July 2015 Issue of In Business Magazine by InMedia

JULY 2015

Special Section: Top 50 Small Business Resources Guide

Planning

Leadership

Human Resources

Back to Basics 2.0 Marketing

Sales

Accounting

What matters now in building business Update

Marketing Contests:

Productivity

Illegal Gambling?

Tech for

THIS ISSUE Tempe Chamber of Commerce Arizona Technology Council

Legal Promotion or

Management, Beware the Friend Zone

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Arizona Business is Our Business.â&#x201E;˘ Representing our Business Practice (l-r): Brian Zavislak, Jon Hasebe, Julie Rystad, Josh Becker, Terry Thompson, Dan DeChesaro, Alicia Corbett, Jim Connor, Steve Boatwright, Ryan Opel

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JULY 2015

COVER STORY

Back to Basics 2.0: What matters now in building business

Authorities within our business community share their expertise on core elements of business. In Business Magazine contacted top executives with extensive experience and success in the given realm as the decision maker or consultant to business. FEATURE

DEPARTMENTS

Got Tech? Got the Right Tech?

Eugene Chi examines three ways businesses can use technology to increase their productivity.

PARTNER SECTIONS TEMPE CHAMBER

ADVANTAGE July – October 2O15 • tempechamber.org

You Don’t Have to Be a Big Fish to Make a Splash

Sun Devil Football Kickoff on Aug. 20 The Tempe Chamber of Commerce, ASU Sun Devil Club and ASU Alumni Association are proud to present the 15th annual ASU Sun Devil Football Kickoff Luncheon on Aug. 20 at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel. “Voice of the Sun Devils” Tim Healey emcees this exciting afternoon as Head Coach Todd Graham welcomes his players, coaches and other special guests in kicking off the new season. Sparky, the ASU Spirit Squad and the Dixie Devils will be on hand to set the exciting and energetic tone of the luncheon. With more than 500 people attending, this event is the focal point for the start of the season! Highlight videos, live on-stage interviews and Q&A sessions with team stars and Coach Graham bring you front and center with the energy and action of the new season. It’s a must-attend event for anyone who bleeds maroon and gold. Join other fans at a VIP table with a player or coach for only $700, or take advantage of single seat opportunities for $60 and be a part of the biggest event of the season. Visit www.tempechamber.org or call (480) 967-7891 for more information or to register.

DEPARTMENTS

T E M P E C H A M B E R A D V A N TA G E

Te m p e C h a m b e r. o r g

Tempe Chamber of Commerce

Arizona Technology Report July – October 2O15 aztechcouncil.org

Arizona Technology Council: The Voice of the Technology Industry

In This Issue Coming Up Short…Pg. 2 The challenge of finding critical venture capital for Arizona’s tech community

Making a Mark…Pg. 4 Finalists named for annual Lifetime Achievement Award

Take Charge…Pg. 6 New program offers transformational leadership training

Management and Staff Steven G. Zylstra President + CEO

Leigh Goldstein Vice President, Operations + Events

Anne Rody Director, Finance + Administration

Merry Lake Merrell Director, Marketing + Communication

Deborah Zack Senior Director, Membership Services

Brian Krupski Director of Membership Services

Melissa Craven Executive Assistant to President + CEO

Alex Rodriguez Vice President, Southern Arizona Regional Office, Tucson

Don Rodriguez Editor

Ron Schott Executive Emeritus, Phoenix Office

Don Ruedy Executive Emeritus, Tucson Office

Justin Williams Executive Emeritus, Tucson Office

Jeremy Babendure, Ph.D. Executive Director, Arizona SciTech Festival

Feedback

Noted business and community leaders David J. Jacofsky, M.D.; Bassel Osmani; and Robert Wilson respond to In Business Magazine’s burning business question of the month.

President’s Message Who would have thought a clever, even simple solution to help restore Arizona’s ailing K-12 education system actually lies in something we often take for granted: our untouched land? The business community is excited about Gov. Doug Ducey’s plan for increasing the amount of distributions from the state land trust to support our schools. But even earlier, he had been putting in motion a plan to fix the broken system. In 2012, then-Treasurer Ducey championed Proposition 118 to simplify how K-12 schools receive funds from the state’s land trust in order to ensure more consistent, reliable funding. The percentage set for distribution was 2.5 percent each year, with 93 percent of that money going to K-12 education. Fast forward to inaugural day in January when he made this commitment: “It will be a first principle of my agenda that schools and choices available to affluent parents must be open to all parents, whatever their means, wherever they live, period.” When he made his first State of the State address just a week later, he shared his goals to help schools, including: • Assemble a team of education and finance professionals to find ways to get maximum dollars into the classroom. • Create the Arizona Public School Achievement District to let public and charter schools with waiting lists to use schools closed by other districts. • Change the management of schools that consistently underperform. Later, he signed bills fresh from the Legislature to make good on supporting education. One was a measure that allows small businesses to receive tax credits for donations to the state’s program that provides low-income children with private school scholarships. Another grants Native American parents

Steven G. Zylstra, President and CEO, Arizona Technology Council

the means to customize their children’s education by choosing from several options, including online curriculum, private school and homeschooling. He even has staged a summit that brought together business, education and political leaders from throughout Arizona to lay the groundwork for a major overhaul of the state’s education system. He shared his vision for more money in classrooms and funding that follows children. How to pay for it? Recalling his earlier work with funding generated by the state land trust, a new proposal would boost the distribution formula from 2.5 percent to 10 percent for five years. The plan would give schools about $1.8 billion more than they would receive under the current formula in those five years. In addition, the total in the state land trust fund would increase from the current $5.15 billion to $5.39 billion by fiscal 2021. The formula then would shift to 5 percent— still double the current rate—for the next five years. The noteworthy feature is this all can occur without new taxes or additional spending from the general fund. Before any of this can happen, the proposal needs to pass through resolution by the Legislature to appear on the November ballot so voters can decide. Count me among those who would vote “yes.” This governor has demonstrated the innovative leadership we need to take Arizona’s education system out of the basement. From finances to performance, he can help guide our schools into the future.

Who We Are

The Arizona Technology Council is Arizona’s premier trade association for science and technology companies.

Tucson Office

Phoenix Office

2800 N. Central Ave., Suite 1920 Phoenix, AZ 85004 Phone: 602-343-8324 Fax: 602-343-8330 info@aztechcouncil.org

The University of Arizona Science and Technology Park 9040 S. Rita Road, Suite 1150 (near I-10 and Rita Road) Tucson, AZ 85747 Phone: 520-382-3281 Fax: 520-382-3299 tucson@aztechcouncil.org

ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY REPORT

aztechcouncil.org

Arizona Technology Council

SPECIAL SECTION Presents

Our most comprehensive guide to Greater Phoenix Leading Small Businesses

Top 50 Small Business Resources Guide A comprehensive guide to leading small-business resources

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Briefs

“Eating Spaces,” “Grow and Own,” “On the Corridor,” “ForProfit Partner for Special Education” and “Uber-Local: Vicinity Magazine Launches”

Technology

“Technology Assesses Physical Fitness for the Job” and “Geolocation Is a Marketing Find”

Legal

Books

New releases give fresh insights on business thinking.

Nonprofit

Giving USA 2015’s annual report of philanthropic trends shows reason for optimism in nonprofit fundraising.

Assets

2015 Lexus RC 350 Plus: Trophies memorialize honors for milestones and achievements.

Power Lunch

Southern Rail Plus: Some occasions need a special place for dinner.

Roundtable

Management, beware the dangers of treating employees like pals.

Healthcare

“Research Alliance,” “Is There a Doctor in the Office?” “Good Data Saves Lives” and “Sight App Sites HQ in Scottsdale”

JULY 20 1 5

Guest Editor

Robert J. Blaney, district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Arizona District, introduces the “Small Business” issue.

From the Top

Architect Brian Cassidy makes a mark for his firm, CCBG Architects, in Phoenix’s adaptive reuse momentum.

Where is the line between legal promotion and illegal gambling for businesses using contests for marketing purposes?

By Peter Adams, Ping! Development I, as founder, owner and CTO of Ping! Development, was recently elected to a seat on the Tempe Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. This is a great honor and it made me think about the impact joining the Chamber has had on my business. To be perfectly honest, without the Chamber, I wouldn’t have a business. Very often, people look at me like I’m out of my mind when I say that. “I joined a Chamber once—got nothing Peter Adams from it,” is the common response I’ve come to expect and shrug off. The more neutral response I occasionally hear is, “You don’t usually hear that when it comes to chambers.” If you don’t know what a chamber of commerce is (and I’ve met many millennials who don’t), it’s a business advocacy organization. It’s also a mentoring program (albeit an unstructured one that only works when you try to use it as such). It’s also a referral networking group (one that works if people know who you are). It can also be a professional development organization, a Toastmasters club, or a catalyst for personal growth. I find that there really isn’t any one thing that defines a chamber of commerce, because it is whatever you want to get out of it, providing you’re willing to put something into it. For me and my company, the Tempe Chamber has been all of those things. After just over three years in business, I remain a very small business, but that hasn’t stopped me from trying to make an impact. I may not have the budget of an SRP, State Farm, or APS, but being able to say I’ve built my entire business from being a chamber member is an impact and one that I know will continue as I work on my other ventures. I’m in the midst of a pivot for a Web service venture I created almost two years ago called MerchantFeedr, a service that will assist small businesses in tying their sales and marketing systems together. I’m thrilled to be helping a local specialized CRM startup grow for the last two years. It’s exciting to be a part of their growth and provide the technical assistance they needed. I was excited to hear about the first e-commerce sale on a local shop’s new site that we created for them. I’ve been lucky to become connected with someone investing in their first wine label and building their e-commerce site. Each one of these opportunities came about because of my involvement with the Tempe Chamber and getting to know the community. It’s been an exciting three years and I’m looking forward to serving the next three on the board of directors and continuing to build the best development team in the Valley. To learn how the Tempe Chamber can benefit you, visit www.tempechamber.org.

By the Numbers

Study examines the impact of middle market firms on the economy.

ON THE AGENDA

Spotlight

2015 Business Summit & Opportunity Fair — Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council 3rd Quarter VIP Networking Event — Arizona Technology Council

Calendar

Business events throughout the Valley

Top-performing Arizona-based stocks — and their market capitalization category and stock performance index — are Western Alliance Bancorporation (Mid Cap; 63.63), Kona Grill Inc. (Small Cap; 55.68), Inventure Foods, Inc. (Small Cap; 53.91), TASER International Inc. (Small Cap; 50.20) and Accelerate Diagnostics, Inc. (Small Cap; 48.48). smartasset.com

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July 2015 In Business Magazine is a collaboration of many business organizations and entities throughout the metropolitan Phoenix area and Arizona. Our mission is to inform and energize business in this community by communicating content that will build business and enrich the economic picture for all of us vested in commerce.

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS? We’re here for you.

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS Rick Murray, CEO Arizona Small Business Association Central Office (602) 306-4000 Southern Arizona (520) 327-0222 www.asba.com

When you’re looking for a commercial real estate loan, choose a local lender with a personalized approach. • No application fees or prepayment penalties 1 • Purchase or refinance up to $5,000,000 2 • Owner or non-owner-occupied 3

Steven G. Zylstra, President & CEO Arizona Technology Council One Renaissance Square (602) 343-8324 www.aztechcouncil.org

• Competitive fixed rates • Terms of 5, 10 or 15 years • Amortizations of 15 or 20 years

Doug Bruhnke, Founder & President Global Chamber® (480) 595-5000 www.globalchamber.org

Call to speak with a business relationship manager. 602-336-6721 | www.desertschools.org/business Federally Insured by

Dorothy Wolden, President NAWBO Phoenix Metro Chapter (480) 289-5768 www.nawbophx.org

Equal Housing Lender

Rick Kidder, President & CEO Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce (480) 355-2700 www.scottsdalechamber.com

Open to sole proprietorships, partnerships (including LLPs), LLCs, corporations, trusts and non-profit entities that have been in existence for three years. Start-up and business acquisition transactions are ineligible. Property must be located in Arizona. First or second lien position. Subject to credit approval. 1 Approximate 1% origination fee. 2 Minimum loan amount $250,000; maximum 80% loan-to-value. 3 Owner-occupied applies if the business member or affiliate occupies not less than 51% of the usable, net rentable space; non-owner-occupied applies if the tenant occupies 51% or greater of the usable, net rentable space.

Mary Ann Miller, President & CEO Tempe Chamber of Commerce (480) 967-7891 www.tempechamber.org Our Partner Organizations are vested business organizations focused on building and improving business in the Valley or throughout Arizona. As Partners, each will receive three insert publications each year to showcase all that they are doing for business and businesspeople within our community. We encourage you to join these and other organizations to better your business opportunities. The members of these and other Associate Partner Organizations receive a subscription to In Business Magazine each month. For more information on becoming an Associate Partner, please contact our publisher at info@inbusinessmag.com.

ASSOCIATE PARTNERS Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce ahwatukeechamber.com Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry azchamber.com Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce azhcc.com The Black Chamber of Arizona phoenixblackchamber.com Chandler Chamber of Commerce chandlerchamber.com Economic Club of Phoenix econclubphx.org Glendale Chamber of Commerce glendaleazchamber.org Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce phoenixchamber.com Greater Phoenix Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce gpglcc.org Mesa Chamber of Commerce mesachamber.org North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce northphoenixchamber.com Peoria Chamber of Commerce peoriachamber.com Phoenix Metro Chamber of Commerce phoenixmetrochamber.com Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce surpriseregionalchamber.com WESTMARC westmarc.org

JULY 2015

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July 2015

VOL. 6, NO. 7

Publisher Rick McCartney

Editor RaeAnne Marsh

Art Director Benjamin Little

Contributing Writers

Eugene Chi Brian Fielkow Mike Hunter Mike Saucier Alison Stanton Jim Stipe Richard Tollefson

Editorial Intern Henry Mackey

Operations Louise Ferrari

ADVERTISING

Business Development

Louise Ferrari Alex Goff Craig Jeffries Steve Kulick Maria Mabek Sara May Kelly Richards Cami Shore

Events Amy Corben More: Visit your one-stop resource for everything business at www.inbusinessmag.com. For a full monthly calendar of business-related events, please visit our website. Inform Us: Send press releases and your editorial ideas to editor@inbusinessmag.com.

Post Your Local Jobs at inbusinessmag.com Read by those vested in business here, In Business Magazine and inbusinessmag.com have become the resource for business owners and executives in the Valley and beyond. Now, business owners can post their open positions in a place where they are guaranteed to be seen by top candidates.

Visit inbusinessmag.com now to post your open positions!

JULY 2015

President & CEO Rick McCartney

Editorial Director RaeAnne Marsh

Senior Art Director Benjamin Little

Financial Manager Donna C. Mitchell, CPA

Office Manager Brittany Longfield

Accounting Manager Todd Juhl Corporate Offices 4455 E. Camelback Road Building C, Suite 135 Phoenix, AZ 85018 T: (480) 588-9505 F: (480) 584-3751 info@inmediacompany.com www.inmediacompany.com Vol. 6, No. 7. In Business Magazine is published 12 times per year by InMedia Company. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to InMedia Company, 4455 E. Camelback Road, Building C, Suite 135, Phoenix, AZ 85018. To subscribe to In Business Magazine, please send check or money order for one-year subscription of $24.95 to InMedia Company, 4455 E. Camelback Road, Building C, Suite 135, Phoenix, AZ 85018 or visit inbusinessmag.com. We appreciate your editorial submissions, news and photos for review by our editorial staff. You may send to editor@inbusinessmag.com or mail to the address above. All letters sent to In Business Magazine will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication, copyright purposes and use in any publication, website or brochure. InMedia accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other artwork. Submissions will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. InMedia Company, LLC reserves the right to refuse certain advertising and is not liable for advertisersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; claims and/or errors. The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of InMedia. InMedia Company considers its sources reliable and verifies as much data as possible, although reporting inaccuracies can occur; consequently, readers using this information do so at their own risk. Each business opportunity and/or investment inherently contains certain risks, and it is suggested that the prospective investors consult their attorney and/ or financial professional. ÂŠ 2015 InMedia Company, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission by the publisher.

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ROBERT J. BLANEY, U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, ARIZONA DISTRICT

Good for Business

Robert Blaney has served as the district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration for the State of Arizona since 1998. His varied experience includes work as a federal agent, police officer, vicepresident of an insurance brokerage and district director for the late Congressman Jack Kemp. He is a native of western New York and a graduate of the State University College of New York at Buffalo.

