line – the institute is a truly unique asset to Tucson,” he said.
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2 Photo: George Howard
Photo: Tom Spitz
1. Community members break ground for St. Joseph’s Chapel in the Fred and Olga Pace Spiritual Center 2. Southern Arizona’s first mobile CT scanner, donated to St. Joseph’s Hospital by the Armstrong-McDonald Foundation 3. From left – Toby Allen, 2013 event chair, Bill Hussey, president of The Centurions and June Hussey get gussied up for The Great Outlaw Brouhaha 4. From left – Norbert Jankowicz and Fred Fruchthendler, Carondelet Foundation board chair, at the lighting of the new cross at St. Mary’s Hospital, donated by Jankowicz in memory of his wife 5. Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet volunteer for Habitat for Humanity
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Photo: Tom Spitz
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Vision
Supporting the
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of Carondelet
By Steve Rivera
Since 1993, Carondelet Foundation has supported the mission and vision of Carondelet Health Network, generating more than $50 million in private support. Governed by a 35-member board of trustees, the foundation builds and strengthens relationships in support of Carondelet Health Network, raises private funding to benefit Carondelet and helps tell the Carondelet story. “At Carondelet Foundation, we work to showcase the network and help people to better understand the depth of services Carondelet provides,” said Richard Imwalle, senior VP and CEO of Carondelet Foundation. Imwalle, who was a familiar face at the University of Arizona Foundation before joining Carondelet four years ago, calls Carondelet “a quiet jewel in the community.” The impact of private support is evident throughout the network. One of the more recent projects was a $1.3 million campaign to fund the St. Joseph’s Chapel in the Fred and Olga Pace Spiritual Center. The chapel was dedicated in April 2013. “This is a critical time for philanthropy in healthcare,” said Fred Fruchthendler, president of Jacob C. Fruchthendler & Co. and chair of the Carondelet Foundation Board of Trustees. “Carondelet Foundation is committed to doing its part – securing private funding and raising community awareness to help meet network needs.” Other donor-funded projects include major facility renovations and improvements, purchases of medical equipment and supplies, and programmatic support such as the Van of Hope – a 38-foot motor home that provides mobile medical services to Tucson’s homeless population. Carondelet has enlisted Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller as a network spokesperson. Miller also serves as honorary chairman of the Carondelet Neurological Institute Board of Advisors. “He has been really committed to learning about the people and programs www.BizTucson.com
of Carondelet,” Imwalle said. “He is a dedicated member of our team.” Another key network partner in Carondelet philanthropy is a group of well-known and enthusiastic volunteers, The Centurions. From the early, feel-good fundraisers to gatherings of thousands of locals out for a major party for a good cause, The Centurions have come a long way in the group’s 45-year history of providing support to Carondelet. “Some of the members who are 90 years old and have been there from the beginning tell stories of starting out very simply,” said Bill Hussey, president of the board for The Centurions and national sales manager at Clear Channel Outdoor. “We now have so many great sponsors.” It’s turned into a labor of love for more than 100 active members of The Centurions, some of Tucson’s most prominent business and civic leaders.
Jim Click on Carondelet
“Carondelet Health Network was the first board of directors I ever served on. Our son, Chris, was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital near Christmas 1971. It was the most wonderful experience Vicki and I have ever had at a hospital. As a result of our pleasant and caring stay, we wrote a letter to St. Joseph’s stating that I hoped that we could treat each and every one of our customers as well as we were treated at St. Joe’s. A few days later, Judge Evo DeConcini contacted me stating that he had an award for me. My award was to join the Carondelet Annual Gifts Committee. I can’t tell you how easy it was to call people and ask them to donate to St. Joseph’s. Forty-two years later, Carondelet is still providing outstanding medical services – not only on the eastside and westside, but in Nogales, as well. Carondelet is one of the best hospital networks in the country.” Jim Click, Jr. President, Jim Click Automotive Team
There are more than 200 members in all. “The Centurions are fabulous and not just because they put on those firstrate parties,” said Imwalle. “They want Carondelet to be the very best in what we do.” It’s those parties that make things happen for Carondelet and keep The Centurions loving what they do. This past May, its rodeo-themed event saw about 4,000 people gather to help raise more than $300,000. In all, The Centurions have raised more than $5 million for Carondelet, with more to come. “Anything to help” has been the unofficial catch phrase of The Centurions since the group formed in 1969 to raise money for what was the St. Mary’s Hospital Burn Center. “As the town grew and the needs grew, we decided to raise money for all of Carondelet,” Hussey said. Funding from The Centurions has benefitted a number of important projects, including Carondelet Hospice & Palliative Care. In 2012, the group helped St. Mary’s with a major renovation that Imwalle said gives the facility the “look of a new hospital” to match the state-of-the-art medicine and technology that is found inside. “A lot of what we raise goes to unfunded projects, some that otherwise would not be implemented, like immunization and diabetes programs,” Hussey said. “We are really happy to raise funds and sponsor those programs.” Hussey said The Centurions are embarking on a commitment that would push fundraising efforts to $6 million in total. The official news won’t come out for more than a year but he’s optimistic it will come to fruition. Until then, The Centurions and Carondelet Foundation will continue to work as they always have. And it is those people – and the hundreds of other network volunteers – that Imwalle appreciates. continued on page 142 >>> Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 141
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PHOTO: COURTESY CARONDELET HEALTH NETWORK
More than 2,200 people showed up for a free flu shot clinic offered by Carondelet.
Care for Those in Need By Gabrielle Fimbres
Carondelet Health Network’s mission embraces caring for Southern Arizona’s most vulnerable residents and providing preventive care for those at risk of developing chronic illness. In fiscal year 2013 (July 2012- June 2013), Carondelet provided more than $69 million in community benefit in Tucson and Southern Arizona – in the form of public programs, community services, educational outreach, charity care and uncompensated care. That amount increased from about $52 million just two years ago, speaking volumes about the growing need in Southern Arizona, said Donna Zazworsky, VP of community health and continuum care at Carondelet Health Network. Community benefit, which is a requirement of nonprofit hospitals, covers Carondelet’s unpaid costs to public programs, traditional charity care and other programs – all with the goal of improving the health of at-risk, uninsured, low income and homeless Southern Arizonans. “We want our community to be well,” Zazworsky said. “We are helping our community stay healthier.” Among the programs provided through community benefit are diabetes education, obesity awareness, telemedicine, healthcare for the homeless and other services. Carondelet recently teamed up with The University of Arizona Medical Center and Tucson Medical Center to conduct a community health needs assessment, helping to pinpoint the most critical areas of need. This effort engaged key stakeholders, demonstrating how the community can work together for a stronger future. Diabetes education has been an important mission of Carondelet’s for decades throughout Southern Arizona, providing education and medical care to children, seniors and adults. “Southern Arizona is an epicenter of diabetes,” Zazworsky said. “One in eight people in Pima County have diabetes.” For more than 20 years, nurse practitioner and certified diabetes educator Gwen Gallegos has helped maintain the 142 BizTucson
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health of people with diabetes – or at risk for diabetes – in Nogales. “She is teaching people how to eat right, how to manage their health,” Zazworsky said. “If you have diabetes in Nogales, you know Gwen.” Carondelet provides free information sessions for people with diabetes in Tucson as well, with the goal of providing basic lifestyle information and referrals into more extensive self-management programs that will help prevent lifethreatening – and costly – complications down the road. Carondelet has worked with more than 200 local houses of worship to provide obesity awareness and prevention in Pima County, helping 57 of these faith communities establish a health ministry, Zazworsky said. Carondelet also partners with El Rio Community Health Center, Primavera Foundation and others to provide services to homeless adults and children through the Southern Arizona Health Village for the Homeless. Through the Van of Hope, healthcare providers travel throughout Southern Arizona to provide primary care and behavioral health services to homeless people. Carondelet also offers a post-hospital program with a few shelters to provide follow-up care for people who were recently hospitalized and are not safe to be back on the streets. “They say it takes a village – and that is what we have helped to create,” Zazworsky said. Carondelet provides community health outreach workers to assist uninsured and homeless patients who come to their emergency rooms in obtaining primary care visits, assistance with Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System applications, food stamps and other programs. “It can be a very difficult system to navigate,” Zazworsky said. “That is the mission of Carondelet, to provide to the community and particularly the more vulnerable. We have seen more vulnerable people in the last two years – people who fell off the system and had nowhere to turn. We have really had to step up those efforts.”
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Carondelet Foundation is committed to doing its part – securing private funding and raising community awareness to help meet network priorities.
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– Fred Fruchthendler Board Chair, Carondelet Foundation
continued from page 141 “Our board members are successful, engaged representatives of Southern Arizona’s business and civic communities,” Imwalle said. “They recognize the highly dynamic nature of healthcare and want to make a difference.” Making a difference is a key. So is telling the story of Carondelet. Imwalle said without people – volunteers like Foundation trustees and The Centurions – telling the network’s story, Carondelet wouldn’t be what it is today. “Trustees and other volunteers are important ambassadors who carry the message of Carondelet’s commitment to excellence,” Imwalle said. “And their diligence and enthusiasm is matched by Carondelet leadership. Our President and CEO Jim Beckmann and his management team have a vision for this place that inspires even stronger community partnerships.” Fruchthendler agrees. “The community and Carondelet are in this changing world of healthcare together,” he said. “Carondelet Foundation is proud to help navigate the challenges and be a partner in creating better living through better health.” Biz
Carondelet Auxilians
Members of the St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s Hospital Auxiliaries join foundation trustees and The Centurions in their volunteer service to Carondelet. A familiar sight to hospital patients, physicians, visitors and personnel, auxilians work at hospital information desks, manage gift shops and provide visitor escorts and clerical services. The auxilians have raised more than $7.5 million over the past 59 years and have donated nearly 6 million volunteer hours. Combined membership in the auxiliaries is nearly 400 volunteers. www.BizTucson.com
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SPECIAL REPORT 2013
THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Game Changer $72.3 Million Lowell-Stevens Football Facility Brings New Era for Arizona
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Game Changer $72.3 Million Lowell-Stevens Football Facility
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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ARIZONA ATHLETICS
Welcome to the 21st century, Arizona fans. University of Arizona Athletics is building for a better future. Serving as the centerpiece of the much-needed modernization is the newly christened, $72.3 million Lowell-Stevens Football Facility. This athletic showplace has grabbed the attention of the Arizona faithful and more than a few recruits. Made possible by major gifts from two Arizona families and UA alums – David and Edith Lowell and Jeff and Sharon Stevens, among others – the facilities aim to help launch Arizona back into the national sports spotlight. This isn’t your father’s UA athletic program. “It’s been a lot of hard work with the support of our donors,” said UA VP for Athletics Greg Byrne. The hard work is paying off in a boost to the athletic program and its fans. The work continues, however, as the UA raises money to help pay off the $56 million that remains due on the facility, as well as funds needed for other renovations to aging facilities. Donations are being accepted – and appreciated – every day. The goal: make Arizona Athletics competitive with the very best in the nation. Arizona Stadium has become hip and happening, a place to be and be seen. Wear the colors, by the way. New and improved are not catch phrases. Or slogans. Or pipe dreams. They are realities at the corner of Cherry and Vine. Change is brewing, and it couldn’t be more visible than at the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility, where there’s not a bad seat in the house. With the addition of new stadium turf and new paint and seal in the rest of the stadium, the whole thing is candy to the eyes. It’s brighter, has more pop.
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Brings New Era for Arizona Wildcats
By Steve Rivera
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BizSPORTS continued from page 151 Whether that translates into touchdowns and victories over the long haul is still unknown, but it’s a start. “It gives us a shot,” said Rich Rodriguez, Arizona football coach. Byrne has called it Arizona’s game changer. If 20-plus years ago Arizona sold the program on family and fundamentals, it can now add another F – facilities … finally. James Francis, senior associate director of athletics for external operations, said response to the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility from fans and donors has been “overwhelmingly positive.” “When we began this project we had three clear goals – to recruit elite student-athletes, enhance revenue generation and improve fan amenities. From the moment the facility opened it has succeeded in allowing us to improve in these three critical areas.”
He said the new facility “represents our collective investment in improving each of our 20 intercollegiate sports programs. We’ve made the commitment to a future of winning football, which will help support our entire department.” Francis said every fan and donor counts. “Every single person who buys tickets and attends a game, or joins the Wildcat Club is helping – and for that we’re very appreciative. As not only a member of our staff but also a UA alum, it’s exciting to be a part of this program. The future is bright for Arizona Athletics.” The Lowell-Stevens is one of the many steps in Byrne’s vision of Arizona’s athletic refurbishment. For years, it seemed Arizona Athletics had been held hostage by dated facilities. It was Arizona’s Achilles heel and what seemed to be a black hole for blue chippers. Arizona officials were even hesitant to take recruits to the tired and
weathered locker room. Not anymore. These days, UA is a destination place. Top-notch recruits are popping up everywhere. “We are way, way behind from a facility standpoint, especially in football,” Byrne said. “But Lowell-Stevens is addressing that in a significant manner to help our football infrastructure get competitive with everyone in the Pac-12 and in the country.” A new facility does help – just ask Arizona baseball coach Andy Lopez, who benefitted from the move to Hi Corbett Field, winning new fans and a national title in 2012. “You have to have a facility and element that allows your guys (to succeed),” Lopez said. He said top student-athletes are excited to be part of a program with excellent, energized facilities. Arizona officials and their donors accontinued on page 154 >>>
Groundbreaking – Jan. 20, 2012 Date of completion – July 1, 2013 Total project cost – $72.3 million Total square feet – 189,000 Number of stories – Five Architect – Heery International Contractor – Mortenson Construction Jobs created – More than 300, with local subcontractors making up 80 percent of the crew Number of seats – 576 club seats, 3,613 in lower bowl New turf – High-end Field Turf replaces grass. Drainage is in place to reduce heat, and water cannons cool things off during mid-afternoon practices. The field is recruit-ready 24/7/365. PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ARIZONA ATHLETICS
Concessions – Three new concession stands offer traditional game fare – hot dogs, nachos and now fries and burgers. New and trendy international hotdogs – Chilean, Czech, Sonoran, Montreal, Danish, Cajun, Okinawan. Also available – gluten-free foods, sushi and Pinkberry frozen yogurt. Restrooms – Two new women’s restrooms, one for men Square footage of workout facilities – 6,200 Number of offices – 23 Bear Down Kitchen – The cafeteria is open to the public Monday through Friday for breakfast or lunch, provided there isn’t an UA Athletics function taking place. Source: UA Athletics
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continued from page 152 knowledge that facilities are a crucial element in building an outstanding athletic program. “As we say every day to our athletes, you’re either getting better or you’re getting worse,” Byrne said. “You have to continue to reinvest in your success.” Lowell-Stevens represents the largest reinvestment in recent years. Before the massive video screen and speakers went up in the south end zone in 2011, nothing major had occurred in or on Arizona Stadium since the late 1980s when the press box and sky boxes were built. “The Lowell-Stevens project is the most significant project the athletics department has gone through since 1973 when McKale Center opened,” Byrne said. Here’s what you’ll find in the five floors of football favorites at Lowell-Stevens:
• The first floor includes Arizona’s football tradition of
film and photos. It also houses the weight room, equipment room, medical treatment room and locker room.
• The second floor overlooks it all. • The third floor is the brain trust – coaches’ offices, a 120-seat
auditorium and a players’ lounge. There are also academic and media areas.
• The
fourth floor includes the concourse, cafeteria, Bear Down Kitchen (training table) and the area that connects both on game days.
• The fifth floor is the Sands Club, with a spacious area for food, drink and mingling. There are club boxes with 576 seats – posh digs for the discriminating football fan.
Longtime Arizona fan and booster Peter Evans thinks the new area is “fantastic.” He purchased a club box and continues to have seats on the east side. “I like the amenities,” Evans said. “You have to give me a reason to go there instead of staying home and watching on HD. With the video screen and the new seats it gives me that reason to go.” More importantly, what it shows is that Arizona officials are making every effort to provide student-athletes and fans a great game-day experience. “They are thrilled, absolutely thrilled,” Byrne said of UA players. “We’re trying to enhance the fan experience. They are the best seats in the house. “If I was Joe Fan buying four season tickets for my family that’s where I’d be sitting,” Byrne continued. “That’s as honest as the day is long. That’s a great place to watch a game.” And a pretty good place to take in the ambiance of an exciting football game, with 3,613 new chair back seats in the lower bowl of the North End Zone. New and improved is always good, especially when attracting top student-athletes.. “Facilities play a factor (in a decision a student-athlete makes to attend a school),” Rodriguez said. “But an overriding factor is the commitment to the program that people show. Kids want to go and play where football is important. That’s a natural. “We can show football is important at Arizona,” Rodriguez continued. “Look at what we spent on this facility.” Elite facilities beget elite players. Rodriguez said if you are going to talk the talk then you have to make it happen. “What this shows is there is a huge commitment to Arizona football,” he said.
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PHOTO: COURTESY OF ARIZONA ATHLETICS
It’s going to be a major part of Arizona Athletics for years to come. It’s something I’m very proud to have.
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– Jeff Stevens Donor, University of Arizona Athletics
Jeff and Sharon Stevens
Stevens Create New Era of Wildcat Football By Steve Rivera University of Arizona alumni Jeff and Sharon Stevens stepped up in 2009 like no other donors had done before – they gave $12 million, simultaneously giving the athletic program a shot of hope. “We wanted to do something to give back,” said Jeff Stevens. “It was something for everyone to build upon and make the program flourish.” Mission accomplished. The gift helped UA move into the new age of college football – a fresh jolt in competitiveness and the start of more funds coming in, leading to the creation of the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility. It’s money well spent, Stevens said. “I had a vision of what it would be – but I think everybody’s impression is that they are in awe with the size and scope of it and very impressed with it being a first-class facility,” said the Phoenix resident. “It’s going to be a major part of Arizona Athletics for 156 BizTucson
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years to come. It’s something I’m very proud to have.” Even if parting with money came during the recession. But having foresight and a keen business sense – he’s president, COO and director of Western Refining – Stevens saw an urgent need for UA to move forward with its athletic vision. He called it “perfect timing” in that a number of firms would bid and materials would be affordable because of the recession. “I thought it was important for Arizona to build upon its football program because that has the biggest potential for additional revenue to help other sports,” Stevens said. “It was important to get the football program to a level with the other elite programs in the country.” His level of commitment shouldn’t be judged by the facility’s title, with Stevens scoring second billing. When he and donor David Lowell met with UA VP for Athletics Greg Byrne, they de-
termined it did not matter whose name came first. Byrne joked that he’d flip a coin for it. All agreed. Lowell picked tails and, well, it came up tails. The Lowell-Stevens Football Facility was born. The Stevens met at UA in the 1980s when the university was in the early stages of establishing itself in the Pac10. He and then-girlfriend Sharon watched Larry Smith coach football and sat in the basketball stands just behind Lute Olson after the coach arrived from Iowa in 1983. “We went to baseball games when they were very strong in the 1980s. We saw the transition from Larry Smith to Dick Tomey. We lived through UA’s 8-0-1 streak against Arizona State. It was a very enjoyable era. It made a difference in our lives.” Now they are returning the favor with the hope of making a difference for others.
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– David Lowell Donor, University of Arizona Athletics
Edith and David Lowell
Lowells Build Athletic Tradition at UA By Steve Rivera When David and Edith Lowell look at what they helped create at Arizona Stadium – the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility – a rush comes over them. “It looks so beautiful,” said Edith Lowell. “I’m pleased and proud.” All parties should be. Without the Lowells’ timely $11 million donation, it never would have been possible. Of course, others are helping bring together Arizona’s $72.3 million gem on the north side of Arizona Stadium. (See story, pg. 150) “It’s come out better than I expected,” said David Lowell, who along with a handful of others traveled the country to visit university football facilities to gauge what they wanted at UA. “We saw four or five of the nicest facilities and I think this one now ranks with some of the others.” In 2010, the Lowells pledged $11 million anonymously. 158 BizTucson
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It was not the first time that the couple made a major donation to UA. The J. David Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources at the UA was launched with a seed endowment from Lowell, along with a grant from Science Foundation Arizona. The Lowells have contributed millions throughout the last two decades to help Arizona Athletics succeed. “The fun is being part of the new thing that has been built and making new friends,” David Lowell, one of the world’s experts in mining exploration, said of the football facility. Natives of Nogales, the UA alumni were Wildcat athletes – he played football and she played a variety of sports. Field hockey was her favorite. More than a dozen family members have attended and graduated as Wildcats. Between the two they have seven degrees. Among them, he has an engineering degree (1949), later earning a
degree in geology from Stanford University in 1957. At UA, Edith earned a degree in anthropology (1948) and a master’s in Spanish (1950). They were married in 1948. “We’re very happy to be able to do what we do,” David Lowell said. “It’s been a pleasure. We’re proud to be part of something permanent at the university.” And the money? Well, it came not long after the Lowells gave more than $2.5 million to the UA to help with the Richard Jefferson Gymnasium and the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, at a time when the recession hit. The Lowells didn’t blink an eye when asked to help. “I think that it makes more sense to give to a university than to keep it in a bank and be buried with it,” David Lowell said. “We’re just glad that we’ve been able to help establish something at the university where people can enjoy it for a long time.” Biz www.BizTucson.com
PHOTO: COURTESY OF ARIZONA ATHLETICS
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I think that it makes more sense to give to a university than to keep it in a bank and be buried with it.
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BizSPORTS Greg Byrne VP for Athletics University of Arizona
Man Mission on a
Byrne Leads Charge for a Stronger UA By Steve Rivera
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Talk about blind ambition. A young Greg Byrne had it on March 22, 2010. That’s the day the University of Arizona hired Byrne, then 38, to be its new athletic director. He was the face of a new vision, a sign of renewed hope. A new age, even. Byrne was home – even if he hadn’t seen Arizona Athletics with a jeweler’s eye. In fact, he hadn’t seen it at all, accepting the job in “the darkness of night” after a quick “in-and-out visit.” “I didn’t even see the facilities. I had left Arizona nearly 20 years ago and had only been back a couple of times,” said Byrne, who had a close-up look at Pac10 facilities while working in athletics at Oregon and Oregon State. “But frankly I was surprised at where we were (in terms of infrastructure),” said Byrne, now 41 and VP for Athletics. “I thought I saw an opportunity for us to make improvements. And there was a lot of work to be done.” Byrne & Co. are making great strides. “We are collectively doing that,” he said. “It’s all of us together – all of us pulling the rope.” UA booster and all-around Wildcat fan Peter Evans said, “I can’t imagine there’s a better AD than Greg Byrne.
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it could be the jewel of the state. He and the rest of the athletic officials are putting some money behind advertising the Wildcats statewide. Arizona’s ad campaign is: “Our State Your Wildcats … Make a Statement.” The statewide impact will be seen soon enough. But in Southern Arizona and in Tucson, if you don’t bleed UA red and blue, something is wrong. “Come to one of our games,” Byrne said. “It doesn’t matter what sport – it can be a soccer game or football, baseball, softball ... there is such a melting pot of people that come together and it doesn’t matter their political views. It doesn’t matter their socioeconomic status. There is one common goal, and that is to root for the Arizona Wildcats. In my biased opinion, I think our society needs more things like this that bring people together. You say ‘Bear Down’ and it means something.” Byrne engages the business community, knowing they contribute greatly to the health of the program. He encourages all of Tucson to wear red to work on Fridays. It seems to be working. Byrne said the reason to show support is not just fan loyalty, but recruits often begin their visits on a Friday. And when it comes to recruiting, every positive matters.