Business in Arizona is in growth mode, from startups creating their space in the marketplace to established companies expanding their operations. It is also interesting to see new methodologies develop for raising capital to either start or grow a business. Crowdfunding was not part of the business lexicon a few years ago. The world of business, especially small business, changes quickly and it is important to keep your business and yourself agile. The U.S. Small Business Administration‘s (SBA) loan program activity further confirms that small business is on the right track here in Arizona. The federal fiscal year (FY) begins on October 1 and ends September 30. From October 1, 2014, to June 9, 2015, SBA guaranteed 817 loans, or 110 more loans than the same period in FY2014. Perhaps the better part of the story is that the dollar amount increased 21.1 percent. On June 9, 2015, the loan dollar total was $407 million versus $335 million for the same period last year. Another good sign, 30 percent of the loans went to new business applicants, attesting to the appetite for entrepreneurship that characterizes our state. Another important aspect for Arizona business is geography. Mexico imported about $240 billion in U.S. products and services last year. Exporting products or services will help grow your business because the majority of all consumers live outside the United States. There are several areas a business owner must focus on in running a business of any size. In Business Magazine calls them “pillars” — those aspects of running a business that are basic to every company, no matter its product or service: leadership and management, sales, marketing, human resources, finance and accounting, and business planning. This issue’s cover story distills the expertise from leaders in these various fields to provide readers with tips on what is important to be mindful of to keep their business strong, growing and profitable. Arizona’s greatest strength is its fertile startup landscape; in middle market firms, it ranks 47th out of the 50 states. Mike Saucier explores this situation — and the financial significance of the middle market — in this month’s “By the Numbers” feature. In an in-depth “Technology” feature, Eugene Chi takes a close look at three ways businesses can maximize technology’s capabilities to ensure increased productivity. Also presented in this July issue is the 2015 edition of the In Business Magazine Top 50 Small Business Resources Guide, a listing of the top 50 companies focused on serving local small businesses and promoting their growth in our community. I am pleased to participate with In Business Magazine in presenting this useful information that helps grow our business community. I hope you enjoy this small-business issue. Sincerely,

Robert J. Blaney District Director U.S. Small Business Administration, Arizona District

We want to thank Robert for his leadership and advocacy for

money and effort for those building it. Each year, we focus our

small business. As the guest editor in this issue, Robert is helping

July issue on small business with the intent of reminding readers

us to lay out some of the key issues facing small business and some

of the basics and then enhancing the subject with a bit of an

of the solutions that are building business within our business

update. As technology is changing businesses of all kinds and is an

community. The Small Business Administration has been very

important part of all business these days, we took the approach of

effective in helping to generate and grow business here. We are

updating and advising on various business best practices involving

grateful for our partnership and his steadfast effort to make a

technology and other important reminders as well.

difference in Arizona.

Let us know what you think of this issue of In Business Magazine. Email our publisher at feedback@inbusinessmag.com.

Arizona is known for the five C’s: copper, cattle, cotton, citrus and climate; maybe even a sixth C, cactus. The U.S. Small Business Administration is known for the three C’s: capital, counseling and contracting. Capital: SBA finance programs fill gaps in the commercial lending marketplace and SBA has an extensive network of small business lenders, unmatched anywhere else in the world. Counseling: Free business counseling is available from the SCORE Association, the Women’s Business Centers in Phoenix and Tucson, and the Arizona Small Business Development Center Network. These free resources can assist in all aspects of a business’s operations. Contracting: SBA levels the playing field by helping small businesses capture new revenue and new customers by winning government contracts, joining corporate supply chains, and exporting products and services around the world.

CONNECT WITH US: Story Ideas/PR: editor@ inbusinessmag.com

The Next Level for Business Building a small business is no small feat. It involves so much time,

WHERE THERE’S SUPPORT FOR SUCCESS

—Rick McCartney, Publisher

Business Events/ Connections: businessevents@ inbusinessmag.com Marketing/Exposure: advertise@ inbusinessmag.com Visit us online at www.inbusinessmag.com

JULY 20 1 5

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VALLEY LEADERS SOUND OFF

FEEDBACK QUESTION: Let us know what you want to know from the Valley’s top business leaders. editor@inbusinessmag.com

Business owners and executives are often given advice — solicited and unsolicited. What is the best advice ever given to you in business and how have you applied it?

DAVID J. JACOFSKY, M.D.

BASSEL OSMANI

ROBERT WILSON

Chairman and CEO The CORE Institute Sector: Healthcare

Co-founder & Co-owner Pita Jungle Sector: Restaurants

Principal and Co-founder Stoney-Wilson Business Consulting, LLC Sector: Business Consulting

My father once told me not to focus on developing products, nor business plans, but rather on developing people. At the time, I did not recognize how powerful a recommendation that was, but have since learned that the limits of one’s organization are defined only by the limits of its people. As such, The CORE Institute has created a host of means by which we build and develop talent. Whether you look at The CORE Institute University, our Organizational Development Department, our in-house personal executive coaching or our IT-based learning management system, our leadership and I value nothing over our people. Through the acquisition, retention and development of our people, we not only help them reach their individual professional goals but we create a dynamic environment of constant growth and improvement that fosters a culture of excellence. The best investment our organization ever makes is the investment we make in each other.

When I was a child, my father often talked about his grandfather. It was the story of an orphan harbored by his uncles, and helping as a young apprentice in the field of warehousing food commodities and trade. Against all odds, he grew up to be one of the most successful businessmen in his city, and came from very modest beginnings in a small shop at a very tender age. The reason he succeeded — my father often related — was his honesty. People trusted him, for he always provided the best product at the lowest price possible while remaining viable, business-wise. The market at large recognized that and he was rewarded for it. This notion of providing the best quality at a value — which was indirectly engrained in me, and was inadvertently a part of my upbringing — has got to be the best advice I think one could ever get. Everything else after that is just hard work and smarts.

One of the most important pieces of advice received early in my career is to know the numbers. In my own business, I’ve learned that delegating financial responsibility to a bookkeeper, accountant, CPA or grandmother is fine, but abdicating that responsibility is completely different. As a business owner, I need to know the numbers affecting my business in order to proactively deal with changes in the marketplace, staffing decisions and shifts in the economy. It is my top priority to understand the numbers and what they mean, and adjust accordingly. This knowledge enables me to make wise business choices, avoid financial pitfalls, and foresee future opportunities and threats. I believe so strongly in this fundamental principle, I created Stoney-Wilson Business Consulting. Every day, I’m able to assist other business owners achieve their financial acumen goals. I’ve learned that no one knows it all, but a team working together can do amazing things. I’ve surrounded myself with solid people resources: employees, bankers, insurance agents, accountants, attorneys and, yes, business consultants. I develop and use those people resources.

The CORE Institute thecoreinstitute.com

For all past Feedbacks go online to inbusinessmag.com and see what Valley executives think on various business topics.

JULY 20 1 5

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David J. Jacofsky, M.D., serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of The CORE Institute, an organization he co-founded in 2005. Today, it is Arizona’s largest orthopedic and neurology organization, with additional clinics in Michigan and Louisiana. A respected authority in complex adult joint reconstruction, total joint replacement, traumatology and oncology, he continues to treat patients in addition to his corporate responsibilities.

Pita Jungle pitajungle.com Bassel Osmani, Pita Jungle co-founder and co-owner, was born in France and raised in Lebanon. He and his partners founded Pita Jungle in 1994 on the principle of serving the best quality food at a reasonable price, with exceptional customer service. Osmani remains a hands-on leader of Pita Jungle, which stands as a $42-million concept with 17 locations in Arizona and two in California.

Stoney-Wilson Business Consulting, LLC www.stoneywilson.com A 35-year banking veteran, Robert Wilson formed Stoney-Wilson with partner Julie Stoney seven years ago to cater to small to medium-sized businesses in meeting their financial and general business needs. SWBC also provides consulting services to the banking industry with an emphasis on training bankers. In addition to having helped its clients meet significant successes, the firm has conducted “Access to Capital” academies for the City of Phoenix.

Sign up for the monthly In Business Magazine eNewsletter at www.inbusinessmag.com. Look for survey questions and other research on our business community.

QUICK AND TO THE POINT

GET REAL

BY RAEANNE MARSH

Eating Spaces A 12,000-square-foot, $5-million development will bring three or four restaurants to ASU’s 42-acre SkySong, and — unique feature — a 3,000-square-foot garden. Partnering on the project are Wetta Ventures, Arizona State University Foundation and SkySong. Michael Rumpeltin of Brick & West Design is leading the architectural design of the project. It is expected to break ground in January 2016, with completion slated for second quarter 2016. wettaventures.com

Grow and Own LGE Design Build completed a 15,000-square-foot aerospace manufacturing machine shop last month for J.B.’s Precision Industries, which constructed the building at 2320 W. Parkside Lane in Phoenix to grow its business after leasing for 21 years. The family-owned aerospace and defense manufacturer serves clients such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The new building has a 16foot clear height ceiling for the high-technology equipment.

Photos courtesy of Wetta Ventures, LGE Design Build, Brick & West Design (left, top to bottom)

jbsprecision.com • lgedesignbuild.com

For-Profit Partner for Special Education Public schools regularly contract with for-profit companies for supplies and services, from text books to trash collection. Mark Claypool, president and CEO of Educational Services of America, which is currently expanding the capacity of its four Ombudsman charter schools in Arizona, believes for-profit companies also have a place in schools’ basic purpose: educating students. Especially students who have special needs — in Ombudsman’s case, teens who are autistic or at-risk. “The list of things required of the public school system continues to grow,” Claypool says, describing it as “a choking amount of responsibilities, roles and duties.” Emphasizing that the Ombudsman schools include a focus on accountability, standardized testing, Common Core and the other standards public schools must meet, Claypool says, “What we can do as a specialist is focus on a few populations of students that they do not want to develop the internal capacity to serve or who are underserved already — we can take that burden off them.” He and co-author John McLaughlin deal with the subject in depth in the recently released book We’re In This Together: Public-Private Partnerships in Special and At-Risk Education.

Addressing the needs of autistic and at-risk students, Ombudsman’s program is four hours of intense academic instruction that “looks a lot more like going to work,” Claypool says, noting also the benefit of eliminating what would, for these students, be distractions — such as passing periods and clubs — because “these are kids who can’t handle all the socialization and politics.” Underscoring the success of the program, which tries to return the students to their regular high school to graduate with their class, Claypool relates that, this year, one of the former students returned to the school a fully credentialed teacher. “Nothing could be more encouraging to those students in that school than to meet our teacher.” Combined capacity at the four Arizona campuses is currently about 800, with each school carrying a waiting list of about 100, but ESA will be opening new, larger campuses this fall to replace three older ones, and hopes to double its enrollment. Claypool founded the national company ESA in 1999 and has grown it to an annual revenue of nearly $130 million. —RaeAnne Marsh Ombudsman ombudsman.com

Uber-Local: Vicinity Magazine Launches Knowing what is happening, what restaurants are offering, where live music is being performed and what deals are available in “my” vicinity is the concept of the new uber-local, uber-hip Vicinity magazines. The publications, website and mobile app are designed to inform readers and users as to all that is going on in their immediate area

On the Corridor A prime piece of Camelback Corridor commercial space will soon have a new look as Wetta Ventures redevelops an existing 12,130-squarefoot, two-story building on the northwest corner of Camelback Road and 20th Street in Phoenix into retail and creative office space. Renovation is slated to begin in early September, with completion and tenant move-in by January 2016. wettaventures.com

in the categories of dining, events, music, nightlife, shopping, business services and real estate. The tabloid magazine will be direct mailed monthly within each of the initial three vicinities — Arcadia/Paradise Valley/Old Town Scottsdale, Grayhawk/DC Ranch/ Pinnacle Peak, and Downtown/Central Phoenix. Offers and special incentives will be available very locally on the Vicinity App through Vogo® — an exclusive platform offering the best for advertisers to drive business within their vicinity. The first publication and mobile app will launch September 1 for the Arcadia edition, followed by the others in succession October and November.

inmediacompany.com

Arizona’s high school graduation rate, according to the latest compilation from the National Center for Education Statistics, is 75 percent. While not the lowest in the nation (although most states achieve graduation rates in the 80 and 90 percents), it is one of only two states that show a consistent decline in the three years reported, school years 2010-11 to 2012-13. http://1.usa.gov/1KkkDLz

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BRAINSTORMING ENERGY-SAVING IDEAS FOR YOUR BUSINESS? Think SRP Custom Business Solutions rebates. Bring SRP your unique energy-saving challenges and let our team help you find out-of-the-box solutions to save energy and money. If you can measure your project’s energy savings, we’ve got a custom rebate to help you achieve it. Make your ideas a reality and start saving with SRP. To learn more, visit savewithsrpbiz.com, or call (602) 236-3054 to start the conversation.

SRP Smart Business Series BY RAEANNE MARSH

INNOVATIONS FOR BUSINESS

Technology Assesses Physical Fitness for the Job

A post-hiring physical involves a host of compliance issues, but technology is giving businesses a way to assess some applicants’ fitness for the job as a simple step in the interview process. “Cost Reduction Technologies came up with a way to test an individual’s strength and agility,” says Melissa Lykins, claims manager for Lovitt & Touché, an insurance and employee benefits consultant firm that has been using CRT’s machine since the fall of 2013. This evaluation has been particularly well-suited in jobs such as trucking, construction and home healthcare, which require heavy lifting, Lykins relates. Employers are not allowed to ask, during hiring interviews, if an applicant has an injury at that time. And Lykins notes that there is the possibility of injury occurring in a required physical exam because the applicant, in trying to get the job, may overdo his or her effort. “He may end up injuring himself and causing the employer a workman’s comp claim before even starting to work.” Focusing on shoulders, backs and knees, the machine uses isokinetics, responding with as much resistance as the person gives of effort. A person can’t injure himself, Lykins notes, and,

because the machine tests both extension and flexion, he can’t fake the test, either. CRT provides a report giving the person’s body index score, and Lovitt & Touché compares that with the employer’s description of the essential functions of the job, based on the U.S. Department of Labor definitions of strength levels. “We’ve seen a reduction in claims,” Lykins relates. And this year, having begun to accumulate pre-hire data, her company began using CRT for post-injury testing to ascertain if a person claiming to still be injured is giving valid effort, and to help identify where the individual may still need rehab. Cost Reduction Technologies costreductiontech.com Lovitt & Touché lovitt-touche.com

Geolocation Is a Marketing Find

There are 6 billion smartphones in the world, and the number that have geolocation technology continues to grow. “It’s the largest growth rate ever seen in any technology,” says Andy Lombard, CEO and founder of Socialwhirled, a marketing and technology company based in Phoenix. The marketing landscape is shifting dramatically, and Lombard believes geolocation is important because mobile is the fastest-growing segment. Geolocation through satellite and other cellular signals is far from new, but, says Lombard, now there are hyper-localized signals through beacons that can even connect into a retailer’s network. The technology is being used to connect brands and retailers to the consumer in a timely fashion. It is also finding use among restaurants and services, Lombard observes, noting it is primarily consumer marketing today rather than B2B. It’s more than simply having a link on a business’s website that connects to Google maps. Uses include integrating geolocation into an advertising campaign, such as having the consumer click on

the ad to get the offer and also be shown participating stores that are convenient to where the smartphone is being used at that time. Or, picking up a consumer’s presence inside a store, it enables the retailer to deliver coupons or special deals to that user in real time. “If consumers are using their phone, it makes sense that marketers would be interested in delivering their message in a timely basis and a location basis,” Lombard says, noting they are getting more sophisticated in using geolocation in the consumer’s “purchase journey.” It offers potential that cellular companies are beginning to explore, he says. “Cellular companies are highly interested in understanding how that marketing affects their business so they can start to offer marketing services.” Socialwhirled socialwhirled.com

Enabled within system settings, our recent locations tracked on our cell phones provide a detailed history of personal info that can be sold to businesses seeking this data for marketing, cautions Robert Mann of The Frutkin Law Firm. frutkinlaw.com

FRY’S FOOD SRP Smart Business Series STORES SHOPS FRY’S FOOD FOR ENERGY STORES SHOPS EFFICIENCY FRY’SENERGY FOODAND FOR SAVES STORES SHOPS EFFICIENCY AND FOR ENERGY At Fry’s Food SAVES Stores, energy EFFICIENCY AND At Fry’s Food is more SAVES efficiency Stores, energy

than food for efficiency is more At Fry’s — Food thought it’s an than food for energy integral part ofStores, our corporate thought —isit’s an more culture. We’veefficiency been proactively integral part ofthan our corporate going green for the food past for 15 years. culture. We’vethought been proactively — it’s an Although energy represents going for the past 15 just years. integralgreen part of our corporate 1% of total grocery costs, culture. We’ve beenstore proactively Although energy represents just that is green about for equal a typical going thetopast 15 years. 1% of total grocery store costs, grocery’s profit margin. that is about equal to a typical Although represents just So a 10%energy reduction in energy grocery’s profit margin. 1% totala grocery store costsofhas big impact oncosts, our So a 10% reduction in energy that is about a typical company andequal helpstoreduce costs has aprofit big impact on our grocery’s customer prices.margin. company and helps reduce So a 10% reduction in energy When weprices. about customer costs has alearned big impact on our

SRP’s rebate for company andprograms helps reduce When we learned about energy-efficiency customer prices. measures, we SRP’s rebate programs for made the most of the opportunity energy-efficiency we When we learnedmeasures, about and implemented 50 projects made the most of the opportunity SRP’s rebate programs for roughly Valleywide, encompassing and implemented 50 projects energy-efficiency measures, 4 million square feet of storewe and Valleywide, encompassing roughly made the most of the opportunity administrative space. 4 million square feet store and and implemented 50 of projects These changes save us more than administrative space. Valleywide, encompassing roughly $80,000 year on bill. 4 million a square feetour of energy store and These changes save us more than administrative space. $80,000 year on our energy bill. — JoEllenaLynn, Director of Public and Community Affairs, These changes save us more than — JoEllen Lynn, Director of Fry’s Fooda Stores $80,000 year on our energy bill. Public and Community Affairs, Fry’s Food Lynn, StoresDirector of — JoEllen Public and Community Affairs, Fry’s Food Stores

For more information, visit savewithsrpbiz.com For more information, or call (602) 236-3054. visit savewithsrpbiz.com or call (602) 236-3054. For more information, visit savewithsrpbiz.com or call (602) 236-3054.