PHOTO: CHRIS MOONEY
Greg Byrne gets it. He understands – not just football, but intercollegiate athletics and the role that we play. –
Rich Rodriguez, University of Arizona Football Coach
“He’s a 21st century AD, if you combine his passion and energy and his social media skills,” Evans added. “And he enjoys engaging with his customers, who are UA supporters and fans. He’s as good as it gets.” Rich Rodriguez, who is in his second season as UA’s football coach, appreciates Byrne’s savvy and tenacity. “Greg Byrne gets it,” Rodriguez said. “He understands – not just football, but intercollegiate athletics and the role that we play.” With a budget of $60 million and a roster of 500 student-athletes, Arizona Athletics plays a significant role in the university. Like the nose on a face or the striking eyes to the soul. “We’re a small part of the UA – but a very visible part,” Rodriguez said. Byrne is the man leading the team. “We are being aggressively conservative,” Byrne said, when it comes to managing money and making things happen at a university that needs more than a coat of paint. But thanks to a generous business community, donors and an insightful public, Arizona is headed in the right direction. And, yes indeed, it does take a village. “I think it’s significant that our university is right in the center of this community geographically,” Byrne said. In fact, many would say it’s not just the center but the heart and soul of the city. Byrne would argue that
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“When you think of Tucson, Arizona, I think the first thing you think of is the U of A – right, wrong or indifferent,” Byrne said. “The Athletic Department is like the front porch of your house. It’s not the most important part of your house by any stretch – just like we aren’t the most important part of the university – but it’s the first part they see.” Athletics does that to a school. It lifts spirits and encourages the mind. The baseball program did that in the summer of 2012 when it went on a capable yet improbable run to an NCAA title. It provided a spark to the community’s passion. “When we were back in Omaha, and our baseball team was winning the national championship we sensed the energy,” Byrne said. “We could feel the energy in Omaha that was going on in Tucson. When we came back and there were thousands upon thousands of people welcoming the baseball team in McKale, it was incredible.” Arizona caught magic in a bottle that day. Arizona likely did it as well with Byrne, the son of a former athletic director. “It’s refreshing,” UA baseball coach Andy Lopez said of Byrne and his style. “It’s exciting. I’m pulling for him. It’s fun to be around a guy who has a lot of vision and the attitude of, ‘let’s go do it and attack this thing.’ ”
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UA President Ann Weaver Hart and VP for Athletics Greg Byrne congratulate members of the track and field team during halftime at Arizona Stadium.
UA President is
Wild Cats about the
By Gabrielle Fimbres
On the football field, the basketball court and just about any arena of competition at the University of Arizona, you will find Ann Weaver Hart. The UA president is one enthusiastic Wildcat fan. “I love it,” Hart said. “I truly enjoy watching those young men and women do what they love best. I love being with the fans. It reinforces my commitment to this great institution and provides a wonderful spirit around the hard work we all do every day.” Hart is committed to supporting Arizona Athletics and all it brings to the university and the community. “The most important thing for the 162 BizTucson
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University of Arizona Athletics in our community is our contribution to the culture, to the spirit and to the bonding of our community around a wonderful and supportive activity that exemplifies who we are,” she said Leading that charge with Hart is UA VP for Athletics Greg Byrne. “Athletics is part of the fabric of who we are,” Hart said. “It’s woven within the community in a way that introduces people to our university but also exemplifies our spirit of achievement and pride through the values that Greg represents and that our coaches uphold. “That is why it is so important that we have a leader like Greg who un-
derstands, supports and reinforces the student-athlete as a member of the broader university community,” she continued. Arizona Athletics receives 315 tuition waivers for student-athletes annually, authorized by the Arizona Board of Regents. Tuition waivers are also granted to Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University. The athletics department is responsible for covering room, board and book costs to supplement the tuition waivers and is responsible for generating revenues to cover the department’s annual operating costs. continued on page 167 >>> www.BizTucson.com
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PHOTO: CHRIS MOONEY
BizSPORTS Rich Rodriguez Football Coach University of Arizona
Rich Rod on the Prowl By Steve Rivera When Arizona football coach Rich Rodriguez gazes out his office window at the new Lowell-Stevens Football Facility, he can see the Santa Catalina Mountains to the north, McKale Center to the east and students walking to class straight ahead. “I’ve got a beautiful view, and it’s nice and all that but most of the time I won’t be in my office just looking,” Rodriguez said. “I’m turning my head to watch film.” 164 BizTucson
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It’s about the next practice. Next play. Next down. Victory and success don’t come any easier to explain. But a room with a view is always good. It’s also nice to have a vision. Rodriguez, now in his second season at Arizona and his first few months in his new digs on the third floor of LowellStevens Football Facility, has that as he continues to rebuild Arizona’s program.
“There are challenges in recruiting no matter where you are,” Rodriguez said. “Our biggest challenge is getting guys to visit. You don’t pass through Tucson on the way to somewhere. It’s not on the regular path.” Now, as it pertains to UA football, it just might be. On the first week of the official unveiling of the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility, Rodriguez benefitted from a huge recruiting coup – getting continued on page 166 >>> www.BizTucson.com
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BizSPORTS continued from page 164 four solid recruits to say “yes” to the program for what looks like a solid future. When one – or four – come, many others follow. It could be the Pied Piper of UA football. “Not only do we have our weather, but we have our community,” Rodriguez said, adding some of the key features of Tucson for recruits. “Once we get them here we can show them how nice it is.” Word of mouth always helps as does text and/or YouTube, which today’s players use relentlessly. Today’s players are all about social media. One studentathlete tells another and he tells someone and, well, you get the picture. “We had 40-some recruits here (recently) and many treated it as a big event – and it was,” Rodriguez said. “It was something to be part of and something new.” Rodriguez said it “might have been the single best recruiting night in the history of Arizona football, to have so many kids who were offered (scholarships). It hasn’t happened here before.”
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It’s the power of having a bright, shiny new object. And Arizona has that now in the $72.3 facility that could be the beacon to recruits all over the country. Still – and realistically – Arizona isn’t Alabama or Florida or Texas. But yet, it isn’t the mid-1990s when former UA coach Dick Tomey was asking for newer facilities to help showcase Arizona’s sleeping giant. Two decades later, it’s here – or at least 25 percent of the new stadium is here, save for the addition and refurbishing the south end zone went through the last couple of years.
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Our biggest challenge is getting guys to visit. Once we get them here we can show them how nice it is.
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– Rich Rodriguez University of Arizona Football Coach
“They were going to build this whether I came here or not,” Rodriguez said. “It’s just that the timing was pretty good.” As is the multi-use facility. And yet, Rodriguez said, “it’s not over the top.” He used words like sharp and clean and “not overstated.” “You can get caught up in nice things, but you can get too country-clubish,” he said. “You can lose focus on what the main purpose of the building is – its functionality.” That’s what the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility provides. And, well, Rodriguez, a native of West Virginia, isn’t exactly country club. At least not completely. “I like country clubs, but this is a work environment, first and foremost,” he said. “That’s what the most important part of this all is.” Which leads to his favorite places in the new building – the team meeting room and the players’ lounge. “They are two rooms that have a huge purpose,” he said. “Teamwork and team fun.”
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continued from page 162 The department receives no state appropriations or student fees. All funds required for new facilities and renovations are provided through the support of ticket buyers and donors. “Under financial stress it’s important for people to understand that donor and fan involvement actually supports this incredible program and that we are not using the tuition of other students to subsidize our athletics program,” Hart said. “I was president at two universities before coming to the University of Arizona and neither one of those had athletic programs that were self sustaining,” she added. “There is huge support for the fun and spirit that athletics provides everywhere I have been. But to have a place where donors and fans create an environment where that great spirit can flourish without putting additional financial pressure on the other activities of the university is tremendous.” Donors to the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility – UA alumni David and Edith Lowell and Jeff and Sharon Stevens, among others – allow Arizona
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Athletics to take its game to the next level. She said the improvements allow for a safer environment for student-athletes. “The facility makes that fan experience wonderful,” she said. “But deep within Lowell-Stevens is a weight room and facilities that help our athletes be safe, strong and successful.” She and Byrne are committed to building not just great athletes but accomplished students. “We want them to go to class, we want them to succeed as students, we want them to graduate from the university,” Hart said. “We know that very few of them will make their living as career athletes and their experience at the University of Arizona needs to be as a student as well as an athlete.” She applauds Byrne’s no-nonsense approach to academics. His rule: if you don’t go to class, you don’t play. And it’s paying off. “One of the shining stars this year was our football program had the highest single-year academic performance rating in the Pac-12 – above Stanford, above UCLA,” Byrne said. “It’s not just graduation, it’s grade point average and
eligibility. It’s a measuring stick of how you are doing.” Hart said that Wildcat symbol unites fans around the world. Wear your Wildcat gear and you’re bound to find a kindred spirit. “Last summer one of my daughters was backpacking in the Wind River Mountains in Wyoming wearing a University of Arizona baseball cap. Above the tree line on a mountain pass walking over the snow she hears, ‘Oh my word, are you from the University of Arizona?’ You run into Wildcats everywhere,” Hart said. She is also proud of the program’s economic impact. “Athletics is a huge contributor to the economic well-being of our community, and that means a lot to us,” said Hart, who was named one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Arizona by Arizona Business Magazine. Beyond that, athletics helps build the leaders of the future. “It helps create the people they are,” she said. “Athletics contributes to the growth of our community and to the incredible future of our young people – and we are very proud of that.”
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UA Pumps Millions into the Economy By Jay Gonzales Like a quarterback flinging a football in Rich Rodriguez’s fast-paced offense, University of Arizona Athletics sends dollar signs flying all over the Tucson community in a wide variety of ways. And while there’s very little hard data to determine just how much of an economic impact athletics has on the Tucson area, there’s no doubt among those affected that the number is huge. “Arizona Athletics attracts visiting fans and their expenditures to Tucson – along with national exposure to potential visitors and corporate decisionmakers considering expanding or relocating businesses,” said Brent DeRaad, president and CEO for Visit Tucson. The impact goes beyond games, ticket sales, merchandise and hospitality. When the UA builds a facility like the $72.3 million Lowell-Stevens Football Facility, jobs are created and materials have to be purchased. UA Athletics is a growing, $60 million per year business and the Tucson community feels it in
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the wallet. “The direct spending by the athletic department impacts nearly every kind of local business,” said Laura Shaw, senior VP of corporate and community affairs for Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities. “With increased business, suppliers in turn hire new employees, purchase materials, expand space and so on.” The most visible impact seems to be related to the games. One study done by a UA student for his master’s program did provide hard data that shows how much money can come into the community when a big football game is on the schedule. Kevin Wittner, now an account manager for a Connecticut sports marketing firm, was pursuing his master’s degree at UA’s Eller College of Management when he conducted a study on one event – the 2010 UA-Iowa football game. Through surveys and ticket data, Wittner’s study determined that there
was direct visitor spending of $8.2 million in the community with a total economic impact of $13.8 million. The nationally televised game was a sellout that attracted an estimated 16,000 visitors so it was by no means the norm. But Wittner’s study went on to estimate that the 2010 football season had a total economic impact of $57.6 million, with 473 full-time jobs created. The important thing about those dollar figures, Wittner said, is that games like that bring in “new money.” It doesn’t just move it from one wallet to another within the community. “I do think it’s important to call out the difference between displaced money and new money,” Wittner said. “What’s unique about college athletics is the travel element. That brings new dollars into a city. That’s what we were tracking. “There were people who made a whole week out of (the Iowa game).
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They spent a couple of thousand dollars on food and lodging just because there was a game going on.” Mark Van Buren, GM of Tucson Marriott University Park just west of campus, has vivid memories of the spending that was taking place that week – not only at his hotel but the surrounding businesses and all over town. “That game had more significance for us than any game since I’ve been here,” said Van Buren, who has been at the Marriott since 2008. “(Iowa fans) came in early and they were spending money all over. They went to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. They went downtown. They went shopping.” But Van Buren adds there’s a misconception that football is the only sport that generates revenue for the community. He points out, as did DeRaad from Visit Tucson, that UA Athletics brings in visitors throughout the year and benefits go on outside of the games themselves. “The rest of the sports – from swimming to women’s soccer and volleyball – spend money in my hotel, but they go eat meals outside the hotel,” Van Buren said. “It’s something I think a lot of locals don’t think about – how much
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money these teams spend. Everyone thinks it’s all football or basketball, and it’s really not.”
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The direct spending by the athletic department impacts nearly every kind of local business.
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– Laura Shaw, Senior VP, Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities
DeRaad said the Wildcats’ baseball national championship last year may have generated interest from teams for the Babe Ruth Pacific Southwest Regional youth baseball tournament that was held at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson this summer. “To get a chance to visit where the national champions are located definitely increased the interest,” DeRaad
said. “In going after the event, we referenced that we’re the home of the NCAA champions, and the regional director was saying this was a great opportunity for their event.” And with an event like that come family, friends, fans and dollars. The Babe Ruth tournament attracted eight teams from California, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii and Guam along with two representatives from Tucson. “Team Guam was in town on Sunday and they started their games the next Saturday,” DeRaad said. “Would they have come anyway? I don’t know. But I can say that the University of Arizona’s national profile makes it much easier to attract high-level youth and amateur sports events to Tucson.” That’s a point that Wittner agrees with after delving so deeply into the issue. “I think athletics help to market the university and the city,” Wittner said. “It’s a rallying point that gives a sense of belonging to the students. On top of that, if there’s a direct economic benefit, which in this case I believe there is, that’s icing on the cake.”
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Paying for Lowell-Stevens By Jay Gonzales
When the University of Arizona approved construction of the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility at Arizona Stadium, it was like buying a new house – a $72.3 million house. Headlines were made when two donors pledged a combined $23 million for the facility, which allowed the Athletics Department to go to the school’s administration and the Arizona Board of Regents to get approval for construction of the football team’s new home. But the financial reality is the UA is a long way from paying off the project which, like a standard home mortgage, will take 30 years under bonds that were issued to cover the difference between the amount that was contributed and the balance of the cost. “It’s the same thing as buying a house,” said John Perrin, senior associate director of athletics for business operations. “The actual payment is about $3.35 million a year for 30 years.” Of the $23 million pledged to the project by David and Edith Lowell and Jeff and Sharon Stevens, $16 million was used as a down payment on the debt and allowed the UA to issue the bonds. The UA was left with a balance of $56.7 million which it is paying through the bonds at an average interest rate of 4.2 percent. Perrin said the challenge is in managing the debt like the average homeowner manages a mortgage. Revenues must keep coming in to meet all the department’s obligations, including student-athlete expenses, salaries, debt and everything else that makes up the nearly $60 million annual budget. “I think we do a really good job of looking down the road to make sure we can always pay for our debt service,” said Perrin, who has been at the UA for 34 years and is working under his fourth director of athletics in Greg Byrne. 170 BizTucson
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“We’re very confident that the system we use, the way we go about our fundraising, allows us to take care of our debt service each year without putting additional burden on the university.” Handling the debt didn’t go quite as smoothly for the UA in the last major addition to Arizona Stadium, the press box and skyboxes built in the late 1980s. Skybox sales didn’t go as expected, but after a refinancing and with improved sales, the debt is well under control, Perrin said.
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We’re very confident that the system we use, the way we go about our fundraising, allows us to take care of our debt service each year without putting additional burden on the university.
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– John Perrin Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Business Operations University of Arizona
“At the time we built those, we were thinking we could sell (the skyboxes) for $25,000 a year,” Perrin recalled. “If we had done that, we could have covered the debt service. But we didn’t sell all of them. The revenue we’re generating off the boxes now certainly covers the debt service.” Perrin said there is $3.6 million that remains to pay off the cost with annu-
al payments of $263,000. The debt is scheduled to be paid off in 2030. When a project like Lowell-Stevens comes along, a couple of line items go on the UA budget – one for the debt and one for the funds to cover the debt, Perrin said. In the case of Lowell-Stevens, the $3.35 million annual payment is offset by the pledges that have come in and that are expected to keep coming in. To begin, there was $7 million in pledges remaining from the Lowells’ and Stevens’ donations. The project got another major gift when Louis “Buzz” Sands pledged $2 million in cash and another $8 million over time to the facility. Sands has his name on the indoor club that is accessible to fans who purchase club seats. Perrin said ongoing fundraising will have to support the bond payments. “What it means is our development folks have to raise that much money each and every year,” Perrin said. “When we built the Eddie Lynch Pavilion (at McKale Center), it wasn’t just the people whose names were on the building who gave money to that. We had several hundred donors contribute to that project.” And the department is about to start all over again as it embarks on an $80 million project to renovate 40-year-old McKale Center. “You have to have a list of facility priorities and the first one was doing the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility,” said Byrne, who is now UA VP for Athletics. “It was the most significant project for us since the opening of McKale in 1973. We successfully completed Lowell-Stevens and now we’re going to try to tackle McKale – which will be the second most significant project in the last 40 years – all in a very short time frame.”
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Investing in the Wildcat Movement PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ARIZONA ATHLETICS
By Jay Gonzales
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BizSPORTS As a player on a national champion Arizona Wildcats softball team, Erika Hanson Barnes believed in Coach Mike Candrea’s approach – achieving a singular, all-encompassing goal like winning a national championship would bring with it other desired benefits, such as All-America honors for individuals. As a fundraiser now for the UA’s athletic department, Barnes said that same approach applies when it comes to bringing in the millions of dollars it takes to keep the Wildcats’ athletic program in the black, and to support projects like the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility and the planned renovation of McKale Center. “(Candrea) always used to say if we all have one common goal in mind – to win a national championship – the individual accolades are going to come,” said Barnes, senior associate athletics director for administration and major gifts. “I have the same approach with fundraising. If we are capturing (donor) interests, if we’re doing all the things to get to the goal of 12,000 Wildcat Club members, the major gifts will come.” And they did come when the UA needed to raise the funds to support the $72.3 million Arizona Stadium project. To get the project off the ground, the Development Office and Wildcat Club – the fundraising arm of Athletics – pulled in $23 million in cash from two donors, David and Edith Lowell, and Jeff and Sharon Stevens. It was a monumental task in tough economic times. And when it was done there was more work ahead in the ongoing Wildcat Movement – the effort to assemble 12,000 members of the Wildcat Club that Barnes and her fundraising teammates believe will lead them to the dollars they need to raise annually. To be a member of the Wildcat Club, a donor gives a minimum of $100 through any one of a number of avenues. Scott Shake, senior associate athletics director in the Development Office, said the Wildcat Movement is less about how much members give and more about how many give because once a donor begins giving, the likelihood that their donations will increase over time is high. “The key is to bring people in, get them started and connected and engaged,” said Shake, who is in his 24th www.BizTucson.com
year at the UA. “If you broaden your base, over time you build relationships and cultivate them, and a few years down the road they might become more successful in their careers and they might give more.” Make no mistake – giving in even the smallest amounts is critical to the revenues of the athletic department, not any different from ticket and merchandise sales. When revenue projections are put into the nearly $60 million annual budget, there is an amount that fundraisers must raise to pay the bills, Barnes said. For the 2012 fiscal year, they were responsible for raising $4.5 million in major gifts and another $10.1 million in annual giving. They hit both goals.
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We’re affecting and changing the lives of studentathletes. You’re helping young people get their college degrees and change their lives.
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– Scott Shake Senior Associate Director of Athletics University of Arizona
But it’s not as simple as getting to those numbers with every gift that comes to athletics. The fundraising number comes with some strings attached. When multi-million dollar gifts come in, like those that launched the stadium project or the $10 million that came later from another donor, Louis “Buzz” Sands, they don’t count toward the annual fundraising goal. They are considered “mega gifts” that are “extraordinary and inconsistent,” Shake said, and usually are earmarked for projects such as renovations. The $4.5 million that had to be raised in 2012 was made up of donations between $5,000 and $500,000. Everything under $5,000 fell into the $10.1 million annual-giving bucket, which is why fundraisers stress the notion that every dollar counts.
“That $10.1 million is a huge number,” Shake said. “That’s why those (smaller donations) matter.” And there’s nothing like success on the field or on the court to give fundraising a boost. “When we launched the Wildcat Movement the day after we beat Duke (in the 2011 NCAA Sweet 16), our numbers were some of the biggest numbers we’ve seen because it surrounded what I call a ‘big moment,’ ” said Phoebe Chalk Wadsworth, a Tucson native, UA alum and associate athletics director for major gifts. “We saw it after we won the College World Series.” Athletic success can result in alumni who are getting rich in professional sports, which can bring in dollars. But the fundraisers recognize that there’s generally a waiting period before ultrarich athletes make eye-popping donations like the one former UA basketball player Richard Jefferson made when he put up $3.5 million for the practice facility that bears his name. “Research shows that major-gift charitable giving correlates much more with age than it does with net worth,” Shake said, pointing out that the percentage of former athletes who give to the department is slightly more than the percentage of alumni who give to the university – 7 percent compared to 6 percent. “What Richard Jefferson did was a true anomaly,” he added. “It’s incredibly unusual at that age to do what he did. It’s unfair to expect other young people to do that. Most of your mega gifts happen when people are 60 years or older. That’s true around the country.” And, Shake points out, the Lowells are former UA athletes, as is Eddie Lynch, who gave millions to what is now the Eddie Lynch Pavilion at McKale Center. But beyond the wins and losses, the excitement at the stadium, the television exposure and the millions of dollars involved, the priority remains the student-athletes in the 20 varsity sports who benefit from the program. “One of the messages we’ve done a better job of communicating consistently is how we’re affecting and changing the lives of student-athletes,” Shake said. “You’re helping young people get their college degrees and change their lives.” Biz Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 173
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Renovations to McKale and Beyond By Steve Rivera ties. And we’ve got the greatest softball coach (Mike Candrea) here at Arizona. We want to make sure he’s got the support behind him, where we’re back to contending for national championships.”
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Every day you need to improve who you are.
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– Greg Byrne VP for Athletics University of Arizona
Byrne said Arizona “wasn’t as aggressive as we needed to be” when it came to improving facilities, saying his department-wide facilities “wish list” has $300 million in improvements that he could justify if the money was available.
Byrne said he would like to improve the women’s soccer facility (Murphy Stadium), the track and tennis facilities, and facilities for men’s and women’s golf, among other sports. There’s the $80 million needed to remodel and upgrade McKale Center. And there is also about $56 million needed to pay off the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility, as well as other necessary improvements to the football stadium. What Byrne doesn’t want to happen – and it’s happened too often recently – is for student-athletes to continue to fly over Tucson to get somewhere else, Texas, Oklahoma and other destinations. Byrne said he wants the best athletes in the west to “put the anchor down here.” Key to getting the UA back to being one of the top 10 athletic programs in the nation are passionate fans who are willing to support the renovation and creation of top-notch facilities. “When it comes to facilities, I go to bed thinking about it and I wake up thinking about it,” Byrne said.
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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ARIZONA ATHLETICS
It’s not that the University of Arizona has an identity crisis. Far from it, in fact. The men’s basketball team continues to be one of the better programs under Coach Sean Miller. The Wildcats have been to the Elite Eight and Sweet 16 during Miller’s five years in Tucson. The UA men’s and women’s swim teams are among the top 10 in the nation as are the men’s and women’s track teams. Softball is still considered one of the elite programs. While Arizona Athletics has taken a significant step with the creation of the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility, other improvements are needed. And in the mind of UA VP for Athletics Greg Byrne, there is no room for complacency. “Every day you need to improve who you are,” Byrne said, pointing out that Hillenbrand Stadium, where the Wildcats play softball, was one of the best facilities in the nation when it was built 20 years ago “It’s not anymore,” Byrne said. “Our softball program has been strong through the years. It’s one of our identi-
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BizHONORS
Celebrating Outstanding Hispanic Leaders Articles By Romi Carrell Wittman The 19th annual Noche de Exitos Gala and Bi-National Awards celebrates the achievements of Southern Arizona and Mexico’s outstanding business and community leaders on Oct. 26. The event at the Casino Del Sol Resort and Convention Center is presented by the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “We are proud to celebrate the accomplishments of the business community, as well as bi-national and bi-cultural programs in Southern Arizona and Mexico,” said Lea Márquez-Peterson, THCC president and CEO. This year THCC recognizes several individuals who have made significant contributions to the Hispanic community. The 2013 Honorees include:
• Hispanic Business Man of the Year –
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Ricardo Cazares, owner of Los Portales Restaurant and Alejandro’s Tortilla Factory – See article on p.180
• Hispanic Business Woman of the Year – Cecilia Mata, owner of AllSource Global Management – See article on p.181
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• Legacy Award – Boris Kozolchyk, executive director and founder of the National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade. Kozolchyk has been a strong advocate for the Hispanic community and has increased awareness
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and understanding among the broader community of the importance of our region’s bicultural and bilingual heritage and future.
• Southern Arizona Corporation of the Year – Century Link. According to the THCC, CenturyLink has been a leader in serving the Hispanic market, and serving as an example of the benefits of bicultural, bilingual enterprise.
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• Mexican Corporation of the Year – El Imparcial Newspaper. Founded in 1937, El Imparcial publishes the newspapers El Imparcial Hermosillo and Mexicali Chronicle Tijuana Border.
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6 La Estrella Award – Larry Lucero, se-
nior director of government and external affairs at UNS Energy Corporation. He is also president of the ArizonaMexico Commission, an organization that facilitates an open dialogue between local, tribal, state and federal stakeholders on important bilateral issues in the Arizona-Sonora region.