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BY RAEANNE MARSH

YOUR BENEFIT IN BUSINESS

Good Data Saves Lives

WELL WELL WELL

Research Alliance Taking aim at Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, Arizona State University and Banner Health have partnered to advance the diseases’ study, treatment and prevention. The research alliance will be led by Eric Reiman, M.D., executive director of the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and university professor of neuroscience at ASU, and Raymond N. DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., executive director of the Biodesign Institute at ASU. The partnership between ASU, one of the nation’s largest public research universities, and Phoenix-based Banner Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems, includes the launch of a new Arizona State University-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center on ASU’s Tempe campus. This effort capitalizes on Banner’s internationally recognized programs in Alzheimer’s disease research and patient care and ASU’s rapid ascension as a world-class research university. It also leverages Banner’s close working relationships with other research organizations in Arizona. biodesign.asu.edu • bannerhealth.com

Is There a Doctor in the Office? The demand for healthcare management professionals is on the rise as more healthcare organizations prioritize managing costs and keeping up with legislation changes. An MBA Healthcare addresses this, designed for physicians who aspire to become future leaders in healthcare to ensure that a medical institution is run properly and profitably, while continuing to focus on improved patient outcomes. “Physicians are smart, capable professionals with strong clinical backgrounds and knowledge that is useful on the operating table or in the exam room, but this knowledge doesn’t translate well to the boardroom for those who aspire to be on the administrative side of healthcare,” says Blair Smith, Ph.D., dean of informatics-management-technology at American Sentinel University, which designed one of the industry’s first online MBA Healthcare degree programs. americansentinel.edu

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One thousand people die every day due to medical error. This shocking revelation at a Senate hearing last year put medical error at the No. 3 position for cause of death in the United States. Electronic health records (EHRs) are seen as part of the solution to this problem but their implementation comes with its own set of problems. “It’s in its early stages and is not universally deployed,” says Darin Brannan, president and CEO of ClearDATA, who founded his company to provide infrastructure-managed services with a threefold goal: fix the infrastructure, fix the security and provide interoperability. “Advancements in EMR, telemedicine, et cetera are not happening — due to infrastructure that’s aged or there’s none at all for digital application,” Brannan says, noting ClearDATA’s solutions are purpose-built for healthcare. There’s opportunity now to advance healthcare by being able to digitize data, collect and analyze it beyond what has historically been very localized, but it’s impeded by a lack of consistent infrastructure. Yet the value, Brannan points out, is “longitudinal data from many physicians leads to better outcome of diagnosis and treatment.” Brannan reports that data breaches are the biggest concern of technology and information officers of the healthcare organizations he talks to. “They have

to open patient and consumer portals, so they are exposed to the Internet. But security is not their core competency.” From 2009 to 2014, 40 million records were breached. Supporting his observation that the situation is getting worse, Brannan notes the number of breaches in 2014 was a 20-percent increase over 2013. He hopes his company will be seen by consumers as “the Fort Knox” so they will have the confidence to give up their data — which adds to the pool of data for analysis. Interoperability, Brannan admits, “is the hardest part of what we do.” Since the advent of EHRs, there have been hundreds of disparate applications. “It’s been a localized industry, and, therefore, highly fragmented software companies.” Noting a lot of data is in silos, Brannan relates as example that his brother, an interventional radiologist, “spends 85 percent of his time entering data — cutting and pasting from one system to another.” Creating interconnectedness among the applications will make the data more useful, helping healthcare providers connect and organize it and run analytics across it. This helps them make better decisions, from back-office finances to front-office care.

ClearDATA cleardata.com

Sight App Sites HQ in Scottsdale

Gobiquity Mobile Health provides a mobile vision diagnostic solution that works through technology in a smartphone’s pre-existing hardware. That makes it both easy to understand and intuitive to adopt — as well as, CEO Andrew Burns points out, “costeffective, since little investment is required.” It’s a real-time measurement that uses a smartphone’s camera and flash. Wirelessly connected, Gobiquity does the analysis and sends the results back in one or two seconds. The company’s algorithm enables it to identify whether or not the patient has risk factors for “lazy eye,” including nearsightedness, farsightedness and eyes being unequal in strength. Burns says his goal is to help prevent blindness through early detection of these abnormalities. “We give the information immediately — while the doctor is doing the exam,” Burns says. Emphasizing the efficiency this enables, he explains, “The doctor doesn’t have to stop the exam and wait a day. He’ll know right then if he needs to make a referral to an eye care professional.” At the present time, healthcare providers need to use smartphones provided by Gobiquity with the

application pre-loaded, but it is an app, and Burns says, “Eventually, we won’t need to provide the hardware.” Burns recently relocated his company from California to Scottsdale’s Cure Corridor. Although a long-time Arizona resident, he emphasizes that is not the reason for the move as he is used to commuting throughout his career. “I’ve seen a transformation of technology capability in the Greater Phoenix area, specifically the Scottsdale tech corridor,” he says. “When we made the determination to move here from California, we saw the opportunity of market expertise and resources, such as a labor pool and the ecosystem that comes with it.” He notes specifically the interest in and industry support of mobile app development, product development, and the healthcare experience overall. Gobiquity Mobile Health gobiquity.com

Knowing how to identify and prevent workplace injuries and illnesses is important year round. But as the temperature rises in the summer months, employees may be at risk of additional heat-related risks such as dehydration, heat cramps or heatstroke. EMPLOYERS reminds businesses to encourage workers exposed to heat to stay hydrated and take sufficient breaks. employers.com

METRICS & MEASUREMENTS

Middle Market Firms Are Becoming Economy’s Workhorses Big revenues are coming from a small slice of businesses by Mike Saucier They may lack the romantic narrative of small businesses, which are seen as the fruits of the American Dream. And they may lack the instant name recognition that comes with being a huge corporation. But middle market firms, defined as businesses generating between $10 million and $1 billion in revenues, are economic engines to be reckoned with despite what they may lack in popularity. They are contributing more than their fair share to the economy. According to the first-ever Middle Market Power Index, which was compiled by American Express and Dun & Bradstreet, the 136,000 middle market firms in the U.S. employ an average of 368 workers and generate $45.1 million per firm per year. These firms, while representing less than 1 percent of U.S. business, account for 21 percent of business revenues and employ 28 percent (50 million workers in 2014) of the private sector work force. And they produce almost $6.2 trillion in revenues. The group of middle market firms is “a small slice of the population even though it is creating an outsized contribution to the economy,” says Julie Weeks, an American Express research advisor. “That’s because that seven tenths of the businesses are employing over a quarter of the workers and contributing about one out of every five business dollars in revenue.”

Jobs Generator: 92% of the nearly 2.3 million net new jobs added by commercially-active firms since 2008 have come from middle market enterprises. Services Sector Leads Way: Middle market firms are most likely to be found in the services sector, which includes business services (12 percent), educational services (8 percent) and health services (7 percent). Takes Time to Grow: On average, commerciallyactive small firms have been in business for 12 years, middle market firms for 42 years, and firms with $1 billion or more in revenue have been in business an average of 52 years.

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How Arizona Compares Number of Firms

State

Small Companies (<$10 million)

Middle Market Companies ($10 - $999 million)

Large Companies ($1 billion and more)

Total

Total U.S.

18,812,008

136,603

2,266

18,950,877

Arizona

395,565

2,051

397,653

Share of Firms

State

Small Companies (<$10 million)

Middle Market Companies ($10 - $999 million)

Large Companies ($1 billion and more)

Total

Total U.S.

99.27%

0.721%

0.012%

100%

Arizona

99.47%

0.516%

0.009%

100%

Women-Owned and Minority-Owned Middle Market Businesses Commercially Active, Privately Owned Small Businesses

Middle Market Companies

Large Companies

Women-owned

Minority-owned

Source: American Express

In Arizona, the estimated 2,051 middle market firms make up approximately 0.52 percent of overall businesses, the report says. The Grand Canyon State ranks just 47th out of all 50 states for share of firms in the middle market. Illinois and Wisconsin topped the list, with their middle market firms comprising a greater than average share of companies at 1.1 percent. (And ahead of the 50 states are Washington, D.C., at 1.8 percent; Puerto Rico, at 5.1 percent; and the U.S. Virgin Islands, at 3.9 percent.) Though it ranks low, Weeks says Arizona is “only slightly under average with proportion of firms in the state that are middle market firms. So really not too far off the norm.” The norm is 0.7 percent of businesses. According to Weeks, in some cases the ranking has to do with the industry mix of the state. “Middle market firms are more likely than average to be in either manufacturing or wholesale trade,” she says. “So part of it might just be the industry mix in a given state because the states where there’s a higher-than-average percentage of middle market firms are some states that are in the Rust Belt, if you will, and that have small manufacturing firms. Like in Michigan, there’s a higherthan-average proportion of middle market firms and they are probably suppliers of automobile parts.” States can help create more middle market firms by supporting small businesses, Weeks says. States that commit to small-business development, such as helping them export their services or goods through trade missions, can nudge a company that generates less than $10 million to middle market status. American Express americanexpress.com

More than half of large businesses are publicly traded (57 percent); in contrast, most middle market firms are privately owned (nearly 98 percent).

MINDING THEIR BUSINESS

Brian Cassidy: Developing Niche Market Expertise It’s important to know the need inside and out by Alison Stanton

Photos courtesy of CCBG Architects, Inc.

As one of the principals of architecture firm CCBG Architects, Inc., Brian Cassidy stays busy working on a variety of different projects. A passion of his now is adaptive reuse of old structures in the heart of Downtown Phoenix, and the firm is a leader in the movement to take old buildings that are still architecturally sound and transform them to a new purpose into something vibrant and highly usable. Characterizing Phoenix as the furthest behind in the urbanization movement, Cassidy says it is not a fad or trend but rather requires changes in attitude for this city that is notoriously known for sprawl. He spends time traveling to other cities, such as Portland, Ore., to learn what they are doing in solving the issues related to urbanization. Although the firm of 20 architects, which has offices in Phoenix and San Diego, Calif., is currently active in urban infill and adaptive reuse projects, CCBG Architects used to be focused on a much different type of client. “Prior to blossoming here, most of what we did as architects was getting involved with the design of religious campuses,” says Cassidy, who has been with CCBG Architects for 34 years, and its president and CEO since 1987, adding that they worked on projects in numerous other states that included Texas, New Mexico and Washington. “Churches saw the work that we did on other religious campuses, so I would fly up and met with them and work with them, and this turned into a multi-state practice. We placed ourselves out there in the path of future success and did great projects and made our clients happy,” says Cassidy. He notes that focusing on a niche marketplace and learning everything they could about it was highly instrumental in the company’s success. “We learned about lighting and acoustics and video systems and the importance of being able to see well in a worship space,” Cassidy relates, explaining, “If people are not able to see or hear or feel comfortable, they will find another church. Most

Adaptive reuse transformed a cavernous warehouse space into a creative space with collaborative work areas for R&R Partners

big churches suffer in one of these issues.” By learning all they could about what makes the interior of a religious building comfortable and technically ideal, Cassidy says CCBG Architects was able to stand apart and get hired for numerous projects. “We understood that it’s not just about creating a beautiful building; the technology must work or people will leave.” Like many other architectural firms in the country, CCBG Architects suffered a negative impact from the recent “mortgage meltdown.” “We are in a business that is highly correlated to the real estate health of the country. We know we will have ups and downs,” Cassidy says, relating that, although his firm saw through to completion a lot of the architectural projects that were already in the pipeline prior to the crash, the next wave was crushed as banks pulled loans. “Nationally, the architecture profession got cut in half. We saw it coming, although nobody had a perfect crystal ball.” To weather the economic storm, Cassidy says his company lived as “mean and lean” as they could. Steps included making sure the firm was debt free, cutting unnecessary expenses whenever possible and also making the very difficult decision to let four people go. “It was very calculated in terms of picking who it had to be. It was not necessarily the most expensive people but actually ended up being the least experienced,” Cassidy shares. Cassidy recalls telling the remaining staff, “We will ride out this storm together and please bear with us as we go through these lean times.” The firm weathered the downturn together for about five years until the marketplace began to pick up again. “We cut salaries and were as efficient as possible with everything. And everybody stayed. I think everybody appreciated getting a paycheck two times a month.” Now that the market has picked up again, Cassidy says everyone’s salary has been restored and the staff is back to full strength. He is grateful for his hard-working and dedicated team, whom he credits with producing a huge amount of work. “We only had one person choose to leave in eight years, and the average employee has been with us for 16.”

ARCHITECTS FOR COMMUNITY • Being involved in the community at a grassroots level is one of Brian Cassidy’s greatest passions. He enjoys serving on boards and groups that help promote economic development in Phoenix, and is currently chairman of the Warehouse District Council and board member of the Downtown Phoenix Community Development Corporation as well as president of the Central Arizona Architectural Foundation. • CCBG Architects has been in continuous practice since 1965. In addition to adaptive reuse and urban infill projects, the firm’s portfolio includes upscale resorts, movie theaters and golf facilities. • The firm has worked on almost three dozen adaptive reuse projects over the years, including transforming an old two-story produce warehouse into a contemporary public relations office.

CCBG Architects, Inc. ccbg-arch.com

According to the City of Phoenix website, its award-winning Adaptive Reuse Program is one of the most comprehensive programs of its kind in the country. The program offers development guidance, streamlined processes, reduced timeframe, and cost savings to customers looking to adapt older buildings for new business uses. phoenix.gov/pdd/development/oca/index.html

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LAW MATTERS TO BUSINESS

Sweepstakes Offers: Legal Promotion or Illegal Gambling?

There are legal restrictions, requirements and repercussions when businesses mix advertising with gambling by Jim Stipe Many businesses look to hold sweepstakes, raffles, poker tournaments and other contests for marketing purposes. They don’t realize that these activities can amount to illegal gambling. “Gambling” generally means risking something of value for a chance to win a prize. With only limited exceptions, it is against the law for an Arizona business to benefit from gambling. Businesses that turn a blind eye can quickly find themselves faced with serious legal consequences.

SWEEPSTAKES

James Stipe is an AV-rated AV® Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 peer review-rated attorney in MartindaleHubbell who joined Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A. in 1992. He practices in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Insurance Defense/ Personal Injury Litigation and Indian Gaming Law. In the gaming arena, Stipe represents regulators in litigation and negotiations relating to Tribal/State Gaming compacts, and has counseled gaming vendors and tribal governments. He is the past Chair of the Indian Law Section of the State Bar of Arizona.

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Businesses of all sizes and types hold sweepstakes. They are so popular that entire websites exist to disseminate information on the hundreds of available contests. Done carefully, sweepstakes can be a legal means to promote a business. Decades ago, sweepstakes were simply ill-disguised lotteries. Players would have to give some form of consideration, such as buying a product, in order to gain entry into the sweepstakes. This format caused the sweepstakes to fall within the broad definition of gambling, where the participant had to risk something of value for a chance to win a prize. Eventually, federal regulators enacted sweepstakes regulations requiring a viable means to enter the contest without compelling a payment or a purchase of products or services. Regulations also now require a conspicuous disclosure indicating that a payment or purchase will not increase the chances of winning. Additionally, sweepstakes must be operated fairly with no misleading advertising related to them. The material terms of the sweepstakes must be completely and clearly disclosed to potential players, and the contests ultimately conducted as announced. Although the material terms of the sweepstakes will vary depending on the contest, the following topics should be covered: (1) sponsoring business contact information; (2) the estimated odds of winning a prize; (3) an accurate description of prizes, including their value and costs or conditions to receive them; (4) how to enter and the deadline for doing so; (5) who is eligible to enter; and (6) when and how winners are selected, notified and can claim their prizes. Businesses must pay close attention to risk when holding sweepstakes. Running afoul of the law usually happens when the business makes money directly from the sweepstakes. The purpose of a legitimate sweepstakes or other contest is to generate buzz, not squeeze money from participants.