• Public Servant of the Year – Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson. Kicanas is recognized for his substantial contribution to Hispanic youth leadership, improving Mexico-Arizona relations, as well as his work serving the special needs of native Spanish speakers.
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• the Year – Iveth Dagnino de Padrés, the first lady of Sonora, Mexico. She is president of the statewide office on integral family development and has made significant contributions to the Sonoran community.
8 Mexican Public Servant of
19th Annual Noche de Exitos Gala and Bi-National Awards
Presented by Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Saturday, Oct. 26 Casino Del Sol Resort and Convention Center 5655 W. Valencia Road
Founded in 1989, THCC’s mission is to be an advocate for Hispanic-owned business, as well as to provide these businesses with services that foster growth. THCC also helps the Southern Arizona business community identify and realize international business opportunities with Mexico. THCC has offices in Tucson and Hermosillo.
6 p.m. Reception & silent auction 7:30 p.m. Dinner & entertainment $125 per person (520) 620-0005 www.tucsonhispanicchamber.org 4
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2013 Hispanic Business Man of the Year
Ricardo Cazares
Ricardo Cazares is a true Southern Arizona native son. And a very successful entrepreneur. He is the 2013 Hispanic Business Man of the Year, chosen by the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He’ll be honored at the 19th annual Noche de Exitos Gala and Bi-National Awards on Oct. 26. He started out with a small idea based on a basic traditional food – tortillas. He opened Alejandro’s Tortilla Company in 1985 with just eight employees, whose job it was to make and stretch tortillas by hand. Since that time, the business has flourished. Today it has 85 employees and distributes tortillas and other products to several grocery store chains, including Fry’s Food Stores, Safeway, Al180 BizTucson
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bertsons, Bashas’ and Food City, as well as Walmart stores in Tucson and Phoenix. The South 12th Avenue Alejandro’s grocery location also offers baked goods and a carneceria. Cazares branched out into several other businesses including the popular Los Portales restaurant, which he opened in 2007 in the space formerly occupied by Las Cazuelitas. Today Los Portales employs 28 people at its location on south Sixth Avenue. Born in Douglas, Ariz., Cazares attended Sunnyside High School. He later married Lorena, his wife of 35 years, and together they raised a family of three children. Along the way, Lorena has been instrumental in the success of Cazares’ businesses. His strong reputation for giving back
PHOTO: COURTESY TUCSON HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
BizHONORS
to the community, as well as his success as an entrepreneur, drew the attention of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “Ricardo Cazares was selected because he exemplifies the strength and importance of Hispanic entrepreneurship, organizational management and community leadership,” said Lea Márquez-Peterson, THCC president and CEO. Each year the Hispanic Business Man of the Year is awarded to an outstanding Hispanic businessman operating a business of any size located or headquartered in Southern Arizona.
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PHOTO: COURTESY TUCSON HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
BizHONORS
2013 Hispanic Business Woman of the Year
Cecilia Mata
Cecilia Mata, founder and owner of AllSource Global Management, is the 2013 Hispanic Business Woman of the Year, chosen by the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She’ll be honored at the 19th annual Noche de Exitos Gala and Bi-National Awards on Oct. 26. “Cecilia exemplifies the strength and importance of Hispanic entrepreneurship, organizational management and community leadership,” said Lea Márquez-Peterson, president and CEO of the THCC. Born and raised in the Republic of Panama, Mata came to the United States in 2000. Fluent in English, Spanish and Chinese, Mata has nearly 30 years of experience in business, contracting and consulting, working with www.BizTucson.com
multi-national companies headquartered in the United States, England, Switzerland and Panama. In Arizona, she worked for University of Arizona South and Cochise County Workforce Development before founding AGM in 2005. Headquartered in Sierra Vista, AGM provides a number of technical defense-related products and services to state and federal government agencies, private enterprise and nonprofit organizations in Arizona, Florida, Kentucky and Texas. AGM employs nearly 300. In 2010, Mata, along with Kendra Bergman, also founded Global Eagle Security, a provider of unarmed and armed guard services. This firm has offices in Arizona and Nevada.
Mata has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Universidad Santa Maria la Antigua and a master’s in business administration from the Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Mata is devoted to the community and has served on a number of boards and commissions, including Team Cochise and the University South Foundation. She has been included in Forbes magazine’s Arizona Women in Business and Western United States Women in Business. The THCC Hispanic Business Woman of the Year is awarded to an outstanding Hispanic business woman operating a business of any size located or headquartered in Southern Arizona.
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BizCULTURE
Kitt Peak Tohono O’Odham Craft Fair Since it opened in 1964, the Kitt Peak Visitor Center has spent more than $2 million purchasing crafts from Tohono O’odham artists – a tradition that continues today. Now the visitor center is hosting its first craft fair to promote artists of the nation and crafts that are unique to the Tohono O’odham people. More than 30 artists will sell their basketry, pottery, jewelry, paintings and other crafts directly to the public at the outdoor event on Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Food vendors serving traditional specialties also will be at the fair. At an elevation of 6,875 feet, Kitt Peak National Observatory is located 56 miles southwest of Tucson on Tohono O’odham tribal land. For more information call (520) 318-8726 or visit www.noao.edu/outreach/kpvc/craft-fair.php
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PHOTO: CARTER ALLEN
BizENTREPRENEUR Chris Edwards Owner Tucson Appliance Company
The Son Also Rises By Christy Krueger When a Tucson business sells more than a hundred appliances each day, it must be doing something right. For Tucson Appliance Company, a number of strategies implemented by its founder and his successor contribute to its success, according to Chris Edwards, who took over the business from his father, Bill Edwards. In 1968, Bill opened Bedco Distributing, selling evaporative coolers, motors and appliances. Chris was working at Bill’s side at age 13. He remembers his father doing very well for years – until going bankrupt in 1987. Six years later, Bill purchased the appliance repair division of the company he was working for and business took off again. “He recruited me to come back to work for him,” said Chris, who was working at Cactus Moon, a local nightclub that later closed. “I was learning about service, answered calls and did deliveries and installation. Then Dad had an idea to refurbish appliances and sell them – so we did.” As the company grew during the 1990s, Chris became more 184 BizTucson
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involved in business decisions. One of those was talking his dad into trying broadcast advertising. “My dad was of the old ways,” Edwards said. “He did bland print ads. I convinced him in ‘97 to go on TV.” Edwards believes TV advertising should do two things – be memorable and make sure viewers know what is being sold. He said he learned that from Jim Click, a man he has long looked up to as a model businessman. He also believes in spending money to make money. “We pay to be noticed,” he said. Edwards has certainly been noticed in the TV spots – dressing up in costumes ranging from the Hulk to tennis player John McEnroe. “I never took acting, I wasn’t the class clown and I never imagined I’d do it,” he said. But he felt the new direction in advertising was a positive one as business picked up, particularly in the scratch-and-dent retail area. Eventually the father and son added an air conditioning division, a furniture store and TWS Premium Appliance Center, which offers high-end appliances. In all, the company encomcontinued on page 186 >>>
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BizENTREPRENEUR continued from page 184 passes more than an acre of space at 4229 E. Speedway Blvd. “We sell reconditioned appliances, scratch-and-dent, new and high-end appliances. Most appliance stores don’t do all these,” Edwards said. “We cater to apartment complexes and do 80 percent of the apartments in town – in replacements. We deliver hundreds of appliances every day all over Southern Arizona.” While the company works with a number of property managers and rental companies, one of its largest customers is HSL Properties. “We do all of Humberto Lopez’s properties. Relationships in Tucson are a huge part of our success,” Edwards said. That extends outside the business end of his dealings to include charitable activities in the community, such as making donations to homeless shelters, churches and schools, and giving back through civic organizations. Edwards is a member of Rotary Club, Business Information Club and Tucson Conquistadores. He frequently refers to his father, who died in 2010, as his best teacher and mentor. “My dad learned in ’87 to put away (money) because the economy is a cycle and you want to be ready,” Edwards said. “This recession is taking longer to get out of. He was smart to teach me to pay off debt. My dream was to be an entrepreneur like my dad was – and I’m living it now.” Buying local is another priority he learned from his father – and Edwards believes it’s a two-way street. The customer gets more personalized service buying from him than at the big-box stores, which he considers his competition. And “all profits are spent here, taxes are paid in Tucson. I’ve been in Tucson my whole life. I buy as local as I can at every given moment. My employees and family know I feel that way.” Edwards also credits his wife for his success. “If it weren’t for my wife, Cynthia, I would not be where I am today. She is the perfect wife.” The mother of Corbin, 12, and Cammrynn, 10, she volunteers at Desert Christian Schools, “making sure our wonderful children are getting a great education.”
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From left – “Little” Brother David Roberts “Big” Brother Peter Backus
PHOTO: KRIS HANNING
BizMILESTONE
Celebrating 50 Years of Mentoring By Romi Carrell Wittman It was the late 1970s, and Peter Backus had just returned to Tucson after living in California. He didn’t know what he was going to do – but he knew he was going to do it in Tucson. While driving around one day, a sign caught his eye. It was a billboard seeking volunteers for the Big Brothers program. Backus, who today owns and operates Backus Realty, liked teaching kids and was missing his 8-year-old daughter, who lived in California with her mother. He applied to be a Big Brother and soon was paired with his “Little” – David Roberts, an 8-year-old boy who had lost his father to a mining accident years before. And so began a relationship that has spanned 34 years. Roberts still remembers the day he was “matched” with Backus. “Pete took me to Swenson’s for ice cream,” Roberts said. “I don’t think I let him say one word. I was so excited to meet him and have him in my life.” 188 BizTucson
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Roberts had told the staff at Big Brothers – which later became Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson – that he loved to go camping, hunting and horseback riding – even though, in reality, he’d never done any of those things. “I said it because my dad liked to do those things – and I wanted to be like my dad,” he said. Backus taught Roberts how to do all of those things and more. Yet more importantly, Backus was a source of encouragement and a positive influence over the years. “I lacked self-confidence,” Roberts said. “He would always say, ‘You don’t know if you don’t try.’ And that was just huge for me.” Backus enjoyed seeing their relationship grow over the years. “Our relationship now is just as strong today as it was in 1979,” said Backus, who attended Roberts’ college graduation and wedding. “Dave and
his family came up to visit us in Idaho. He’s married now with two kids – and I’m Uncle Pete. Being a ‘Big’ turned out to be more than just sitting down and saying you need to be studying this and passing that test. It became more of a real family.” When asked why he’s so passionate about the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson, Backus said, “These kids are looking for direction. If they can’t find it, they go in any direction.” BBBS in Tucson has dedicated itself to providing at-risk kids with that guidance and support for 50 years. In October, it will celebrate the milestone with a formal gala. (See sidebar) Over the years, BBBS has provided one-on-one mentoring to more than 10,000 local children. Currently, it serves 500, mostly boys – with another 125 on the waiting list. Nationally, Big Brothers began in 1904 in New York City. Big Brothers of Tucson was founded in Tucson in 1963, www.BizTucson.com
followed by Big Sisters of Tucson. The two organizations merged in 1981. It’s easy to see how the kids and the adults benefit from the program. What’s not as obvious are the huge benefits to the community. When kids are engaged, they stay off drugs and out of trouble – and that means less crime. Better still, when kids stay in school and reach their full potential, they become tomorrow’s community leaders. “It’s an incredibly successful model for children and changing behavior,” said Joe Kroeger, past board chair of BBBS and partner in the law firm Snell & Wilmer. According to a nationwide study conducted by BBBS, children participating in the program benefit in a multitude of ways. The study found that children in the program for at least 18 months were 46 percent less likely to use drugs, 27 percent less likely to use alcohol and 52 percent less likely to skip school. Perhaps most importantly, the study showed the Littles were more confident in themselves and in their schoolwork and reported getting along better with their families. As a onetime Little, Roberts agrees with those findings. “Bigs are encouraging them to have self-confidence and the courage to try just by being present in their lives,” he said. “And that’s the tipping point. We’ve all gone through school and we all see those kids who fall by the wayside – and you wonder what happened to them. It’s lack of a positive influence in their lives. It’s that influential, positive, caring person in your life that helps you recognize that you’re worth it.”
The local BBBS organization is at something of a crossroads. To continue serving the community’s children, it needs to grow – both in terms of volunteers serving as mentors and in capital. “We have a critical need for volunteers – particularly men,” said Jake Walker, current board chair and president of BBBS and president of CP Graphics. “And we want to expand and reach even more children. That takes not only volunteers, but capital.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson 50th Anniversary Gala Saturday, Oct. 5 Casino Del Sol Hotel and Resort 5655 W. Valencia Road 5:30 p.m. Cocktails & silent auction 7:30 p.m. Dinner followed by dancing $150 per person $1,500 for a table of 10 Call Diana Miranda at (520) 624-2447 Or order online at www.tucsonbigs.org
John Gibson, board vice chair, chair elect of BBBS and area president of Wells Fargo in Southern Arizona, added that expanded facilities and staffing are necessary. The organization is running a capital campaign with a fundraising goal of $400,000. To date, it’s halfway toward reaching that goal. Marie Logan, CEO of BBBS, said renovation is critical in order to address
mechanical and other issues with the building. “We own our building downtown,” she said. “We don’t have a mortgage on it – but if we can’t raise the funds, we’ll have to take out a mortgage. And that will take away from other things we could be doing.” Walker said, “We would like to see the building more representative of what we’re doing,” he said. “It needs a face lift, a cleanup, to provide a nice environment for matches to meet up.” Logan is hopeful the funds will be raised and that BBBS can raise additional funds to support expanded staffing and programs. “Our staff is made of degreed professionals. They oversee all the matches,” she said. “We currently serve 500 children, but we should be serving more.” Gibson hopes the people of Southern Arizona will recognize the value of BBBS and give time and money to assist the organization and the children it serves. Each Big/Little pairing is closely monitored by a BBBS staff person. The Big and Little meet at BBBS downtown office periodically to check in and report back on how things are going. Bigs volunteer at least an hour or two each week on average. “I just think the biggest piece is reinforcing one-on-one mentorships,” Gibson said. “We’re blessed to have many organizations here in Tucson that impact kids and support youth and education. But Big Brothers Big Sisters is the only one that provides one-on-one mentorship – and that is just so important.”
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PHOTOS: KRIS HANNING
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It’s an incredibly successful model for children and changing behavior. Jake Walker, Chair (left) Joe Kroeger, Past Chair (right) www.BizTucson.com
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– Joe Kroeger Past Board Chair Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson
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BizMEDICINE Cutting the ribbon are PHOTO: COURTESY VENTANA MEDICAL SYSTEMS
Ventana Medical Systems CEO & President Mara Aspinall (left) and Tucson Medical Center President & CEO Judy Rich.
‘Lab of the Future’ at TMC By Sheryl Kornman A $535,000 upgrade to Tucson Medical Center’s onsite pathology laboratory includes state-of-the-art diagnostic and tracking technology developed in Tucson by Ventana Medical Systems. The upgrade is aimed at improving patient diagnoses and outcomes. TMC President and CEO Judy Rich said the new technology will enable the hospital to provide “earlier and better diagnosis” to patients with a range of medical challenges, including cancer. “We’re optimistic that patients who get cancer in the future will get the best possible treatment with the best possible outcome,” said TMC Board of Trustees Chair Louise L. Francesconi. “This is the most sophisticated (system) in the world.” The half-million-dollar capital investment includes Ventana Medical’s Ultra Advanced Staining Instrument, Benchmark Special Stainer, digital pathology scanner with Virtuoso Image and workflow management software. The package also includes Vantage Patient Tracking Solution software. The Ventana equipment automation and cancer diagnostictesting technology is designed to deliver personalized health care with the highest degree of accuracy. Ventana Medical Systems CEO and President Mara Aspinall said, “We’ve implemented at TMC what we call the ‘Lab of the Future’ – meaning we’ve connected multiple state-ofthe-art technologies for the best patient results.” The array of new equipment, built by Ventana Medical Systems, a member of the Roche Group, was installed in February and unveiled at a ribbon cutting in June. The nonprofit regional hospital has provided healthcare for more than 65 years and is licensed for 629 beds. “Everything we do is for our patient care,” said pathologist Dr. George Wilcox, medical director of the TMC lab. He’s happy for TMC to partner with Ventana Medical. He trained in pathology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine 190 BizTucson
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under Dr. Tom Grogan, the pathologist who founded Ventana Medical Systems. “When it came to upgrading (TMC’s lab), Ventana was the obvious choice,” Wilcox said. “There’s a level of trust. Dr. Grogan is one of the best pathologists I’ve ever been in contact with.” As part of the package, Ventana is providing onsite and online training plus ongoing technical support to TMC’s lab staff. The TMC pathology laboratory handles up to 1,000 samples a day, said Kirby Eckert, the lab’s histology supervisor. Jeff Parker is account manager of the Ventana-TMC collaboration. He said Ventana Medical’s new technology enables TMC to know that “each patient’s tissue that enters the lab is safely identified, tracked and stained to assure the highest quality and most secure diagnosis available.” TMC’s new computerized patient-tracking system makes it easier for laboratory staff to track all patient lab data throughout a patient’s diagnosis and course of treatment. It includes technology that makes digital images available simultaneously to all physicians involved in a patient’s care, as well as to medical consultants around the world. Parker said TMC has invested in instruments and technologies that not only shorten patient wait times for diagnosis but also assure that each test gets the highest level of quality testing available. Also, with Ventana’s Digital Pathology technology, the lab now “can utilize the latest in breast cancer algorithms to make a faster and more precise diagnosis,” Parker said. “When a patient is waiting to hear whether or not the tissue biopsy is cancerous, minutes can feel like days.” Aspinall said Ventana Medical’s goal is to advance the practice of pathology by demonstrating the value of diagnostics in delivering personalized healthcare. A key part of Ventana Medical’s business is enhancing cancer diagnosis. “To hear www.BizTucson.com
those words: ‘You have cancer’… We can’t always give (patients) good news – but we can give them the most accurate news quickly. Our mission is to improve the lives of all patients afflicted with cancer.” Eckert said the new Ventana specimen tracking software system captures a specimen as soon as it comes into the lab and tracks it throughout the diagnostic process, from preparation to storage. The new system enables TMC to keep specimens longer. The TMC lab handles a range of diagnostic challenges from a routine gallbladder or appendix specimen to cancerous tissue biopsies and heart tissue and bone analysis, with technicians looking for structural abnormalities that enable physicians and surgeons to determine a personalized course of treatment, Eckert said. Sanjay Timbadia, the lab’s manager of technical services, said the lab staff works in chemistry, hematology, histology, microbiology and cytology, and with the hospital’s blood bank. The lab has four pathologists on staff. TMC Director of Laboratory Services John Allen said he “loves the way the collaboration worked between Ventana Medical and TMC. We upgraded ourselves instantly by doing this.” The Journal of Histotechnology recently reported on the risk of errors in tissue biopsy processing using a global test of contamination of tissue samples developed for this challenge by Ventana Medical Systems. The Stainer Bath Cross Contamination Challenge involved 70 pathology labs from six countries in three continents. Each lab reported some tissue contamination. Ventana provides histology staining technology that replaces tissue batch dip-and-dunk staining with an automated system in which each slide is stained by itself, with no sharing of reagent through stainer “baths.” The report in Histotechnology cited the benefit of the Ventana SYMPHONY system. It said Ventana’s automated, individualized histology processing technology can minimize error. Ventana Medical Systems is the top provider of anatomic pathology and histology staining equipment in the world, according to Jacqueline Bucher, Ventana’s senior director of corporate communications. The pioneering company “innovates and manufactures instruments and reagents that automate tissue processing and slide staining for cancer diagnostics,” she said in a statement. “It also provides integrated staining, workflow management platforms and digital pathology solutions to reduce errors, support diagnosis and inform treatment decisions for anatomic pathology professionals.” Ventana Medical’s Parker said the company recognizes that some of its own employees and their family members are served by Tucson Medical Center, the largest community hospital in Tucson. “Ventana felt there was a duty to its employees and the community at large to make the needed changes through this partnership with TMC.” He said the freshly equipped Anatomic Pathology Laboratory also will help the hospital’s bottom line. It now enables TMC to bring some testing in house that previously was sent to outside reference laboratories. TMC’s launched a comprehensive redevelopment project that began in 2009, cost $134 million dollars and culminated in May with the opening of its new four-story 200,000-squarefoot orthopaedic and surgical tower.
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PHOTO: BRENT G. MATHIS
BizLEADERSHIP
Satish I. Hiremath Mayor, Town of Oro Valley
Small Town Big on Accomplishments By Pamela Doherty Oro Valley is located three miles north of the Tucson city limits, covers 34 square miles and is home to approximately 41,000 people. Forty-three percent of the residents are retired and 20 percent are K-12 students. But statistics do not begin to tell the story of this small town that’s big on getting things done. Much of Oro Valley’s current vigor is attributed to its mayor – Satish I. Hiremath – elected in 2010. Hiremath is described as a leader with a magnetic personality, a clear vision, dogged deter-
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mination and a penchant for results. Plus, “he bleeds Oro Valley,” said Town Councilmember Mary Snider. “He is very dedicated to our community.” In addition to serving as mayor, Hiremath is a dentist, with an active practice in Oro Valley since he migrated there from Michigan 20 years ago. He’s also the father of four children. Which begs the question – why run for office? “In 2007 I saw many of my patients losing their jobs as the economy declined,” said Hiremath. “It became ob-
vious to me that, rather than being controlled by what happens at the state and federal levels, local government needs to have more capacity and more control over its own destiny.” Thus began Hiremath’s quest to get elected to the town’s top spot and, after many years of volunteer community service, to work in an official capacity to shape the future of the place he loves. When asked about the accomplishments of his administration, Hiremath speaks passionately about success – and continued on page 193 >>>
continued from page 192 the reasons for it. Foremost in his mind is the value of regional collaboration. “We have an expanded view of the community. It’s not defined by lines on a map,” he said. According to Hiremath, Oro Valley has developed strong partnerships with neighboring jurisdictions – in addition to the governor’s office – which allows for collective problem solving. “The economic collapse requires us to use more creativity and engage in increased cooperation because there is just not enough money to go around,” he said. In 2012 Hiremath finished his term as chair of the Regional Transportation Authority, the corporation that oversees the 20-year $2.1 billion plan favored by voters in 2006. He considers the start of construction of the Sun Link streetcar system in downtown Tucson as a highpoint during his tenure. “This will have a significant impact on the region,” he said of the oft-criticized project. “It is a vital piece of the puzzle for the City of Tucson. We have mutual respect and we have lent our support,” Hiremath said. “If it is important to another jurisdiction, it is important to us,” he added. Hiremath continues as a member of the RTA, and was recently appointed to the Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee. He also has served as chair of the Pima Association of Governments and president of the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance. Hiremath’s aim to forge ties with other municipalities has resulted in several victories for the mayor and for the town itself. These include partnering with the City of Tucson for the delivery of Central Arizona Project water, with the RTA to launch the Sun Shuttle Dial-a-Ride service, incorporating local service into the larger regional transit system, and with Pima County to assume management of the town’s library. Oro Valley has a council-manager form of government, and Hiremath acknowledges the work of the six-member Town Council. He readily tips his hat to Town Manager Greg Caton, who assumed his post in April 2012. “He is really sharp,” Hiremath said of Caton. “Mark my words – he will have a significant impact on this region.” www.BizTucson.com
The Town of Oro Valley ended its last fiscal year in the black, and in 2012 reinstated a 2.5 percent cost-of-living increase for its employees. It has 36 percent more in its reserve fund than what is required. There have been bumps in the road and hotly contested issues. The library’s transition to a branch of the county system was a source of fierce debate, as some residents were loath to relinquish control, anticipating detrimental effects on the community resource. “The mayor listens to all points of view and we (council members) all have equal say in policy,” said Snider. “But he will insist on taking us in a particular direction when he knows it’s in the best interest of the community.” Snider added that the library now has extended hours of operation and enhanced services. Pima County’s oversight saves the town approximately $600,000 a year. Hiremath said, “The chronic naysayers will always exist. But we still have to make unpopular decisions when it’s the right thing to do. If you can persevere through the criticism you will come out
“Healthy growth is not a progression where we begin as one thing and end up as something else entirely. Nor is growth measured by just one or two indicators. Healthy growth is the development and maturation of a community, from root to tip. “Too often we see communities that pour their resources into one focus area while another area crumbles away. “The Town of Oro Valley has taken great care to ensure that its roots and core values are nourished and maintained so that we are well-positioned for the opportunities that lie ahead. “As a result, we’ve developed a strong framework for this year’s successes and our vision for the future. “Those successes include the Oro Valley Aquatic Center, sports tourism, Oracle/Ina annexation, renewed focus on youth and families, business-friendly programs, arts and culture, investment in our employees, ongoing collaboration with other organizations and sound fiscal management.”