RAFFLES Raffles involve selling entries, usually in the form of tickets, to win prizes. They are a form of gambling and generally illegal

in Arizona, except when operated by certain tax-exempt charitable organizations. Businesses may not hold raffles for profitable gain, so it’s best to consider an alternative form of promotion such as a sweepstakes. Some for-profit businesses do support or sponsor charities. There is nothing wrong with a business gaining some exposure by helping to sell raffle tickets or providing a raffle prize, so long as the raffle is operated pursuant to Arizona law for charitable purposes.

POKER TOURNAMENTS Poker involving betting and prizes falls within the definition of illegal gambling unless players are engaged in “social gambling.” Social gambling is a term used to define gambling that is not conducted as a business. It involves players who are at least 21 years old who compete on equal terms with each other, and where no other person stands to gain, directly or indirectly, from the gambling. It is not unlawful to engage in social gambling in Arizona. Businesses sometimes look to host poker tournaments for marketing purposes. For this to be legal, participation by a potential player cannot be contingent on any payment to the business no matter how small and no matter what it is called, including a cover charge, chair rental, ante or rake. Additionally, there cannot be even an indirect benefit to the business, such as profiting from refreshment sales or table rentals. Once there is any benefit to a non-player, the poker game will not qualify as legal social gambling and will put the hosting business at risk. Note that there are no special rules in place for Internet poker. Beware of engaging or operating any poker site where there is any payment, betting or prize awarded. The site will most likely turn out to be illegal in Arizona.

DELIVER ON PROMISES Promotions help build brand awareness and often result in more traffic, buyers and sales. Businesses just need to remember to determine if the activity is legal, follow the rules, pay close attention to risk and deliver the prize per their promise. Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A. bcattorneys.com

In 2014, Arizona state officials investigated at least four businesses that were purportedly attempting to host poker games as “social gambling.” The owners were hit with multiple felony and misdemeanor charges.

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Back to Basics 2.0 What matters now in building business by RaeAnne Marsh No one is good at everything. So, with the many hats a business owner must wear, some will be in the comfort zone and some in an area of actual expertise. All, however, require attention. Whether a business founder continues to actively handle all responsibilities personally or is able to delegate certain roles in the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organization, it remains important in any successful business operation to understand its essential competencies. Authorities within our business community share their expertise on core elements of business. We contacted top executives with extensive experience and success in the given realm as the decision maker or consultant to business.

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Keeping an eye on relationships, internal and external, and making sure there is appropriate documentation to manage or govern them — this is important at all stages of a business, says Mike Gillette, a partner in the Phoenix law firm of Gammage & Burnham. If business ownership is shared, there should be something in place which governs that basic fundamental relationship. Among the concerns are how the company is organized, where more capital will come from if capital is required, how the company is managed, how decisions are made, and what decisions can be made by one person as opposed to needing to get a vote or consensus among partners. Regarding distribution of profits, is one person ahead of another in terms of preferential return? How is it determined when and in what amount distributions are made — is it a collective decision or is somebody in charge of it? “If you set up rules in advance that govern how you interact with your partners under different circumstances, it goes a long way toward achieving good results during times when having answers is quite a valuable thing,” Gillette explains. The choice of who to partner with in the first place is cause for careful consideration, points out Adrienne Wilhoit, a partner in the Phoenix office of Ballard Spahr, speaking of investors and comparing the relationship to a marriage. “If you have different philosophies, it can run you

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“One of the biggest things entrepreneurs and small-business owners do wrong is to focus on things they’re comfortable with, and not do other things because they’re not comfortable with them or literally don’t know about them,” say Mitchell Bolnick, subject matter expert with Eliances, an organization headquartered in the Valley that facilitates

JULY 2015

off track,” she says. “Be sure to formalize the relationship, as you bring in investors, between you, the company and the investors.” In addition to day-to-day operation, how will deadlocks be resolved regarding critical growth decisions? “And think ahead about when you want to part ways,” Gillette suggests, noting that a lot of successful businesses have suffered adverse consequences or even been torn apart because people cannot get along any more but don’t have a clear path to walk away from one another. He cites such involuntary situations as divorce, bankruptcy, being expelled for cause, death or becoming disabled. Or the situation may be voluntary, due to not getting along “or just deciding you don’t want to be here anymore.” These situations are all best handled in advance, Gillette emphasizes. “These are all emotionally charged circumstances, ones that don’t lend themselves to rational decision or compromise.” Other internal relationships to cover are with employees and independent contractors. “In a lot of cases, it may make sense to have agreements in place that govern those relationships,” Gillette says, “especially with someone paid on contingency or commission-based compensation, or when they have a particular relationship or knowledge of confidential information you want to protect.” And then there are external relationships with vendors, suppliers and customers. Being clear

on what is owed, when payments are made and how to handle changes in orders and defective goods is only part of the story. “If a vendor or subcontractor will be transferring intellectual property, to manufacture or act upon, you want those specifications and drawing to belong to you, and all the derivatives that come from it,” Gillette says. Recommending a company take the necessary steps to protect critical intellectual property, such as trade name and patents, at the earliest stages, Wilhoit observes, “Spending a little money at the outset will often save a lot of grief down the road.” Companies should also consider how they are protecting customer data — and what data they collect in the first place, Wilhoit cautions, referring to the potential of law suits if sensitive data gets hacked. Another problem Wilhoit addresses is business owners not thinking long-term about their choice of legal entity. “They start as a sole proprietor with no formal legal structure, and never incorporate or organize as an LLC or corporation,” she says. When a business is small, there can be a liability issue with not being a corporation or LLC, she notes, and in terms of opportunity for growth, investors will require some form of structure. “You’re not prepared for growth if you don’t have the proper legal entity.”

“If you set up rules in advance that govern how you interact with your partners under different circumstances, it goes a long way toward achieving good results during times when having answers is quite a valuable thing.” —Mike Gillette

high-level entrepreneurship alliances. But the most important thing for a leader to do, he says, is define the culture and make sure it is fulfilled. This requires hiring the right people and communicating effectively with them. “Make sure, from top to bottom in the company, that everybody is marching to the same drum beat,” he says. A business owner may hire the “best” technician but, if he’s angering or annoying the customers, “is he really the best technician?” Bolnick asks. “It’s easier to teach people skills; it’s very difficult to change their personality and the way they go about life.” Communication skills are critical. It is the responsibility of the leader to make sure messages

are received so that the employee clearly understands what is expected of him or her. The challenge in this is knowing each employee on a personal enough level to know what gets through to him or her. Words, phrases, even form of the communication may convey differently to different generations — and this may manifest in unexpected ways. Bolnick shares a mobile phone interaction he had with his adult son in which he made a reference to the “boob tube,” using the old slang for “television.” The son assumed the phone had auto-corrected from “YouTube,” and it took several message relays to sort out the confusion. Hiring people who buy into the culture helps create internal customer loyalty, which

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drives end-customer loyalty. Noting that business owners cannot know everything that is happening at every point in time in their company, Bolnick emphasizes, “If you have disgruntled people or people who don’t understand the message or the process, the probability of something happening with the end-customer that is negative is increased.” However, if everyone is marching to the same drum beat — and they understand the importance of that — the probability of having a positive customer response is increased. A challenge in identifying and attracting the right talent may be in how to afford them, says Tim Wales, who has started multiple businesses over the past 10-plus years. “Then you shift your focus from attracting people to raising capital — and get stuck in a rut.” He is a strong proponent for businesses finding advisors, not just financial

Human Resources

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“From an HR perspective, one of the things we think is most important is selecting people who really represent your brand,” says Phyllis Senseman, vice president of Agency Management and Marketing with CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Company. She emphasizes the value of investing in the pre-hire process because of the significant expense attached to that the termination process and retraining. And, so that the company has solid footing if an employee is terminated, she says, “Be sure you have strong HR policy guidelines regarding what’s permissible in the workplace.” Companies may also consider having a probationary period for new hires, for possibly a 90-day or six-month period. “Then it’s ‘no harm, no foul’ if you don’t keep that employee,” she says. Such an arrangement needs to be agreed to at the outset. An aspect of HR that businesses may overlook is safety. Senseman suggests a business owner develop a network, based on similar company size or industry, so they can learn from one another. “Let someone else come in and look around your business for what they might see, and you can do the same courtesy for them.” She

investors, and he’s found that many successful businesspeople truly care about giving back. “If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, and they see something in you, they will give you time.” His business — Visibility Technologies Solutions, which launched last year and involves multiple executive leaders who are giving time back to the community, and his current new project, WebProctor, an education cloud service solution, which taps into other expertise among Eliances members — reflect this philosophy.

Wales also emphasizes the importance of a business owner listening to his or her employees. For instance, a business owner may keep old technology in place because of the comfort level in using something that’s familiar. Employees, however, could be frustrated with the systems in place because they don’t get the job done. “It’s OK to have open communication channels,” Wales says, warning against complacency and ignoring the people who contributed to the business’s success.

“One of the biggest things entrepreneurs and small-business owners do wrong is to focus on things they’re comfortable with, and not do other things because they’re not comfortable with them or literally don’t know about them.” —Mitchell Bolnick notes that a fresh set of eyes will often bring a different perspective. Other resources she suggests are local chambers of commerce or business organizations, which may offer HR advice and policy training. And the U.S. Small Business Administration also has useful guides for small companies to navigate HR matters, shares Ballard & Spahr’s Wilhoit, calling it critical that businesses spend time thinking about HR matters. “Those are the areas where people make the most mistakes.” In the employment realm, government agencies have stepped up their activities, and LeighAnn Ciccarelli, general council for Diversified Human Resources, notes this has led to employees being much more aware of their rights. “They’re not afraid to go to these agencies if they feel they’re not being treated fairly.” In the areas of graft and discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has substantially increased its enforcement activity. Says Ciccarelli, “Employers need to be aware of what’s going on in their work force, and not turn a blind eye.” It’s important that a business not just have a policy that covers these issues but the employees are educated and the policy is consistently enforced.

“Be very aware of misclassification issues,” Ciccarelli advises, warning that the Department of Labor has been charged with a responsibility of going after these violations. It’s not just a matter of paying non-exempt employees minimum wage and overtime, but whether employees are properly classified in the first place. Businesses should be aware that a salary does not automatically make a position “exempt”; there are other factors, which include the duties of that job. The misclassification issue also lies at the heart of IRS activity focused on 1099s versus W2s. “So be sure to ask an expert, and not just call someone an independent contractor,” Ciccarelli says. She cautions against taking shortcuts. A discrimination lawsuit by the EEOC or private party can go to six figures and up. With DOL misclassification issues, liquidated damages and penalties are mandatory. And if the IRS undoes a misclassification, the employer is responsible for all the back taxes — not just the employer’s but the employee penalties, too. Says Ciccarelli, “These are tricky areas and can get you into trouble if you just think you know what you’re doing versus really asking the questions.”

“From an HR perspective, one of the things we think is most important is selecting people who really represent your brand.” —Phyllis Senseman

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“Your brand is not what it is on paper or in your commercials,” says Ruzica Radulovic, vice president, division marketing director for Alliance Bank of Arizona and Bank of Nevada. “Your brand is your user’s experience.” And users communicate their experience broadly and rapidly through social media. Happy customers have always begot happy customers, but Radulovic notes that not only does social media make that more true today than ever, it also provides a channel for unhappy customers to have a voice. Businesses, therefore, need to bring a holistic view to their marketing. The user’s experience encompasses such elements as the employees who answer the phone and the building customers walk into. For Alliance Bank, for instance, “from walking up to the teller to the ATM to the online platform, it’s all a reflection of who we are.” Admitting the market has never been more complicated, she notes also there has never been more opportunity for research to simplify matters. “An educated strategy is better than a

Sales

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“The best salesperson in a company is the owner because he has the most skin in the game,” says Murray Goodman, CEO of Intelemark, speaking from 30 years’ experience consulting to small and mid-sized companies. But he has also found that these people may also be ones for whom sales is outside their expertise and even comfort zone. “They either created something or invented something, but they’re not salespeople.” So when they are building a sales force, Goodman says the most important thing is to keep an eye on the habits of their salespeople. Among the key factors is their ability to problem solve. Another is their level of preparation before picking up the phone and going into a sales presentation. “If they’re not prepared at

JULY 2015

gut check,” she says, observing many companies skip the research because they think they know their customer. Or people may think they are marketing experts, says David Anderson, managing partner and CEO of Off Madison Ave, cautioning the need for people on the team who know what they’re doing and are strategic thinkers, “especially in this day and age when there are more channels than you can count to communicate with people.” Anderson advises having the right people in place to implement a strategic plan — and then holding them accountable through measurement. What to measure depends on the goal. Facebook “likes,” for instance, is one measure of a market’s awareness of a business. “There are all kinds of things to measure and tools to do it, but,” Anderson notes, “tools are just tools unless you have the brainpower behind analytics to know what to do with the data.” As he puts it, “Marketing tactics will cost you money; a solid marketing strategy is an investment.” He divides strategy into three

parts: objectives, strategies to achieve them, and the tactical tools to implement.” “It depends on what business goal you’re trying to achieve,” Anderson says. Radulovic suggests a business identify its happiest clients and direct its marketing to finding more of them rather than try to reinvent itself or add a new division. “Chasing bright, shiny objects rarely pans out,” she says. “Once you have that down and you have a holistic view of that user experience, then put your money where your mouth is.” An integrated approach to the advertising is important. “You can’t ignore online for print and you can’t ignore print for online,” Radulovic says. Calling that an “essential mistake” that many companies make, she states the two work together. Another option she suggests is thought leadership, especially if a business’s budget is constrained. But once advertising is decided, it’s critical to be consistent, Radulovic emphasizes. “One ad will never change a company’s trajectory.”

“Chasing bright, shiny objects rarely pans out. Once you have that down and you have a holistic view of that user experience, then put your money where your mouth is.” —Ruzica Radulovic

the most professional and highest level, they’re compromising their ability to succeed.” Most important in managing a sales force is making certain the salespeople are spending time with prospects who can buy. “The former CEO of Kinko’s told me, ‘The worst thing for a salesperson is to spend time with a prospect who can’t buy,’” Goodman shares, emphasizing quality of calls over quantity. “It’s important to have salespeople who can get to that determination.” “It’s important to have the right people with the right skill set in the right position,” says Tracy Bullock, president and owner of Bullock Training & Development, a licensed Sandler training facility. For instance, she notes a company’s best salesperson may not necessarily be the best choice for sales manager, and observes she’s seen people promoted as a reward or in hopes they will inspire others — but who have no skill in management. There are numerous assessments available to help business owners understand the profile

needed for various positions in their company. And Bullock advises keeping in mind goals not just for today but for five years from now. “You cannot run or staff a business with only today in mind,” she says. Staffing is just one of what Bullock calls the “four S’s” of sales. Two others are strategy and structure. Strategize first by determining the goal — is it to achieve a specific revenue amount, level of profitability or market share? Each would have different activities and measures that would align to it. For instance, if aiming for market share, Bullock says, “It’s more important to price competitively and understand your research and competitors more than if you were going for a revenue play.” It’s also important to understand value versus price. “You’ll often get into a sales situation and start offering things that aren’t necessary because you don’t understand the true value to the person who’s buying.” Skill is the fourth “S” — skill in working with different decision makers, influencers and executors in a company. Bullock notes that

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differences come into play based on both size of company and industry, but in general the sales cycle is longer in larger businesses because there are more touch points within an account. If there are fewer than 10 decision makers, they usually talk to each other; if there are more than 10, it usually adds more layers. “At each level, one person’s ‘pain’ is not transferable to another. They will have a different perspective on time and resources.” When qualifying a prospect, it’s not a matter just of who makes the decisions, but, more importantly, how and why. Bullock suggests thinking of the reasons that person would buy: What is the business impact? Why does this person want to solve for it? And don’t overlook

Accounting

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Both the cash situation and working with customers are important from an accounting standpoint, says Mike Finnegan, a managing director in the Tax & Business Services Division of CBIZ. “Know how cash comes in and how your cash goes out,” he advises. “We tell clients, as a general rule, to keep cash on hand for 30 days’ expenses or have a line of credit to draw on.” Nothing hurts a business more than a cash crunch, he observes. And knowing what times of year money is tight or flush will help in planning, such as when to buy equipment. Finnegan also recommends a business owner know all the company’s major customers. Keeping them happy, he says, includes knowing if the company’s pricing policy is working, as well as not giving them more than they need. “If you’re selling them extras they don’t need, you may be wasting time and cash.” He believes having a good relationship with customers requires mutual respect. The customer will, of course, try to drive the price down, but “have a relationship so they know you’re also in business and need to make money,” he says.

the person who will ultimately implement the item in question — who may not be considered a decision maker in the company but whose opinion in the particular case might be the final “yea” or “nay.” Notes Bullock, “You increase your closure rate by determining whether or not there is a qualified reason to continue.”