on the other side.” Which leads to Hiremath’s perspective on economic development. “In Oro Valley we need to look at the things that enhance the economy without fear of losing our uniqueness because in actuality we will be supporting things that allow us to stay that way,” he said. To help maintain ongoing fiscal stability, the mayor, council and town have set their sights on recruiting and retaining global high-tech employers. Indeed, Oro Valley is the locale for two of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world – Sanofi and Ventana Medical Systems, a member of the Roche Group. “Historically we made developers and businesses jump through ridiculous hoops to build here,” said Hiremath. “But local government needs to help create a community where people want to come to. We’ve had to streamline our processes and change our mindset. We’ve stopped being an obstacle to progress.” Amanda Jacobs, Oro Valley’s economic development manager, agrees. “The mayor and council trust and empower the staff to have regional conversations – and that has made a world of difference. We have definitely experienced a positive change in terms of leadership and direction.” To that end, the Town of Oro Valley established an Economic Expansion Zone, a district designed to attract highwage employers and promote industry clusters in Innovation Park, a 535-acre commercial campus. Businesses that fit certain criteria and intending to locate in the zone bypass a lengthy vetting process, which may save six to nine months of time for requisite approvals. The first business to benefit from the Economic Expansion Zone is Securaplane Technologies, a supplier of products for the aviation arena. In 2013 the company built a new 55,000-squarefoot facility in Innovation Park. According to Dave Perry, president and CEO of the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce, “the town and the chamber have a similar vision on where we ought to go when it comes to encouraging business development and creating jobs. Oro Valley is still young in terms of its development. We cannot continued on page 194 >>>
– Satish I. Hiremath, Mayor Town of Oro Valley
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Oro Valley A Picture of Healthy Growth
BizLEADERSHIP continued from page 193 stay a bedroom community forever.” “The mayor is a big-picture guy and I admire that,” added Perry. Another key growth strategy for Oro Valley is the expansion of recreational and cultural opportunities to encourage tourism. Hiremath points to the Oro Valley Aquatic Center as a pivotal economic driver. The $5 million project was completed in March, and transformed a municipal pool into what is being touted as one of Arizona’s premier aquatics facilities. The competition-level facility is expected to draw state and regional events, in addition to serving local families. Life’s good in OV, as the new town slogan goes – but Hiremath is keenly aware that, as a destination, Oro Valley does not sell itself. “We like living here – but the rest of the country does not know where we are,” said Hiremath. This why Hiremath has been particularly committed to the town’s investment in Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities and Visit Tucson. Hiremath will complete his four-year term in 2014. He has not yet said if he will run for re-election. When pressed, the mayor did say, “I have never overstayed my welcome. But I also won’t leave until the house I’ve built is strong and ready for the next generation. Are we there yet? I don’t think so.” Biz
State of the Town Address and Luncheon Presented by the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce Thursday, Sept. 26 Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Business expo & registration 11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Luncheon & State of the Town Address Oro Valley Mayor Satish I. Hiremath
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Passionate Support for The Clubs “Over the past 50 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson have impacted the lives of children and young adults in our community in an enormously positive way. When I was a child, I was faced with the option of returning to an empty house after school where I was left to fend for myself – or go to the Boys & Girls Clubs where I could receive help on my homework, make friends and play sports. Choosing the clubs changed my life. The clubs showed me that my dreams were limitless and I could make them into realities. Without the support I was given 35 years ago, I would not be where I am today.” – Jon D. Volpe, Chairman & CEO, Nova Home Loans
“This program connects with kids – providing positive role models and positive choices. We used funds seized from criminals to buy three vans for the clubs to help get kids to where they need to be. It is important that we have a combined effort to get kids involved in the clubs. It pays dividends in the long run. We partner with Boys & Girls Clubs because they are a very effective tool in reaching some of the most underserved kids in Tucson. It gives them an alternative to hanging out in the street.” – Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villaseñor, Board Member, Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson
“When you walk into a club and look around, you see the impact that the clubs have on children’s lives – there is laughter, the noise of happy youth playing and enjoying their safe place. Gadabout SalonSpas has been partners with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson for many years because we see the impact of a community that comes together to support a common cause. We make a difference by creating a difference for the future of our community.” – Jana Westerbeke, Owner, Gadabout SalonSpas, Board Member, Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson
“The clubs grew from a small board of four or five folks to a board with more than 150 people involved one way or another – all making a huge impact on kids. NBA powerhouses like Sean Elliott and Fats Lever learned how to play basketball at the clubs. The board focus has remained the same over the past 50 years – serve those kids who are the most at risk and who are in disadvantaged circumstances. This growth has only occurred because of a proven track record of programs, coupled with the tremendous support we receive from the community.” – Mark C. Irvin, Managing Member, Mark Irvin Commercial Real Estate Services
“The Boys & Girls Clubs since inception have provided a place for kids to come during a critical time – after school, weekends and summers – to be in a nurturing and supportive environment with great mentors and role models, regardless of financial ability. The impact in Tucson continues as we now reach out to more than 7,000 youth. I continue to stay active because of the great mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs and the wonderful people who are also involved.”
– David Lovitt, President, D.M. Lovitt Insurance Agency, Senior Board Member, Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson
“Back in the late ‘70s when Holmes Tuttle (Jim Click’s great uncle) found out that the Boys & Girls Clubs were in financial distress, he asked me to help rescue this wonderful organization. It came to our attention that a group of concerned members of the Boys and Girls Clubs were even selling their own vehicles to keep the clubs afloat. At that time, I asked John Evan, David Lovitt and a few other great citizens of our community to join me in this worthy cause. We eminently loaned them $50,000. Our first fundraiser was a showing of the movie ‘Star Wars,’ and what a success that was. With the money raised, we were able to hire an amazing executive director – Bill Dawson – who was really responsible for turning the club around. Today we have one of the most successful Boys and Girls Clubs in the country. I don’t think that the Click family could have made a better investment than this one. I am overjoyed that we are helping our future leaders of America.” – Jim Click, President, The Jim Click Automotive Team 196 BizTucson
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BizMILESTONE Former Boys & Girls Club National Boy of the Year Ed Alameda sitting in President Reagan’s chair
Goel Ellis
Yvonne Nelson
Changing Lives
Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson Turn 50 By Steve Rivera When Gil Federico walked into the Boys Club on Main Street back in 1966 – maybe 1965 – he didn’t know what to expect. There was a boxing ring, a craft room, dressing room and shower room – yet that was all he needed to feel at home. “I knew some of the kids there, so it was pretty nice my first day,” said Federico, now 64. “The staff was very nice to be around and very helpful, too.” That’s what the Boys & Girls Club is all about. The accommodations have changed for the better at Tucson-area Boys & Girls Clubs. Yet members still get that feeling of being “at home” – the feeling of being with friends and family. This year the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson celebrate 50 years, after opening its first doors at the Steve Daru Boys Club. That came six years after incorporating the name. What’s clear is the vision that was set back way then. The mission was to provide a safe environment to assist youth and to help develop self-esteem, values and life skills. www.BizTucson.com
Five decades later, six clubs dot the Tucson landscape from midtown to the southwest, impacting nearly 8,000 children at any given time throughout the year, from all walks of life and varied socio-economic backgrounds. “How the clubs have impacted our Tucson community is hard to measure. Certainly there is great success with the youth who attend the clubs,” said David Lovitt, a B&G board member and recent recipient of the “Click for Kids” Award. “Also when you hear about the 12 youths of the year featured at the Steak & Burger Dinner, you know and see the impact it has had on those individuals.” In fact, B&G reports that 67 percent of its alums say the club kept them out of trouble. According to officials, more than 150,000 members have been helped or impacted since the clubs were established. The clubs are open to any boy or girl from age 7 to 17. Attaining this sucess wasn’t easy. After the first decade, the struggling nonprofit needed help. It was then that automotive dealer and community leader Jim Click orchestrated an amazing turnaround by
recruiting 18 new board members and reshuffling the charity’s financial structure. Local Boys & Girls Clubs officials say Click has personally given about $4 million to the group over the past 30 years and used his considerable talents as motivator and salesman to get others to pour in millions of dollars more. The annual “Click for Kids” award was established in his honor. Many alums turned into big names (Sean Elliott) with notable titles (board member Julian Alarcon). The B&G Club has produced doctors, lawyers, educators and business owners. They come and go – into the sunshine of life. Here are some examples: Who would have thought this young, Hispanic kid would have been rubbing elbows with the president of the United States back in 1982? Not Ed Alameda, the first and only National Boy of the Year from Tucson. Hey, he even had the gumption to ask Reagan a question or two when he was named the winner in Washington, D.C. Could he see the oval office? “(Reagan) turned to one of his peocontinued on page 198 >>> Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 197
BizMILESTONE continued from page 197 ple and asked how much time he had and they said 15 minutes, so he took us back,” Alameda said. Photo op! “Sitting in the president’s chair was pretty cool,” said Alameda. “Meeting the president was cool, too. And rolling up to the White House in a limousine was fun. Hey, if you’re going to go to the White House, you might as well go in a limousine.” The trip itself came about after winning local boy of the year, then the regional boy of the year and ultimately national boy of the year. “I had no clue that was ever going to happen,” said Alameda, now 47 and the acting police chief for the Gila River Indian Community. “It never really dawned on me the magnitude of what I was going through. It was beyond my ability to comprehend. But that actually worked in my favor. I never got stressed over it. Not once.” As Alameda put it, things like this just don’t happen to a kid like him – or any Hispanic kid growing up on Tucson’s west side. Yet it did that summer of 1982. Then, he was 16-year-old star of the Steve Daru Club and a somewhat naïve sort. Of course, there was another question – could he call home to tell his family about winning the national award? He quickly phoned home. “My mom answered and I told her, ‘I won,’” he said. “She said, ‘you won?’ Then she got quiet and asked, ‘why did you call me collect?’ I didn’t know any better.” Once White House officials realized he had called collect, they quickly had him hang up and call direct. Such was life for Alameda, who traveled the country speaking on behalf of the Boys Club more than 30 years ago. He was the first recipient of the Boy of the Year in Tucson. A year later the title was changed to Youth of the Year. At the end of the day, it’s been a great life thanks to the Boys Club. How did it impact him? “There were some good role models there,” he said. “It kept me out of trouble – and living on the west side there were plenty of opportunities to get in trouble. I was able to avoid them because of the Boys Club.” His scholarship eventually provided him an education at the University of Arizona. 198 BizTucson
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“That was a big change for me,” he said. “People in my neighborhood didn’t go to the UA. It was like a different country. It gave me the opportunity to do that and help with my future.” From the past to the present the Boys & Girls Club has impacted lives. Goel Ellis, 16, wants to change the world – one kid at a time. So far, it’s been pretty good as a kid. She changed herself – and now has her sights set on helping her peers through tough times in whatever capacity they need. She’s a member and worker at the Frank & Edith Morton Clubhouse. “I want to mentor kids,” said Ellis, who was recently named the Mark Irvin City of Tucson Youth of the Year. “If they are sitting there lonely I want
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I saw the light. I was no longer hanging around bad guys and getting into trouble. I knew I could prove myself and be somebody.