Goodman puts it even more strongly: “There are no B2B sales concluded unless the buyer is ruthlessly qualified.” But most importantly, he adds, solutions must stand on their own merit. “You have to be able to articulate how you’re going to solve their critical business issue. If you can’t solve it, all the rest of the qualifications don’t make any difference at all.”

“You’ll often get into a sales situation and start offering things that aren’t necessary because you don’t understand the true value to the person who’s buying.” —Tracy Bullock

“And if you have that strong relationship, it makes it difficult for the customer to leave,” Finnegan adds, explaining the customer would be faced with having to develop a relationship all over again with a new vendor. But beyond the P&L statement and knowing how much cash is in the bank, the most important accounting instrument is the balance sheet, says Jerry Mills, founder and CEO of B2B CFO. Observing it’s the instrument most business owners are least familiar with, he emphasizes it is the barometer of how the company is doing. The balance sheet holds the company’s cash, inventory, fixed assets, accounts payable and long-term liability. “You can run on cash for a while looking at sales and the income from it,” he says, “but as the company grows and sales increase, the owner thinks cash will increase commensurately.” In fact, though, as the company grows, cash actually decreases. “The owner gets panicky because he doesn’t know where the cash is,” Mills says. “But it’s on the balance sheet — what cash

is tied up in inventory or payables or debt.” Mills cites his own company as a case in point. Honored earlier this year with a Blue Ribbon Small Business Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as one of the Top 100 Small Business in America, and named five years in a row as one of the Inc. 5000 “Fastest Growing Companies,” B2B CRO grew from $10 million to $30 million, “but I have less cash, less control and more worries,” he says. “I tell clients, ‘All the sins of the company are buried on the balance sheet,” Mills says. For instance, a customer may be paying later than it used to or be on the verge of bad debt so the company would not be able to collect at all. Or someone in the company is buying too much inventory. In fact, Mills notes, that is where employee theft can occur — burying it in inventory. Mills notes also that a bank will look first at the balance sheet — not the P&L — when considering a loan. Ultimately, it is the balance sheet that determines if a company is bankable or unbankable.

“Know how cash comes in and how your cash goes out. We tell clients, as a general rule, to keep cash on hand for 30 days’ expenses or have a line of credit to draw on.” —Mike Finnegan

Alliance Bank of Arizona alliancebankofarizona.com

CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Company copperpoint.com

Off Madison Ave offmadisonave.com

B2B CFO b2bcfo.com

Diversified Human Resources dhr.net

Visibility Technologies Solutions visibilitytechsolutions.com

Ballard Spahr LLP ballardspahr.com

Eliances eliances.com

WebProctor, Inc. webproctor.com

Bullock Training & Development tbullock.sandler.com

Gammage & Burnham gblaw.com

CBIZ cbiz.com

Intelemark intelemark.com

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JULY 2015

INNOVATIONS FOR BUSINESS

Got Tech? Got the Right Tech? Three ways technology can help increase business productivity by Eugene Chi What exactly is productivity? In professional terms, productivity often means, well … more. But, more what? In a literal sense, productivity is the rate of output per a unit of input — essentially, the amount of work that can be completed given an amount of time or money. This makes sense in simplified scenarios; for example if one employee is able to send six emails per hour, that employee is more productive than the one who sends only four per hour. However, it would be foolish to define an employee’s productivity by something as simple as the quantity of emails sent per hour. There are a number of variables that affect employee productivity, with technology emerging as a chief driver for small businesses. The options available for small businesses are more accessible than ever, and investing in technology and maximizing its capabilities is one of the best ways to ensure an increase in business productivity. Below are three technology-focused tips that businesses should consider to increase productivity.

UPGRADE OUTDATED TECHNOLOGIES

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Eugene Chi is general manager of Small and Mid-Sized Business Sales & Distribution at Microsoft Corporation, overseeing Phoenix. microsoft.com

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Small-business owners are constantly looking for ways to save money and increase profit. One of the best ways to do this is to invest in technology upgrades. Delaying an upgrade investment may save money in the near term; however, it will most likely delay returns for future advancements and hinder productivity. Many SMBs (small and medium businesses) ascribe to the motto “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” While this mentality may save money on office furniture, the “break/fix” cycle will not apply to technology. Many SMBs choose to not upgrade IT infrastructure until it stops working. Avoid this pitfall. Failing to upgrade in real time often creates a patchwork effect, resulting in an IT layout of some new, some old, and mostly overlapping functionalities, with nothing maximized or streamlined.

For computer hardware and servers, continue to monitor performance and ensure that the current technology is compatible with the software it is running. Also, keep in mind that using older technology can open up security concerns that have the potential to compromise important business and customer data, and troubleshooting these issues can be a drain on employee time and resources. For example, those currently running Windows Server 2003 should mark the calendars because Microsoft will completely end support for Windows Server 2003 this month, on July 14, 2015. A best practice is to check for updates on a monthly basis and, if the technology allows, check the box for automatic updates. Also, when running updates, it is best to perform them at the end of day. This will ensure employee workflow isn’t disrupted during business hours.

CONSIDER THE CLOUD For those not yet familiar with cloud technology, it’s time to tune in. Capabilities offered by this approach to technology delivery have been around since the 1950s, but only in the last decade has it become optimized for full-scale business use. The cloud offers companies the use of essential business applications (SaaS) and a safe place to store and access information, as well as the ability to outsource IT capabilities (IaaS) to save time and money. Whether an important sales manuscript or a simple office memo, documents are created to be saved and shared. Cloud technologies offer the quickest and safest accesses to these documents. The cloud also allows for real-time editing and document archiving. When going through the multiple rounds of edits, documents often exchange hands multiple times. With the help of cloud technologies, any number of people can edit a document at one time, eliminating the back and forth. Accidental deletion of the document is no

As used in the modern sense, the term the “cloud” first appeared in an internal document put out by Compaq. Cloud computing allows users to adopt and use existing technologies without the need for deep knowledge about or expertise with each technology’s IT protocol, helping businesses cut costs and enabling them to concentrate on their core business.

BETTERING YOUR BUSINESS longer a problem as version history allows for users to go back and access previous saved versions and start from where the document was last saved. With the cloud, employees can create a virtual work force and do business just about anywhere. Employees are no longer tied to a single place, a single device or even a particular time zone. Collaboration via the cloud enables employees to sit around the same table, virtually, and continue working as the environment changes. For example, an employee may develop a presentation on his or her work laptop, upload it to a cloud storage service, update it on a mobile phone while on the way to a client’s office and later present it via a tablet during the meeting. Cloud computing gives small businesses an affordable alternative to large hardware and server costs. Having access to the right technology can be the difference between surviving and thriving. Shifting to the cloud opens the doors to enterprise-grade technologies for smaller companies at a fraction of the investment. This levels the playing field for SMBs and larger operations. The tools and applications that were once found only on the office computer have become Web-based and can be accessed through a Web browser, whether on a PC or mobile device. The cloud can help companies boost their bottom line by dramatically reducing technology expenses. Instead of spending ever-increasing amounts on servers, network devices and data storage, businesses that embrace the cloud shift their technology costs to Web-accessible software services. No longer do companies need to continually invest in maintaining and upgrading equipment and software; they can simply subscribe to cloud-based services for infrastructure and application use. With the cloud, companies buy only as much technology as they need. As a company grows, it can easily scale by simply adding more seats or subscriptions. Additionally, switching to the cloud frees up IT staff from budget-dragging maintenance and allows the organization to invest in alternative ventures.

Busy Business psychologist Tony Crabbe outlines a unique four-step approach to combating one of modern life’s great problems: being too busy. Busy is divided into four digestible sections — Mastery, Differentiation, Engagement and Momentum — that will teach readers how to switch from managing time to managing attention; how to transition toward a career strategy that doesn’t hinge on productivity; how to think differently about success by re-engaging with what matters; and how to create the impetus, energy, and clarity to put all these changes into effect. Crabbe draws on entertaining psychological studies to show why we’re getting it wrong at the moment and to develop a fresh new approach to taking back one’s life from chaotic outside forces. Title: Busy: How to Thrive in a World of Too Much Author: Tony Crabbe

$28.00

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Available: 7/7/2015

Pages: 320

Disrupt You! In today’s volatile business landscape, adaptability and creativity are more crucial than ever. It is no longer possible — or even desirable — to learn one set of job skills and to work one’s way up the ladder. At the same time, entrepreneurs with great ideas for new products or technologies that could change the world often struggle to capture the attention of venture capital firms and incubators. The business leaders of our future must anticipate change to create their own opportunities for personal satisfaction and professional success. In Disrupt You!, Jay Samit, a digital media expert who has launched, grown, and sold startups and Fortune 500 companies alike, describes the unique method he has used to invent new markets

ENCOURAGE REMOTE WORKING While business management may be skeptical of implementing remote work policies, commonly citing barriers such as a loss of oversight and a perceived loss of control, utilizing a flexible, remote working policy through the cloud can help increase employee satisfaction and productivity. According to a study by Harvard Business Review, in comparison with the employees who come into the office, at-home workers are not only happier and less likely to quit but also more productive. Cloud-based productivity solutions help employees work smarter during normal working hours. For example, if a colleague is called away to a meeting or needs to stay at home to care for an ill family member, he or she can complete work remotely. Cloud services allow for employees to access files, documents and software solutions online via their mobile device, and use what would have been down time away from the office to be productive. The advent of smartphones, tablets and other mobile working solutions means staff can work from any location with a reliable internet connection — whether it is in the home, the train, a hotel room, café or restaurant. Today’s business technologies do more than just crunch numbers; they empower people. Technology enables work forces to get more done while also connecting individuals to become more collaborative and creative. Investing in new technologies is a crucial part of increasing productivity and taking steps toward future success.

and expand established businesses. Title: Disrupt You!: Master Personal Transformation, Seize Opportunity, and Thrive in the Era of Endless Innovation Author: Jay Samit

$27.99

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Available: 7/7/2015

Pages: 304

Team Genius Offering vivid reports of the latest scientific research, compelling case studies and great storytelling, Team Genius shows managers and executives that the planning, design and management of great teams no longer have to be a black art. It explores solutions to essential questions that could spell the difference between success and obsolescence: How to reorganize subpar teams to turn them into top performers. How to identify which of a company’s top-performing teams are reaching the end of their life span, and have the courage to shut them down. How to create a replacement team that will be just as effective — without losing time or damaging morale. And, most important, are the teams the right size for the job? Title: Team Genius: The New Science of High-Performing Organizations Authors: Rich Karlgaard and Michael S. Malone

$27.99

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Pages: 304

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) allows off-site users secure access to their organization’s network. In using the Internet, a VPN can provide privacy by using certain encryption protocols — data is encrypted at the sending end and decrypted at the receiving end.

Available: 7/7/2015

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INVESTING IN COMMUNITY Giving USA, the definitive longitudinal research study on U.S. trends and issues in philanthropy, is compiled by The Giving Institute and is based on research from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. 2015 Report Highlights: • The three sectors with the highest rate of growth in contributed income during 2014 were: Arts, culture and humanities: 9.2 percent increase for a total of $17.23 billion Environment/animals: 7 percent increase for a total of $10.50 billion Health: 5.5 percent increase for a total of $30.37 billion Growth in these areas can be attributed to high-networth individuals returning to the organizations they traditionally funded after a reallocation of funds during the recession to meet basic human services needs. • The religion sector, which remained relatively stagnant during the past few years, grew by 2.5 percent to $114.90 billion contributed in 2014. • Education — particularly higher education — experienced the highest two-year growth rate at 13.2 percent with a total in 2014 of $42.10 billion. store.givingusareports.org.

Richard Tollefson is president of The Phoenix Philanthropy Group, an Arizona-based international consulting firm serving nonprofit organizations as well as institutional and individual philanthropists. phoenixphilanthropy.com

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No More Fundraising Excuses Giving USA 2015’s annual report of philanthropic trends reveals five consecutive years of charitable giving growth by Richard Tollefson It is official. Philanthropic giving in the United States is not only on the rebound, it has fully recovered since the recession, marking the highest levels of giving in the country’s history. Yes, even despite weak and uneven economic recovery. According to the Giving USA 2015 report, charitable giving has risen 7.1 percent over the last year, totaling $358.38 billion. While these figures are encouraging and a clear sign of growing national economic health, it’s not quite time for executives sitting on nonprofit boards to celebrate. In fact, it’s a time for development directors, CEOs, board chairs and board members to step up, definitively discarding the most common excuse of past years: “We can’t possibly raise money because no one is giving money.” As the statistics prove, money is being donated to philanthropic causes more than ever before. Knowing where philanthropic dollars are coming from is key to a nonprofit’s success. Of all U.S. giving in 2014, individuals contributed 87 percent through outright gifts or their family foundations and bequests. Only five percent came from corporations. What’s more, individuals who have experienced a “liquidity moment” — they’ve sold a company or received an inheritance and suddenly have a windfall of cash — are turning more and more to donor-advised funds. Rather than donating those funds to particular charitable organizations for their stewardship, donors create their own donor-advised funds to hold that money, distributing it over a number of years to various nonprofits. Traditionally, individual donors have created their donoradvised funds within community foundations. Increasingly, however, they are also turning to commercial donor-advised funds such as Fidelity, Vanguard and Charles Schwab. This means nonprofits are wise to build relationships with community foundations, understanding that contributions from donor-advised funds may be outside the foundation’s organizational grant process and may be realized in future years. The 2015 report also revealed insight about new wealth in the United States and where these individuals — mostly entrepreneurs from the high-tech sector — are directing their money. Primarily, this new wealth is being channeled to donors’ own foundations, or in support of higher educational institutions. While the average mega-gift of the past hovered around the $80 million mark, the average in the past year has increased to $200 million.

2014 contributions $358.38 billion by source Contributors Amount (in billions of dollars) Percent

Individuals

Corporations

Bequests

Foundations

$258.51

$17.17

$28.13

$53.97

72%

15%

That’s not to say nonprofits should focus all of their energy on mega donors, as the percentage of charities receiving such generous funds is minimal (and, most often, personal connections are critical to secure such gifts). In fact, it is most wise to build a base of donors beginning with the annual fund, working to increase the level of participation of donors over time while also identifying immediate donors with the highest financial potential.

A CASE FOR COMPETITION So, while giving has increased, it is important to note that so, too, has competition for limited donor dollars. More than 1.5 million nonprofits exist in the United States today. Many of them, which once relied solely on government grants and contracts or worked under a fee-for-service model, are turning to philanthropic dollars for the first time to close the financial gap resulting from reduced governmental funds. The most competitive nonprofits understand that, to secure funds amid such competition, they must: Create a culture of philanthropy within the organization. Employees and volunteer leaders must understand the impact and positive potential of philanthropy, and how to steward donors and prospects for the long term. Invest money to make money. An investment in professional fundraising staff as well as dedicated resources for fundraising — developing cases for support, implementing effective database systems for the management of prospect/ donor information, and donor stewardship, for example — optimize philanthropic success. Build and sustain relationships for the long term. Don’t look at an individual donor as a simple pocketbook. The individual donor can wear multiple hats. He or she may make outright gifts annually, have a donor-advised fund or family foundation, be the CEO of a small corporation, or have planned giving potential. Do the background work and get to know the donor. Understand where the greatest financial potential lies. While corporations represent only 5 percent of giving, that doesn’t mean nonprofits should abandon philanthropic corporate partnerships and opportunities altogether. Consider approaching corporate marketing departments to discuss corporate sponsorship and cause-related marketing opportunities, and human resources departments about corporate volunteer opportunities. In the end, those executives sitting on nonprofit boards who understand that philanthropic dollars do exist — and take the time to study and understand current trends in philanthropy — are the ones who can most positively impact the nonprofits they serve.

As the only member of the Giving Institute in the Southwest, The Phoenix Philanthropy Group has conducted Giving USA preview events in Arizona, Nevada and California, as well as online webinars through the Social Venture Partners International Network. phoenixphilanthropy.com

JULY 2015

SAVE THE DATE

Upcoming and notable Federal Dispute Resolution Exhibition Mon. – Thurs., Aug. 3 – 6 All day

AUG

Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council

Arizona Technology Council

Fri., July 10 l 8:00a – 5:00p

Thurs., July 23 l 5:00p – 7:00p

The Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council will host its annual Business Summit and Opportunity Fair at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort. The event will have three components that will take place during the day. The first item on the agenda will be the Business Summit itself. The summit will feature breakout sessions concerning topics that are relevant to minorities, such as leadership in growing a minority-owned business. The sessions will be led by representatives of various major corporations’ supplier diversity programs, including Benita Fortner of Raytheon Missile System. Following the break-out sessions, participants will have the opportunity to attend a business trade fair, where numerous corporations, government agencies and minority business enterprises will be showcasing their products. Finally, there will be a matchmaking session where minority business enterprises will meet one-on-one with corporate representatives. “You would have to prospect for months to make the same number of contacts as you can in one day, under one roof at the Pacific Southwest Council’s Business Summit and Opportunity Fair,” says Scott Gregory, president and CEO of the Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council. In previous years of the Business Summit and Opportunity Fair, numerous minority business enterprises and representatives for the City of Tempe, City of Phoenix and Luke Air Force base have been in attendance. Amanda Niemerg, the council’s events coordinator, describes the event as an opportunity to “grow your business and network with these corporations and other minority businesses in the area.” This year, the Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council is expecting about 100 to 150 attendees from corporations, government agencies and minority —Henry Mackey business enterprises.

The Arizona Technology Council will host its quarterly VIP Networking Event at the Arizona Science Center. The event will feature a screening of the movie Back to the Moon for Good (a 25-minute film about the race to send a privately funded robotic spacecraft to the moon to win the Google Lunar XPRIZE, a $30-million reward), as well as the opportunity for business professionals and technologists to connect, learn and do business. “Arizona Technology Council is working to inspire entrepreneurs and innovators to make Arizona their home and to grow the next generation of talent locally,” says Kristin Priscella, chief operating officer of External Affairs for the Arizona Science Center. “The Arizona Science Center is also the ideal venue — our mission is to inspire, educate and engage curious minds through science.” Noting attendees will be provided with food, drink and the opportunity to network, she asks, “What better way to spend a hot summer night in Phoenix?” Previous events have attracted a range of businesspeople, from young entrepreneurs to chief executive officers. “Our quarterly VIP networking events are very popular with good reason,” says Steve Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council. Explaining that, prior to the event, the Council holds a meeting of its board, which is made up of nearly 40 C-level executives from some of Arizona’s most prominent and promising technology companies, he says, “After business is concluded, the board looks forward to attending the event and networking with attendees. It’s a prime opportunity to meet a roster of —Henry Mackey world-class business leaders.”

2015 Business Summit and Opportunity Fair

3rd Quarter VIP Networking Event

Members: $75; non-members: $150

Members: $15; non-members: $25

Scottsdale Plaza Resort

Arizona Science Center

7200 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale

pswmsdc.org

600 E. Washington St., Phoenix aztechcouncil.org

LRP Publications presents this four-day event that showcases products and services such as employee defense services, employee education and assistance services, mediation services and many more related products and services in the Industrial Products industry. $12.95 JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa 5350 E. Marriott Dr., Phoenix fdrconferences.org

Breakthrough – A New Leadership Lens AUG

Tues. – Fri., Aug. 25 – 28 All day

AZSHRM 2015 State Conference, the largest human resource-focused conference in the State of Arizona, provides HR professionals a new way of aligning HR practices with business leaders’ strategies. HR and business leaders will have the opportunity to learn and grow their strategic partnership to drive their business forward and execute results. Members: $470; nonmembers: $515; per-day and per-event prices also available Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa 5594 W. Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler azshrm.org

JULY 2015 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 July 4 – Independence Day 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

29 20JULY1 5 INBUSINESSMAG.COM

JULY 2015 Wed., July 1

Fri., July 10

5:30p – 7:30p

First Friday Networking Breakfast

Networking for Professionals

Glendale Chamber of Commerce

Attendance at this monthly business networking mixer is 60 to 80 people from all over the Valley in different industries.

This event showcases a featured speaker, an opportunity for all members in attendance to introduce their company and/or products and services, and a raffle. Breakfast is included.

Members: $10; non-members: $15; at door: $20

Fri., July 3, 10, 17, 23, 30

7:00a – 8:45a

Shakers & Stirrers

Members: $7.50; future members: $25

Dave & Buster’s Desert Ridge

Bitzee Mama’s Restaurant

21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix

7023 N. 58th Ave., Glendale

networkingforprofessionals.com

glendaleazchamber.org

9:00a – 1:00p

Sat., July 11

Luncheon

Chandler Chamber of Commerce

Greater Phoenix Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

Experienced business counselors provide advice, knowledge and insight to help you start or grow your business. Small Business Counseling is available Mondays and Tuesdays at the Chamber office by appointment only through the Maricopa Community Colleges’ Arizona Small Business Development Center network.

11:00am – 1:00pm

Small Business Counseling

The monthly luncheons feature networking opportunities throughout, a featured member spotlight/ professional development speaker, and updates about our upcoming events and community opportunities.

Free

Members: $25; non-members: $30

Chandler Chamber of Commerce

Blanco Tacos & Tequila

25 S. Arizona Pl., Chandler

2502 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix

chandlerchamber.com

phoenixgaychamber.com

Tues., July 7

10 Wed., July 15

11:30a – 1:15p

11:00a – 1:00p

ASU Stadium District Update

Federal Reserve Luncheon with John C. Williams

Arizona Association for Economic Development

Mesa Chamber of Commerce

John Creer, AVP, Real Estate Department for Arizona State University, and David Nakagawara, director of Community Development for City of Tempe, will discuss the ASU Stadium District Update.

John Creer

Hilton Phoenix/Mesa 1011 W. Holmes Ave., Mesa

Phoenix Country Club

Sally Harrison, sharrison@mesachamber.org

2901 N. 7th St., Phoenix

Wed., July 8

Special Engagement Event: John C Williams, Ph.D., serves on the Federal Open Market Committee, bringing the Fed’s Twelfth District’s perspective to monetary policy discussions to Washington, D.C. He will speak to the nation’s economic outlook. Members: $50; non-members: $60

Members: $40; non-members: $50

Bridgette Blair, bridgette@aaed.com

David Nakagawara

11:00a – 1:00p

Speedy Networking - Open Mic Forum

Wed., July 15

7:30a – 9:00a

Morning Blend: Wake Up with the Butterflies! Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce

Members: $25, non-members: $35

Network with fellow business leaders, enjoy a light complimentary breakfast and have the opportunity to visit the largest butterfly pavilion in America after the event! Flit and flutter around the room as you make new connections!

The Arizona Broadway Theatre

Free

7701 W. Paradise Ln., Peoria

Butterfly Wonderland

peoriachamber.com

9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale

Peoria Chamber of Commerce “Tips on Refining your Elevator Speech,” presented by APS.

phoenixchamber.com

JULY 20 1 5

INBUSINESSMAG.COM

Please confirm, as dates and times are subject to change.

For more events, visit “Business Events” at www.inbusinessmag.com

Thurs., July 16

Thurs., July 23

7:30a – 9:00a

8:00a – 9:00a

AM Connect

Coffee Time

Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce

Mesa Chamber of Commerce

This very popular breakfast gathering is comprised of business professionals dedicated to promoting each other’s businesses with a strong commitment to mutual success.

Join local business professionals and chamber members in an informal networking opportunity. Coffee Time is held at a member business location. Reservations are not required.

Members: free; guests: $20

Nordstrom’s Marketplace Café

7055 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale

Free

Kelly McCoy, kmccoy@scottsdalechamber.com

Chick-fil-A at Mesa Riverview

905 N. Dobson Rd., Mesa

Emily Thrasher, ethrasher@mesachamber.org Thurs., July 16

11:30a – 1:30p

Mon., July 27

Annual Luncheon

The Technical Edge

Tempe Chamber of Commerce

Microsoft

Keynote speaker is Ted Simons, Emmy Award-winning host and managing editor of the “Arizona Horizon” news program on PBS Channel 8. Meet the new chamber leadership, celebrate milestone anniversary members, and congratulate the chamber’s Volunteer of the Year.

Monthly educational event for realtors, sponsored by Microsoft and Equity Title Biltmore. Starbucks coffee is provided. Free

Members: $50; guests: $65 DoubleTree by Hilton Phoenix-Tempe

3:00p – 5:00p

Microsoft Store at Scottsdale Fashion Square 2100 S. Priest Dr., Tempe

tempechamber.org

21 Tues., July 21

22 5:30p – 7:30p

7014 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale

Brandon Ramsey, bramsey@microsoft.com 23

Tues., July 28

11:30a – 1:30P

Taste of Mesa

Business Resource & Networking Luncheon

Mesa Chamber of Commerce

North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce

An evening of fun and networking. Heavy appetizers will be served and everyone gets two drink tickets. There will also be a 50/50 raffle.

Attendees will have the opportunity to present a 30-second commercial followed by open networking. Lunch is included.

Members: $15; non-members: $25

Members: $20; non-members: $25; after July 24: add $10; at the door: cash only Valle Luna

16048 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix

northphoenixchamber.com

Mesa Chamber of Commerce 40 N. Center St., Mesa mesachamber.org Wed., July 22

3:00p – 5:00p

Competitive Edge Workshop Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce This workshop will cover leadership skills and why they are important for your business. Members: $20; general admission: $30 First American Title Conference Room

Fri., July 31

11:30a – 1:00p

Meet Your Neighbors Lunch Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce Meet Your Neighbors is a monthly event designed for chamber members and non-members to network over lunch. Make new business contacts and get to know your business neighbors!

4435 E. Chandler Blvd., Phoenix

$10; same day: $15

ahwatukeechamber.com

Kelly McCoy, kmccoy@scottsdalechamber.com

If your event is directed to helping build business in Metro Phoenix, please send us information to include it in the In Business Magazine events calendar. Full calendar online. Events@inbusinessmag.com

Imagine Backyard Living

15551 N. Greenway Hayden Loop, Scottsdale

JULY 20 1 5

INBUSINESSMAG.COM

WE VALUE WHAT WE OWN

BY MIKE HUNTER

2015 Lexus RC 350 F Sport

MSRP $45,025 City 19 mpg Hwy 26 mpg 8-speed automatic transmission 0-60 6 sec

Nearly identical to the digital gauges in the world-renowned LFA supercar, the instrument cluster in the RC F SPORT features a Thin Film Transistor display that moves in concert with a sliding metallic-trimmed bezel, expanding and retracting digital screens when information is accessed.

Getting Honored Businesses of all kinds look to recognize staff, clients, milestones and more. In “honor” of the accolades, many turn to trophy companies to make everything from a crystal award to framed memorabilia to customdesigned pieces. Here is our pick of the Valley’s best.

JULY 20 1 5

INBUSINESSMAG.COM

it varies its shifting based on G-force with the available Sport S/ Sport S+ driving modes. Throttle, steering and suspension are all modified within each driving mode to maximize performance, comfort and handling. This F Sport model offers 14-inch, twopiece front brake rotors with four piston calipers for optimized control when braking or handling curves. The design is a true selling point as well, with sleek curves and a bold and powerful-looking fascia grill, strong overall stance and lowered suspension. This F Sport looks like it hugs the ground as it drives and sits parked. The interior is a technology command center with race track-inspired speedometer displays, LCD multi-information display, and navigation and audio systems that impress. The ambient lighting and enhanced bolstered sports seats are engineered to hold passengers in. The exclusive stitching and available red or yellow leather accents offer great racing appeal while asserting true ergonomics for maximum performance for the driver. This is a performance coupe like none other in its price range and is impressing the racing community as well. The similarities and inspirations were meant to entice that community, but the authenticity in design and performance are wowing them.

HJ Trophies & Awards

Sun Devil Trophy

Thunderbird Trophies

Since 1986, Sun Devil Trophy has

Thunderbird Trophies is a

HJ Trophies & Awards has

been serving Tempe, Scottsdale

family-owned, one-stop

been providing quality

and the Metro Phoenix area with

shop located in downtown

awards products since

quality trophies, plaques, medals

Phoenix. Its specialty is

1989. It offers more than

and awards. With more than 25

one-of-a-kind trophies and

100 years of combined

years in the award and trophy

awards for every occasion.

experience in providing

industry, it has satisfied the

Thunderbird has been in

trophies; plaques; acrylic

perpetual needs of nonprofits,

Phoenix since 1962, making

awards; and glass, crystal

companies and municipalities

awards and doing custom

and promotional products.

with employee recognition,

engraving, and has recently

Custom engraving and

milestone awards, retirement

added large-format printing

custom awards available.

awards and other personalized

and screen printing.

3414 E. Thomas Rd.,

gifts year after year.

1414 N. 7th St., Phoenix

Phoenix

2006 E. 5th St., Tempe

(602) 253-2098

(602) 955-0812

(480) 990-8575

thunderbirdtrophies.com

hjtrophy.com

sundeviltrophy.com

With the Lexus Enform Remote mobile app, owners can remotely start the engine, lock and unlock doors, check the status of doors and windows as well as the fuel level, and get help finding their vehicle’s location in a parking lot. And, should they loan their Lexus to another driver, they can receive alerts if, for example, a preset speed or mile limit is exceeded.

Photos courtesy of Lexus (top and far left)

2015 RC 350 F SPORT

A true performance coupe, the all-new 2015 Lexus RC 350 F Sport is a sight to behold and an experience to be had. The sleek, low-stance design and sporty good looks are why this machine is getting so much attention and accolade by critics. Boasting a 3.5-liter V6 engine, this engine is designed to add performance and speed with the dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VV-i) — giving greater torque at lower speeds and horsepower at higher speeds. Clocking in at 5.8 seconds on the 0-60 mph test, the jolt and deep rumble of the exhaust makes this a sports car lover’s dream. The transmission is so advanced,

Arizona’s Education and Training Partner

Rufus Glasper, Ph.D. Chancellor, Maricopa Community Colleges

The Maricopa Community Colleges are leaders in helping students fulfill their educational dreams, whether through university transfer or preparation for a fulfilling career. •

Offering programs at 10 colleges, 2 skill centers, a Corporate College, and multiple satellite locations in the greater Phoenix area

•

Approximately 213,000 credit students and about 27,000 special interest students attended a Maricopa Community College in 2013 - 2014

•

Providing affordable, quality education

•

Granting more than 24,000 degrees and certificates annually

•

Largest provider of workforce training in Arizona attracting an estimated $3 billion in direct and indirect economic benefits to the County

•

Signature transfer partnerships with Arizona’s 3 state universities

•

Offering customized non-credit training for employers and organizations through the Maricopa Corporate College

maricopa.edu

The Maricopa County Community College District is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

MEALS THAT MATTER

McClendon Farms heirloom carrots, mushrooms, fresh pea tendrils $13

SMOKED CHICKEN & ANDOUILLE GUMBO YA-YA Grilled Andouille link, rice, green onions $14 add shrimp $4

THE PO’BOY This traditional sandwich named during the fourmonth strike against the streetcar company in New Orleans in 1929 normally consists of roast beef, fried seafood, chicken or ham and is placed on a New Orleans-style, crispy crust, soft center French baguette.

Taking the Southern Rail

Nostalgic in so many ways, Southern Rail Restaurant is quickly becoming a local tradition and certainly an adventure in dining. The American South is the inspiration for this rustic and upscale casual gem located amongst the Changing Hands Bookstore and First Draft Book Bar at The Newton in Central Phoenix. Justin Beckett of Beckett’s Table is the master creator of the incredible cuisine at this Valley hot spot. The foods are not without their own inspiration from Georgia to the Gulf Coast to Texas. Some of the most memorable tastes and dishes known for those regions are rethought and in some cases infused with other ingredients to excite guests and make for critical acclaim by guests and food critics alike. Menus and creations are ever-changing, but some favorites are available for lunch. The Dirty Rice Balls are a must, made with onion cream and a corn relish that is rich tasting but surprisingly light. As a starter, they are something every party should order and try. With that starter, we suggest the Fried Green Tomatoes as well. This is accompanied by a pimento sauce that compliments perfectly the Old Southern appeal of this dish. As a main dish, the Chicken & Biscuit Dumplings are spectacular. Made with

McClendon Farms heirloom carrots, mushrooms and fresh pea tendrils, this rendition of the Old Southern dish is delightful and memorable. On the lighter side is the Barley & Kale Salad made with a collard green pesto, roasted grapes and toasted pecans. The Po’Boy sandwiches are steeped in the tradition of the South and are made on French bread and filled with tons of meats, vegetables and seafood. The Cornmeal Crusted Catfish is a light and truly Southern treat with the creole remoulade and green tomato kimchee. The space is very festive and has a warm, rustic industrial appeal. Inspired by the train stations of the South, this expansive space looks onto Camelback and the light rail, giving a modern day rail experience. The patio and bar are fun spots to congregate at, and at lunch the staff is quick and so accommodating. True to the authentic South, this eatery is bound to be a longtime Valley tradition. Southern Rail 300 W. Camelback Rd., Phoenix (602) 200-0085 southernrailaz.com

Exclusively Dinner

Beckett’s Table

Café Monarch

Steak 44

The business lunch is a standard for

Sister to Southern Rail (see

This quaint romantic hot spot

A creation of the Mastro

above), this urban hot spot is

is set in a charming home just

brothers of Mastro’s fame,

one of our top picks for dinner.

off Main Street in Old Town

this classic steakhouse

Pairing comfort foods with

Scottsdale. The candlelit patio

has East Coast appeal and

great wines and specials each

and Old World-charm dining rooms

service that is impeccable.

evening makes this quaint

are what have given this award-

The ambience is spectacular,

eatery worth visiting multiple

winning establishment so much

and it has an incredible bar

times per month. A full bar

acclaim. The American cuisine is

area for client moments and

and outdoor seating add to its

inspired by other world regions,

a menu that will impress

appeal for any occasion.

reaching new heights with local

even diners from New York

3717 E. Indian School Rd.,

ingredients and inventive flavors.

or Hong Kong.