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Gil Federico Fleet Manger Jim Click Automotive Team –
to help. The reason is – when I was one of them someone came to help me. Staff members have told me to be a role model and set an example for the kids. I work here (for the B&G) and they look up to me. I learned right from wrong here and made sure I’d do and say the right thing.” Clout does come with her recent award. Just recently, in front of more than 500 attendees at the Steak & Burger, Ellis spoke of her problems growing up and what she had to go through with an Iranian last name. Ellis said she was bullied constantly. In 2009, she decided to change her name. “People said that might make me seem weak,” she said of the name change, “but in fact it made me stronger and the person I am today. A lot was lifted off my shoulders.” Yvonne Nelson (formerly Rodriguez)
wanted to make a difference too. She saw how the Boys & Girls Club was able to do that, providing opportunities to see places beyond Tucson and have goals beyond everyday life. She was named a youth of the year in 1996. When she attended the Steve Daru Club, she dreamed of becoming a nurse, later becoming a physical therapist. The club helped her get there, providing self-esteem and a dream. She later shifted her focus on becoming a club director. That, too, was realized. She’s the director at a place she’s been attending since 1989. “I wanted to be able to do that so I could help other kids,” she said. “For me, it’s been very fulfilling. I’ve been able to help people and families. I’ve been here long enough where I know the kid’s families because they came here when I was coming here. This place still feels like home. I’ve been blessed to be able to have an impact and give back.” When Federico joined in the mid1960s, he did so for one reason and one reason only – he had to. A juvenile judge ordered him to go because he was always fighting. He sent him to the club so he could be in the boxing program. “That got me out of the bad boy’s brotherhood,” Federico said. “He said I’d like the program. That’s where I started my career as a boxing amateur and pro.” What it did, eventually, was set him on course to be a productive member of the Tucson community, somebody who could help others learn and strive to succeed. “It was a life-changing moment,” he said. “I saw the light. I was no longer hanging around bad guys and getting into trouble. I knew I could prove myself and be somebody.” He has – becoming one of Jim Click’s top salesmen and a perfect example of what comes of people who work hard and try even harder. He still carries his Boys & Girls Club card in his wallet and donates every year. “I became somebody,’’ he said. “Through that program, I became who I am today.”
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Make Connections at Tucson Tech + Business Expo The Arizona Technology Council presents the first Tucson Tech + Business Expo on Oct. 16 with the goal of creating growth opportunities in the region. “The Tucson Tech + Business Expo has one major purpose – to accelerate the growth of the regional economy by helping businesses connect, leverage resources and uncover business opportunities,” said Alex Rodriguez, director of the Southern Arizona Office of the Arizona Technology Council. The theme of the event – Where Technology and Manufacturing Connect – reflects the mission of connecting large manufacturers, contract manufacturers, engineering firms, technology providers and business services to local supply chain opportunities that build a stronger manufacturing and technology economic base in Southern Arizona. Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild will make opening remarks. “Southern Arizona is rich with businesses in manufacturing and product development and our primary goal for the expo is
to build connections and relationships between the small and mid-size businesses and the global firms who are part of our regional economy,” Rodriguez said. The event will feature presentations from contractors and businesses and time for one-to-one networking. Prime contractors and large manufacturers will present their requirements and opportunities for subcontractors. Arizona Technology Council members work to further the advancement of technology in Arizona through leadership, education, legislation and social action. This year’s chairman of the council board is Roger Vogel, president and CEO of Vante Medical Technologies. Roger Vogel Biz
Tucson Jewish Community Center 3800 E. River Road
Tucson Tech + Business Expo Presented by Arizona Technology Council
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$25 for members, $40 for non-members (520) 275-0519
Wednesday, Oct. 16 12:30 to 7:30 p.m. 1 p.m. – Keynote address 5:30 p.m. – Mixer
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Howard Rosenberg Legacy of Giving By Gabrielle Fimbres Blessed with a kind heart and an infectious spirit, Howard Rosenberg made life better for children and adults living with type 1 diabetes in Tucson and throughout the nation. By expanding the National Father’s Day Council throughout the United States, Rosenberg helped to raise more than $50 million for diabetes research. He died July 22 in Los Angeles. With his encouragement, Rosenberg’s son – Steve Rosenberg, publisher of BizTucson magazine – founded the Father’s Day Council Tucson in 1995. The nonprofit organization has raised nearly $3 million for research and improved treatments for type 1 diabetes at University of Arizona’s Steele Children’s Research Center. “Howard was a giant among men,” said Dr. Fayez K. Ghishan, director of the Steele Center and head of pediatrics and physicianin-chief at The University of Arizona Medical Center – Diamond Children’s. “He understood the business aspect of raising money – and he understood how to get the most from the money to enhance the research,” Ghishan added. “He had a major national impact.” In the 1980s, Howard Rosenberg served as chairman of the Father’s Day Council Los Angeles, which produces the annual Father of the Year Awards Gala, honoring role-model fathers and benefitting diabetes research. He had the vision to produce the fundraiser in markets across the U.S. Today, the National Father’s Day Council raises funds for the American Diabetes Association in 36 markets. Tucson is home to the only chapter that puts its money to work locally. “We are truly indebted for life for Howard’s vision of allowing us to have the money raised stay in Tucson,” Ghishan said. Rosenberg met with scientists to delve into the latest research and the possibilities for developing improved treatments and ultimately a cure. As a result, UA and Ghishan have established a multi-disciplinary program caring for 700 children with type 1 diabe-
tes, recruiting five pediatric endocrinologists, a dietician, nurse educator and clinical psychologist. “What we have built here is recognized by the American Diabetes Association as a center of excellence,” Ghishan said. “When I arrived this was truly a desert – medically speaking – with no pediatric endocrinology program. Without Howard’s vision, we would not have this incredible diabetes program – and now his son will carry on that vision. “Howard’s legacy will live on forever – and this program will remain forever for the kids of Southern Arizona.” A native of Baltimore, Rosenberg was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War. He received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Baltimore and was a prominent executive in the men’s apparel industry for more than three decades. He was known by his family as the consummate Renaissance man. As a child he performed in vaudeville and he was an accomplished pianist. His passion for music carried throughout his life. In 2001 – inspired by his love for his wife, Gayle – he created and played the piano on a CD of songs by American composers. He recorded it at Mad Hatter Studios in Los Angeles, a popular recording studio among entertainment legends, including Frank Sinatra. His son Steve said, “There will never, ever be another Howard Rosenberg. This was one courageous, loving, giving, opinionated, self-confident, talented, creative, organized, competitive, intelligent, ethical, thoughtful and spiritual man. He was a big-picture guy – a visionary.” Rosenberg was a family man and a champion fundraiser until the end. He may have lost his 24-year battle with prostate cancer at age 81, but his good work continues. Dana Verrill, executive director of Father’s Day/Mother’s Day Council in New York City, said the council is dedicated to carrying on Rosenberg’s work.
To contribute to the Howard Rosenberg Father’s Day Council Memorial Fund to benefit the University of Arizona’s Steele Children’s Research Center, go to www.fdctucson.org/HowardRosenberg 200 BizTucson
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“Howard’s contributions to the growth and success of the Father of the Year regional events is measurable regarding funds raised and fathers honored,” Verrill said. “It is impossible, however, to appreciate the number of people impacted by his energy, passion and commitment for finding a cure for diabetes. “Howard had a deep love for his family and the heart of a saint,” Verrill continued. “His legacy will continue. That is a promise.” Katie Gibson, a director at the American Diabetes Association in Alexandria, Va., said Rosenberg was driven by his desire to honor great dads and raise funds for diabetes. “If it wasn’t for Howard’s passion and drive, this event wouldn’t have grown to where it is now.” Richard Schaefer, senior VP and branch director with The Schaefer Present Investment Group, was in on the ground floor to help create the Father’s Day Council Tucson. He knew Howard Rosenberg for 30 years, having become friends with his son at the UA. The elder Rosenberg became like a second father to Schaefer. “I never got off the phone with him without a smile on my face,” Schaefer said. “He was one of those giants whose shoulders I stood upon. He improved and influenced my life.” Rosenberg was honored by the Father’s Day Council Los Angeles with a Father of the Year Award in 2005. “Howard was the kind of person who walks into the room and you feel this energy,” Schaefer said. “People feed off this energy and this good feeling. He always had a smile and a twinkle in his eye.” Rosi and Benjamin Vogel grew to love Rosenberg through Father’s Day Council Tucson. Their two sons have type 1 diabetes. “Howard showed us all by example how a good life, raising a good family and helping so many people along the way creates a legacy that will outlive us all,” she said. “A true gentleman he was – the way he dressed, spoke, told stories – inspired and charmed all those around him.” Faye and the late Sidney Morse were Rosenberg’s friends for decades – she for 30 years and he for 50. She fondly recalls morning runs when she and her husband would pass “this gorgeous, GQlooking man out for his walk. He was the most dapper man. His beautiful smile and chuckle-type laugh were priceless.” Linda Johnson met Rosenberg when she became involved with Father’s Day Council in 2005, after she and her husband Brian Johnson – managing director of Loews Ventana Canyon Resort – moved to Tucson. “Howard was a mentor and a cheerleader for our board,” Linda said. “It’s amazing that this tiny volunteer force has been able to raise nearly $3 million over the past 20 years.” “There are certain people who you want to please and make them proud, and that’s what happened with Howard,” Brian added. “I would walk through a wall of fire for him. He was a man to be admired and a man to be emulated.” Lee and Laura Shaw also became close to Rosenberg through Father’s Day Council Tucson. Lee, a partner in Ansaldi Shaw Design, is chair of the council. Laura is VP for marketing and communications with Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities. Their daughter, Olivia, has type 1 diabetes. “If it wasn’t for Howard starting this in his community of Los Angeles, Father’s Day Council Tucson would not be a reality and we would not have made the significant impact we have in raising money for Dr. Ghishan and the Angel Wing at Steele Children’s Research Center where my daughter Olivia is a patient,” Lee said. “The impact Howard has had on our lives personally is great and our family is forever grateful.”
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Top from L to R – Howard Rosenberg; With Kate Jensen, Dr. Fayez K. Ghishan and Sherman Garver; With wife Gayle; With daughters Molla Rosenberg (left) and Susan Rosenberg Battat (right): Howard’s family the day he was honored as a Father of the Year by Father’s Day Council LA (2005); With sister Gloria Heyison
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Judge’s table
Renee Kreager preparing her entry
Sipping Margaritas for Charity By Edie Jarolim Raise a salt-rimmed glass. One of Tucson’s most spirited events – the 8th World Margarita Championship – is returning to the Tucson Museum of Art this fall. This unique competition is sponsored by Tucson Originals, an organization of local, independently owned restaurants that support Tucson’s culinary diversity. Guests will have a chance to sample more than 15 competing margarita recipes, along with culinary creations from several Originals eateries. In addition to highlighting local businesses, the event also benefits local charities. This year, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Blair Charity Group, founded by former University of Arizona basketball star Joseph Blair and geared towards supporting youth mentoring programs in Southern Arizona. “We run basketball camps for youth all around Tucson and populate those camps by providing scholarships,” Blair explained. Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, family service organizations and tribal nations are among the nonprofits that suggest deserving candidates to the program. Community leaders talk with camp participants about topics ranging from personal responsibility to health. A goal of the camps, Blair said, “is to bring kids together and give them faceto-face social skills, which kids don’t get 202 BizTucson
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much of these days.” Another is to play good basketball, he added. Helping to support these camps is the World Margarita Championship. While a panel of expert judges determines the winner, the public also makes its opinion known via the People’s Choice Award. For the past two consecutive years, the winner of that award has been Marinaterra Hotel & Spa in San Carlos, Sonora. J. Felipe Garcia, executive VP of community affairs and Mexico marketing at Visit Tucson, emphasizes the cross-border appeal of the event. “When you talk about margaritas, one word that will come to mind is Mexico. A few years ago, we starting bringing some of our partners up from south of the border and that will continue this year,” he said. The event draws visitors from as far
8th World Margarita Championship Friday, Oct. 25, 6 to 9 p.m. Tucson Museum of Art 140 N. Main Ave. $50 in advance, $60 at the door (520)343-9985 www.tucsonoriginals.com/culinaryfestival
away as San Carlos and Hermosillo, according to Garcia, who notes that it has resulted in other business opportunities in addition to tourism for Tucson. Roberto Lemmen Meyer, owner of the award-winning Marinaterra, became interested in Tucson after his property got involved in the margarita competition. His LM Media Group ended up buying a television station – KUDF, the Azteca America affiliate for Southern Arizona. Blair served as a judge – a role he hopes to reprise this year – and praised the organization of the event and the venue. “It was extremely well run, and the Tucson Museum of Art was an excellent place to hold it,” he said. “There was plenty of room for Tucson Originals to present their food and for the participants to roam.” This quintessential Tucson event showcases the city’s strengths, he added. “I’m from Southern Arizona, and I’m pretty picky about my margaritas. You can get a margarita anywhere but I want one that’s going to be made with fresh ingredients and a little creativity.” He said the Blair Charity Group is “honored to be beneficiaries of an event run by Tucson Originals, a group that literally and figuratively adds so much flavor to the community.”
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PHOTOS: COURTESY TUCSON ORIGINALS
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