Phoenix

6934 E. 1st Ave., Scottsdale

5101 N. 44th St., Phoenix

(602) 954-1700

(480) 970-7682

(602) 271-4400

beckettstable.com

cafemonarch.com

steak44.com

meetings, but the business dinner is equally as important and sometimes warranted for an even more profitable business deal. Here are three of our favorites that don’t bother with lunch but do great things for dinner.

Steak 44

JULY 20 1 5

INBUSINESSMAG.COM

The American Southern Rail, created in 1829, was one of the first regularly scheduled routes in America. By the time the West was booming, the rail line was known to be an adventure in local foods as passengers and even stowaways would stop to eat in areas like Charleston, Atlanta and New Orleans, to name a few.

Photos courtesy of Southern Rail (top and far left), Steak 44 (bottom)

CHICKEN & “BISCUIT DUMPLINGS”

BY MIKE HUNTER

TEMPE CHAMBER

ADVANTAGE July – October 2O15 • tempechamber.org

You Don’t Have to Be a Big Fish to Make a Splash By Peter Adams, Ping! Development

Te m p e C h a m b e r. o r g

I, as founder, owner and CTO of Ping! Development, was recently elected to a seat on the Tempe Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. This is a great honor and it made me think about the impact joining the Chamber has had on my business. To be perfectly honest, without the Chamber, I wouldn’t have a business. Very often, people look at me like I’m out of my mind when I say that. “I joined a Chamber once—got nothing Peter Adams from it,” is the common response I’ve come to expect and shrug off. The more neutral response I occasionally hear is, “You don’t usually hear that when it comes to chambers.” If you don’t know what a chamber of commerce is (and I’ve met many millennials who don’t), it’s a business advocacy organization. It’s also a mentoring program (albeit an unstructured one that only works when you try to use it as such). It’s also a referral networking group (one that works if people know who you are). It can also be a professional development organization, a Toastmasters club, or a catalyst for personal growth. I find that there really isn’t any one thing that defines a chamber of commerce, because it is whatever you want to get out of it, providing you’re willing to put something into it. For me and my company, the Tempe Chamber has been all of those things. After just over three years in business, I remain a very small business, but that hasn’t stopped me from trying to make an impact. I may not have the budget of an SRP, State Farm, or APS, but being able to say I’ve built my entire business from being a chamber member is an impact and one that I know will continue as I work on my other ventures. I’m in the midst of a pivot for a Web service venture I created almost two years ago called MerchantFeedr, a service that will assist small businesses in tying their sales and marketing systems together. I’m thrilled to be helping a local specialized CRM startup grow for the last two years. It’s exciting to be a part of their growth and provide the technical assistance they needed. I was excited to hear about the first e-commerce sale on a local shop’s new site that we created for them. I’ve been lucky to become connected with someone investing in their first wine label and building their e-commerce site. Each one of these opportunities came about because of my involvement with the Tempe Chamber and getting to know the community. It’s been an exciting three years and I’m looking forward to serving the next three on the board of directors and continuing to build the best development team in the Valley. To learn how the Tempe Chamber can benefit you, visit www.tempechamber.org.

T E M P E C H A M B E R A D VA N TA G E

Tempe Chamber Honors Outstanding Business, Community Leaders The Tempe Chamber of Commerce recognized businesses and community leaders at the inaugural Beacon Awards on February 26 held at the Embassy Suites in Tempe.

Business Excellence Awards:

Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year:

The award celebrates companies that have a proven record of success and growth, community involvement, dedication to employees, leadership, reliability and commitment to customer service.

The honor recognizes a person or organization that best embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship, engages in responsible business practices and demonstrates a passion for innovation.

Good Works Auto Repair was named the Small Business of the Year. The auto repair shop was opened in 2004 by husband-and-wife team Glen and RaeAnn Hayward and co-owner Nathan Merrill. It is one of only two non-dealer locations in Arizona that work on hybrid vehicle battery systems. Its mechanics donate hundreds of hours every year repairing vehicles for single mothers at no cost. It recently expanded by adding an additional 4,000 square feet and four more vehicle lifts. APS was named the Large Business of the Year. Arizona Public Service is the state’s largest and oldest electric company, serving 1.2 million people. Founded in 1886 by Japanese immigrant Hochiro Onuki on his way to start silver mining in Tombstone, APS has been a leader in the development of solar generation for more than 50 years. It is the state’s largest taxpayer and has increased shareholder value by $3.7 billion in five years. The other finalists for the Business Excellence Awards were: here on the corner, University Animal Hospital, JE Dunn Construction and TruWest Credit Union.

T E M P E C H A M B E R A D V A N TA G E

Kelly Lorenzen, owner of All About Compression, was named the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. All About Compression is a retail store that sells fashionable compression socks and leggings to improve customers’ health by eliminating the symptoms of vein ailments. The two runner-up finalists for the award were Biostress Imagery and Ping! Development.

Spirit of Tempe Award: The award recognizes lifetime achievements of service, dedication and contribution to the community and honors hard work and strong commitment to improving the quality of life in Tempe. Pat Warren was presented with the Spirit of Tempe Award. Shortly after relocating to Tempe in mid-1990s, Warren began her career at the Twin Palms Hotel and was quickly promoted to general manager. During her tenure, the hotel was a two-time finalist for the Tempe Chamber Business Excellence Award and Warren was named Tempe Chamber Business Woman of the Year in 2003.

Outstanding Community Leader Award: The award is an annual distinction awarded to Tempe Leadership graduates who have displayed outstanding leadership in the Tempe community. Tempe Leadership presented its highest honor, the Outstanding Community Leader Award, to Mike Jennings. Jennings is the owner of Campus Corner. He served for five years as a member of the Tempe Leadership board, actively participating in many committees, including Tempe Cares and Tempe Youth Leadership.

Tempe Chamber Names Jodi Polanski Business Woman of the Year The Tempe Chamber of Commerce has named Jodi Polanski as its 2015 Business Woman of the Year. She was honored at the 20th Annual Women in Business Conference on May 20 at the PERA Club in Tempe. Polanski is the founder and executive director for Lost Our Home, an animal rescue organization founded in 2008 as a grassroots response to the thousands of pets in need as a result of the economic downturn. Her experience brings a business-oriented structure to the management of Lost Our Home while her lifelong love and dedication for animals keeps the compassionate side always in the forefront. She received a scholarship from the Arizona State University Lodestar Nonprofit Management Institute and received her Professional Certificate in Nonprofit Management in May 2011. “The Business Woman of the Year award recognizes the valuable contributions that the candidates have made to the business community and to the Tempe Chamber of Commerce. Their hard work and dedication have made an admirable and positive impact that we are proud to recognize,” said Mary Ann Miller, president and CEO of the Tempe Chamber. The two other finalists were Denise Hart, vice president of marketing at Vestar and the Tempe Marketplace, and Dawn Hocking, director of development at TCH. “The best way to succeed and make a difference is to do something you are passionate about,” said Polanski when offering advice to other businesswomen. “Without passion, you will not push forward with the intense dedication you need when things get tough or life gets busy.” Polanski has recently partnered with the Sojourner Center to develop the Sojourner Pet Companion Shelter, allowing victims of domestic violence to bring their pets with them, so that no one is left in an abusive home. This joint venture is the first of its kind in the Greater Phoenix area. Hart offered this advice to other businesswomen: “Work in a field that you are truly passionate about, go above and beyond what is expected of you, and always be the one who volunteers for anything asked, even if it’s outside of your job description. It’s important to feel confident about your work, give more than you receive, understand and embrace change, and become a team player and role model to your peers. Always strive to maintain a work/life balance and sustain a positive, happy and fulfilling life.” On being successful, Hocking says, “Your passion is something in your life that never loses that feeling of exhilaration no matter how many years you spend doing it. Find a way of bringing that passion into your daily tasks, even if your passion and your work seem to be opposites. When you are doing what you love, your talents and resources are most effective and you will make an even bigger difference in the lives of those around you. Then become involved in your chamber of commerce. Opportunities and possibilities multiply when you network with others who share similar goals.” Congratulations to these amazing women! They truly make a difference in Tempe.

Te m p e C h a m b e r. o r g

JODI POLANSKI When I learned I had been nominated for the award I was excited, honored, grateful and curious all at the same time. The excitement was about all it could do to help my nonprofit, the curiosity and gratefulness was toward the person who nominated me (I don’t know who nominated me but I’m so grateful to them for thinking highly enough of me to take the time to do it) and, of course, I felt extremely honored because I knew it was such an esteemed award. It was definitely a reaction full of many positive emotions.

DENISE HART I was so honored to be nominated for the award, and even more delighted when I was notified that I was one of three finalists for this prestigious award. I am very passionate about supporting the great city of Tempe and there are so many successful, wonderful and talented businesswomen in Tempe, I consider this to be one of the proudest moments in my career.

DAWN HOCKING I was honored and excited to be nominated. After the realization set in, I felt a touch of nerves and wondered if I were ready for the attention that the nomination brings. I am very grateful for the recognition of my work at The Centers for Habilitation, and for the support of my boss and coworkers. I feel lucky to be able to work with so many dedicated people both at TCH and those I have met through my involve-ment in the Chamber.

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Ribbons Cuttings with the Tempe Chamber are sponsored by ManageStaff

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Each month we celebrate Chamber members! Some are new, some have moved, and some are re-opening. If you are interested in hosting a ribbon cutting for your business, please contact Melody at (480) 736-4284 or melody@tempechamber.org. Steak ’n Shake

Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine

Waxing the City

Coyotes Curling Club

Pita Pit

Zoyo Neigborhood Yogurt

Chili’s Grill & Bar Tempe

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Ribbons Cuttings with the Tempe Chamber are sponsored by ManageStaff

Culver’s of Tempe

Beall’s Outlet

Hampton Inn & Suites

Silverman Patton, PLLC

Halle Heart Children’s Museum

My Momentum Chiropractic

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Noodles & Company

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Tempe Chamber Welcomes New Board Members The Tempe Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome five professionals representing diverse organizations to its board of directors. The Nominating Committee believes that the following individuals will be instrumental in shaping the future of the Tempe Chamber. Peter Adams Ping! Development Peter Adams is the founder and owner of Ping! Development, a software development consulting firm that he launched as a startup in 2012. Prior to that, he worked with professional services, development and financial companies. Since launching his company, he has helped startups and small businesses launch new products, establish or improve their online presence and launch their first online storefronts. A native of Colorado, he graduated from Kansas State University with a B.S. in Management Information Systems.

Jesus M. Campa SRP Jesus Campa is a distribution public involvement representative at the Salt River Project (SRP), an electric and water utility headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. He joined SRP in 2006 in its customer services call center and subsequently moved to community outreach to assist the Latino relations manager. In his current role, Jesus serves SRP by providing communication and public outreach to residential and commercial customers on a variety of construction projects and community concerns.

Bill Goodman Morgan Stanley Bill Goodman is a wealth manager and chartered retirement planning counselor at Morgan Stanley in Tempe with more than 20 years of investing experience. He served as a U.S. Army officer for seven and a half years before entering the business world. Bill held numerous positions with Abbott Laboratories before moving to Rockwell Electronic Commerce as a Regional Manager. He holds undergraduate degrees in Business and International Relations from the University of Richmond in Virginia and an Executive MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

Ken Blanchard College of Business | College of Education | College of Nursing | College of Arts & Sciences | College of Fine Arts & Production

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A R I Z O N A’ S P R I VAT E U N I V E R S I T Y S I N C E 1 9 4 9 Get started today! 855.287.0174 | www.gcu.edu/inbusiness Grand Canyon University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. (800-621-7440; http://www.ncahlc.org/ ).

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Lynda Santoro CenturyLink Lynda Santoro is an industry veteran with 21 years of telecommunications experience. She is responsible for CenturyLink’s Government and Education segments in Arizona with a specialization in K–12, higher education and local and county government. Her team has been instrumental in leading the Government and Education segment’s ability to thrive in the new arenas of cloud, data hosting and managed services, while maintaining its intense focus on operational excellence and the customer experience. Glenn Williams State Farm Glenn Williams is a human resources director for State Farm Insurance in Tempe, Arizona. He has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the field of Human Resources with an emphasis on organizational change, performance management and succession planning. He is highly regarded as a coach/mentor and is known for his ability to help groups and individuals maximize their performance and results.

New Chamber Leadership Announced at Annual Luncheon

Meet the new leadership of the Tempe Chamber of Commerce, including the incoming board of directors and new Chairman of the Board Tim Ronan at the July 16th Annual Luncheon. Presentations by chamber leadership and an awards ceremony for milestone anniversary members add to the enjoyment of this luncheon. The keynote speaker is Ted Simons, Emmy Award-winning host and managing editor of the ‘Arizona Horizon’ news program on PBS Channel 8. He has worked in television and radio in the Phoenix area for more than 30 years as a news director, morning show host, reporter and sports director. Register today and come together with influential community and political leaders at this engaging and enjoyable afternoon. The event takes place from 11:30 – 1:30 at the Doubletree by Hilton, 2100 S. Priest Drive in Tempe. RSVP at www.tempechamber.org or to (480) 967-7891.

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Board of Directors Chairman of the Board: Tim Ronan Chair-Elect: Brian Wood Treasurer: Kjell Andreassen Mary Ann Miller, President and CEO maryann@tempechamber.org

Vice-Chairs: Jesus M. Campa, Dawn Hocking, Paul Mittman

Sean Donovan, Vice President, Media and Program Development sean@tempechamber.org

Directors: Peter Adams, Leslie Barrett, Nigel Brooks, Bill Goodman, Misty Howell, Dave Long, Lynda Santoro, Randy Schultz, Robert Nyal Sewell, Glenn Williams, Liz White

Meghan Dorn, Communications Director meghandorn@tempechamber.org Melody Elkin, Vice President, Membership Development melody@tempechamber.org Julie Flanigan, Director of Finance julieflanigan@tempechamber.org Shari Hodziewich, Membership Retention shari@tempechamber.org Courtney McIntyre, Director of Operations & Membership Engagement courtneymcintyre@tempechamber.org

Immediate Past Chair: Kristine Kassel

Ex-Officios: Andrew Ching, Angela Creedon, Joe Hughes, Stephanie Nowack, Janeen Rohovit Committee Chairs: Nigel Brooks, Neil Chitel, Andrea Fox, Jeff Heisner, Kristine Kassel, Todd LaBarbera, Janeen Rohovit, Frank Woertz, Lori Zurcher Tempe Chamber of Commerce 909 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe, AZ 85281 (480) 967-7891 www.tempechamber.org

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Arizona Technology Report July – October 2O15 aztechcouncil.org

Arizona Technology Council: The Voice of the Technology Industry

In This Issue Coming Up Short…Pg. 2 The challenge of finding critical venture capital for Arizona’s tech community

Making a Mark…Pg. 4 Finalists named for annual Lifetime Achievement Award

Take Charge…Pg. 6 New program offers transformational leadership training

Management and Staff Steven G. Zylstra President + CEO

Leigh Goldstein Vice President, Operations + Events

Anne Rody Director, Finance + Administration

Merry Lake Merrell Director, Marketing + Communication

Deborah Zack Senior Director, Membership Services

Brian Krupski Director of Membership Services

Melissa Craven Executive Assistant to President + CEO

Alex Rodriguez Vice President, Southern Arizona Regional Office, Tucson

Don Rodriguez Editor

Ron Schott Executive Emeritus, Phoenix Office

Don Ruedy Executive Emeritus, Tucson Office

Justin Williams Executive Emeritus, Tucson Office

Jeremy Babendure, Ph.D. Executive Director, Arizona SciTech Festival

aztechcouncil.org

Steven G. Zylstra, President and CEO, Arizona Technology Council

Who We Are

The Arizona Technology Council is Arizona’s premier trade association for science and technology companies.

Phoenix Office

2800 N. Central Ave., Suite 1920 Phoenix, AZ 85004 Phone: 602-343-8324 Fax: 602-343-8330 info@aztechcouncil.org

Tucson Office

The University of Arizona Science and Technology Park 9040 S. Rita Road, Suite 1150 (near I-10 and Rita Road) Tucson, AZ 85747 Phone: 520-382-3281 Fax: 520-382-3299 tucson@aztechcouncil.org

ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY REPORT

Coming Up Short

The challenge of finding critical venture capital for Arizonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tech community

ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY REPORT

hen it comes to coming up with science and technology ideas that can change lives, Arizona is fortunate to have a wealth of talent that could make practically anything possible. But when it comes to finding the money needed to make these ideas reality, the state can be viewed more like a poor stepchild waiting for its turn to get its share. Arizona lacks an adequate supply of capital for early-stage ventures that helps local entrepreneurs build great companies and creates deal flow for the growth-stage investors. Investors supplying risk capital to early-stage companies — angel investors and venture capital funds — are necessary to build an adequate pipeline of fundable deals across the capital continuum. Early-stage investing is a high-risk, high-reward effort that requires subjective evaluations of business intangibles. Intense competition for investors doesn’t make it easy to secure funding despite how good the product or idea may be. For Arizona Technology Council members like Infusionsoft and WebPT, the search for VC funding meant making their pitches outside Arizona. When Infusionsoft announced it closed $55 million in growth financing, it was Bain Capital Ventures, with offices in Boston, Palo Alto and New York, that led the investment round for the provider of sales and marketing software for small businesses. For WebPT, the Web-based physical therapy electronic medical record firm reported receiving a “significant” investment from Battery Ventures, with offices in Boston, Menlo Park (next to Palo Alto), San Francisco and Israel. When the founder of Medipacs, maker of a groundbreaking drug infusion device, decided to use the same polymer technology in his new company EcosPure, he put a cap on expected funding to develop his first product because of the challenges to attracting risk capital in Arizona. All of these high-growth potential companies have faced the extra burden of finding risk capital far from home. In a report being crafted for the Arizona Bioscience Board (ABB), the authors at venture capital program advisory firm Cromwell Schmisseur point out that 75 percent of venture capital is managed by firms in California, Massachusetts and New York, while 70 percent of venture capital is invested in companies in those same states. That’s why it’s understandable early-stage firms can get tired of standing in line here and waiting, so they go elsewhere in their search for equity financing, with some even moving altogether.

In Shadows of Others To get a sense of how Arizona stacks up when it comes to capital, the interactive MoneyTree Report can be used to gather details on these specific key industries: biotechnology, computers and peripherals, electronics/instrumentation, IT services, medical devices and equipment, networking and equipment, semiconductors, software and telecommunications. The best quarter in the past decade occurred October through December 2014. Investments for these industries across the country totaled more than $11.42 billion — four times the amount in Q1 2009, the weakest quarter in the decade. Our immediate region — Arizona and its adjacent states — fared extremely well as it claimed nearly 60 percent of the capital pool. As for our state alone, Arizona accounted for more than $41.13 million in investments — short of four-tenths of 1 percent of the total.

aztechcouncil.org

With the capital well so dry here, you’re likely not surprised that the Arizona Technology Council, its members and supporters were disappointed when a measure to recapitalize the Angel Investment Tax Credit program to the $5 million level failed to make its way out of the Legislature this session. Partnering with state government to increase private investment is a proven strategy. For example, Colorado, a member of our region that outperforms Arizona in venture investment, and its Office of Economic Development and International Trade has established the Colorado Venture Capital Authority to make seed- and early-stage capital investments in businesses. Those challenges notwithstanding, Arizona still can get its share with the right coordinated efforts such as those offered in the ABB report “Risk Capital in Arizona: Observations and Recommendations to Make Risk Capital More Accessible.” Cromwell Schmisseur was retained to develop a risk capital strategy inclusive of the biosciences but also other technology sectors experiencing similar access-to-capital challenges, says Dan Schmisseur, who co-authored the report with Eric Cromwell.

A Game Plan Fortunately, Arizona is not starting from scratch in its quest for capital. It has some strong suits that include corporate and philanthropic engagement, university outreach, state programs such as the Arizona Commerce Authority’s Arizona Innovation Challenge, and a very strong angel investing culture led by two of the nation’s leading angel investor groups, Desert Angels in Tucson and the Arizona Technology Investor Forum in Phoenix, says Schmisseur. “The one component for which improvement is most needed — access to early-stage venture capital — is a deficiency shared by the majority of states in the U.S,” he says. “But everything else for Arizona is at least ‘good’ with the potential to be ‘great.’” In its latest draft, the report already has recommendations to offer Arizona tech sectors: • Honor the angel investors who already have stepped up to show their support. • Tirelessly promote innovative companies with Bay Area investors. • Support expansion of commercialization programs. • Support technology or venture investing conferences and provide “red carpet” experiences for specialized investors. • Enable equity participation with public funds. Rules or customs discouraging state involvement in programs that stimulate private investment on market standard terms need to be addressed. • Address “supply side” issues with the goal of creating a selfsustaining venture capital industry. This recommendation will take the most time and capital to achieve, but a truly level playing field for Arizona companies requires more than a few bona fide venture capital firms residing in the regional markets. • Align with a single voice for Arizona’s capital formation policy. These recommendations are just a start. ABB intends for the report to constantly evolve and improve as partners step forward to lead or codevelop components of the recommended strategies, says Schmisseur. That means there still are some growing pains that the poor stepchild must get past until it gets its share.

ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY REPORT

Making a Mark

Finalists named for annual Lifetime Achievement Award Leaders from education, defense and technology have been named the four finalists for the OneNeck IT Solutions People’s Choice Lifetime Achievement Award that will be presented at the 12th annual Governor’s Celebration of Innovation on Nov. 12.

The event is the Arizona Technology Council’s awards gala held in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority to honor leaders and innovators from across the state. The event will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center, West Building, 100 N. Third St.

The finalists and their backgrounds are:

Jim Armstrong

Michael M. Crow

Taylor W. Lawrence

Rick Smith

Armstrong is managing partner of Canal Partners, where his responsibilities include identification of potential acquisition targets, due diligence, financial analysis and final investment decision making. He is former chairman of the board of Scottsdale-based JDA Software Group, which he founded in 1978. Besides serving as president and a director of JDA Investments, Armstrong is chairman of Omnilink Systems, director of ClickDimensions and director for WebPT, Inc. He also is president and chairman of the Armstrong Family Foundation, president and chairman of the Kiita Foundation, and director of the Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation.

Crow is the 16th president of Arizona State University, where he has guided the transformation of the university into one of the nation’s leading public metropolitan research universities. Under his leadership, ASU has established more than a dozen new transdisciplinary schools and large-scale research initiatives such as the Biodesign Institute and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability. During his tenure, the university has tripled research expenditures. Crow previously was executive vice provost of Columbia University. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Public Administration. Crow received his Ph.D. in public administration (science and technology policy) from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Lawrence is a vice president of Raytheon Company and president of its Tucson-based Missile Systems business, which also has locations in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Kentucky, New Mexico and Texas. He previously served as Raytheon’s vice president of engineering, technology and mission assurance. Lawrence is a member of the Caltech Space Innovation Council and the Arizona Bioscience Board. He is a fellow and lifetime member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He earned his doctorate in applied physics from Stanford University.

Smith is CEO and co-founder of TASER International, which is headquartered in Scottsdale and produces a suite of technology solutions for the public safety sector. The company estimates more than 148,000 lives have been saved with TASER’s products and services. Smith appeared on the Phoenix Business Journal’s list of Most Admired CEOs and Top-Level Executives and was a co-winner of the Ernst and Young 2002 Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He earned a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Harvard University, a master’s in international finance from the University of Leuven in Belgium and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY REPORT

Enterprising Minds

Students to serve their schools as chief science officers For student Jessica Calfee, becoming the chief science officer at Chandler Early College is more than just something to add to her resume. Being part of an online-based program, students are missing out on support for such subjects as science, especially from outside organizations and companies. “I’m really interested in getting some fundamentals needed for our school to succeed,” she says. Jessica will have the chance to help make a difference as one of the more than 120 Arizona middle and high school students participating in the pilot for the Chief Science Officer Initiative launched this year by the Arizona SciTech Festival. “All too often, we have workforcerelated discussions and potentially the most important stakeholder is missing: students,” says Jeremy Babendure, the festival’s executive director. “The initiative is an effort to develop a voice for students in our state’s developing conversation about STEM and education.” The nature of the chief science officer (CSO) position is to champion campus-wide

engagement, interest and popularity of science and innovation, and serve as an ambassador to the external science and innovation community. By ensuring such opportunities reflect student body interest so they gain more positive traction on campus, each CSO will serve as the school’s point of contact to streamline the ability for science-based organizations to meaningfully connect with schools. “I am most excited for this not for the position but because of the possibilities it carries to connect our community in a science-minded way while giving some of its ‘face’ to the next generation of scientists and engineers,” says Brendan Bogar, who will be CSO at Red Mountain High School in Mesa. “Connecting people together to make change or spread awareness in the field of science education is something I am greatly looking forward to.”

Overcoming Challenges Initiative organizers realize all too often outside organizations are interested in working

with schools but are challenged with changes in school leadership and teacher contacts, and evolving student interests. The CSOs will serve as the “voice” for their student body, identifying science-related opportunities such as guest speakers, workshops, field trips, science nights and clubs. Support for the CSOs actually started at their respective schools, where the representatives were selected in elections. The school also pays a membership fee for each CSO to cover expenses of a summer retreat, cabinet meeting/excursions and on-site assistance from a team representing Festival organizers. Schools also agree to participate in evaluations of program outcomes. Those outcomes will be as varied as the schools. For many of the CSOs, their roles will emphasize support of on-site STEM events and projects. Others will expand to collaborating with CSOs throughout the state, championing schools’ STEM engagement and partnerships with local STEM businesses, and interfacing with key Arizona business and community leaders.

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ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY REPORT

Take Charge

New program offers unique training for executives In a first for the Southwest, the Arizona Technology Council is offering a transformational leadership executive certificate program to offer experienced business leaders a framework for a new way of thinking to lead self, others and organizations. Graduates of the program conducted in partnership with ImpaQ Solutions will gain insight and multiple perspectives to advance important business issues and strategies away. Participants will also learn how to create significant, positive outcomes for key organizational objectives, including productivity, innovation and profitability. “Leaders who previously wanted to participate in transformational leadership programs had to travel to locations such as San Francisco; Boston; Washington, DC; or the United Kingdom,” says Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council. “This Arizonabased program provides a unique opportunity for business leaders to better balance their day-to-day responsibilities with the need to learn new leadership skills to help move their company to a higher level.” The certificate program will include five modules with 11 days of classroom instruction during a six-month period beginning Aug. 26. Individual assessments, one-on-one executive coaching sessions and a learning-community network of participants are additional components. The modules are: Advanced Personal Leadership Leading self: The program begins with an exploration of leadership from the perspective of the leader as a human being endeavoring to contribute to and lead change. Relationships, Communications and Decision Making Leading self and others: Students receive practice and feedback on building relationships and accomplishing desired outcomes using leadership conversations. Transformative Leadership: Leading Through Complexity and Change Leading self and others: Strategic thinking in times of uncertainty requires a new level of thinking and a deeper understanding of leadership competencies and the development of the human being. Innovation and Leading Organizational Change Leading self, others and organizations: Today, leaders and organizations face rapid and complex change. It is imperative for them to develop the mindset, skill set and tool set to navigate the complexity.

Integration Seminar: Leader in Action, Leading the Future To apply what was learned, each participant will present the challenge identified at the beginning of the program, the proposed solution or approach, and the thought process behind the proposal to a panel of executives. Sessions will be led by faculty that includes Margo Boster, CEO of ImpaQ Solutions; Neil Stroul, founder of Kenning Associates and founding faculty member of Georgetown University’s Certificate in Leadership Coaching program; and Robin Postel, adjunct professor of public service at New York University and founder of Transformational Learning for Individuals + Organization. The program will be open to leaders from all companies and organizations but limited to 25 participants selected in a competitive admissions process. The program will be structured with the understanding that each participant has a full-time job but that learning requires an ongoing commitment. Applications can be downloaded at aztransformationalleadership. com and will be accepted until July 15. Council member companies will receive a discount in program tuition.

Publisher named to board of directors Ray Schey, publisher of the Phoenix Business Journal, is one of the newest members of the Arizona Technology Council’s board of directors. In his role as publisher, Schey is responsible for managing all day-today aspects of the publication, which reaches more than 60,000 business professionals in the Phoenix area. He was promoted to the role in May 2014 after serving as director of advertising at the Milwaukee Business Journal. Both newspapers are owned by American City Business Journals based in Charlotte, N.C. Earlier, Schey was the director of advertising at the Rochester Business Journal. To that point, most of his career had been spent in

ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY REPORT

sales and sales management in radio and television. Currently, he is a member of Greater Phoenix Leadership and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council’s Velocity committee. Schey also serves on the board of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. He received a Bachelor of Arts from St. Bonaventure University in journalism. Schey is married to wife Becky and has two children.

Council debuts first annual report

ARIZO

NA TE CHN

FUTUR Annua E RE AD l Repo r t 2014 Y OLOGY

COUN

CIL

In the inaugural edition of its annual report, the Arizona Technology Council recaps a year of strong results to help demonstrate why it has become the state’s voice for technology and the driving force behind the effort to make Arizona the fastest-growing tech hub in the nation. “This report crystalizes how strategic elements that we have honed for years contribute to a healthy, vibrant technology sector throughout Arizona and around the world,” says Steven G. Zylstra, the Council’s president and CEO. “Fueled by a passion for technology, we are leading the effort RVIEW INTRODUCTION + OVE . to meet the future needs of the industry through the development hnology in Arizona the future for tec We exist to create of technical talent, increased access to risk capital, the support of a BUSINESS ESSENTIALS PROGRAM healthy ecosystem and connectivity across all constituents.” The report showcases the Council’s best financial performance, Accelerate members’ innovation Deliver Provide a voice for with the net addition of more than 80 new members in 2014 that y, advantage through an digital ecosystems the technology industr Connect and entrepreneurial s for world-leading advocating public policie empower Arizona’s mindset. technology. that impact Arizona’s technology industry contributed to its now having a membership exceeding 800. Two technology industry. and community. new partners for Business Essentials — its products and services discount platforms — were introduced last year: a pooled-risk, selfinsured medical insurance program, and a 401(k) retirement plan for all member companies. The Council also took a stand against Arizona Senate Bill 1062 by leading the effort for 120 CEOs to sign a letter to the governor successfully petitioning for the bill’s veto — an effort recognized with three leadership awards. The full report can be viewed or downloaded at www.aztechcouncil.org. ement of science

growth, and advanc Technology Council the development, About the Arizona tion that supports several major roles: rofit trade organiza the Council fulfills gy Council is a not-for-p growth and support, The Arizona Technolo gy forward with . Moving technolo companies in Arizona

and technology

marketing companies with Providing member the Council is technology sector. business climate, tion serving the n to grow Arizona’s statewide organiza is Arizona’s only -focused legislatio tions, the Council creation of business services, and the 800 member organiza With more than s on products and the state. nal events, discount organizations in opportunities, educatio business t of the most importan recognized as one

GY COUNCIL ARIZONA TECHNOLO

2014 Business Essentials Program launched The Arizona Technology Council’s Business Essentials Program was to provide significant discounts on the products and services technology to businesses need most. Each year, up to 12 companies are selected included participate. In 2014, 10 companies took part. Products and services discount a 10 percent discount on wire distribution services, a 10 percent design on inbound marketing services and a 20 percent discount on website and development. the The Council provides two programs to members started in 2014: Employee Benefits Program and the 401(k) Program. The Employee Benefits Program provides a complete insurance package to technology life companies with 10 to 150 employees, including medical, dental, vision, member and disability. The Council’s 401(k) Multiple Employer Plan gives retirement independent an of businesses all the advantages and flexibility plan sponsor. Business Essentials Program Partners • Employee Benefits Program, presented by EBI and EMI • Employment Law and HR Services, presented by Mountain States Employers Council • Inbound Marketing Services, presented by Prism Global Marketing Solutions • 401(k) Multiple Employer Plan (MEP), presented by Scottsdale Wealth Management Group • Website Design and Development, presented by Tempo Creative • Communication and VOIP Services, presented by Trans-West Network Solutions • Wire Distribution Services, presented by PR Newswire • Telehealth Services, presented by Amerivitals • Cloud Services, presented by CloudNet Group • Virtual Servers and Hosted Exchange, presented by onTop Technology

ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

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ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY REPORT

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Small Business Resources Guide

Business Is Rooted in Community Welcome to the 2015 Top 50 Small Business Resources Guide, featuring some of Arizona’s leading small and local businesses. These 50 businesses represent a diverse array of industries, but they all have one thing in common: They are rooted here in our community.

Kimber Lanning is an entrepreneur and economic specialist who works to cultivate vibrant, sustainable communities and inspire a higher quality of life throughout Arizona. Lanning is actively involved in fostering cultural diversity, economic self-reliance, regional planning and responsible growth across Arizona’s urban and rural communities. She is the founder and executive director of Local First Arizona, an economic development organization focused exclusively on creating, growing and supporting Arizona talent.

Contents Accounting & Tax Services . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Alternative Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Business Banking / SBA Lending . . . . . . . 55 Business Marketing Services . . . . . . . . . 56 Business Organizations & Associations . . . 56 Business Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Commercial Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Employee Benefits / Insurance . . . . . . . . 58 Healthcare Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Human Resources / Hiring . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Information Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Janitorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Law Firms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Office Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Office Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Payroll Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Promotional Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Telecommunications / Mobile . . . . . . . . .62 Workers’ Comp Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Being rooted in the community means direct benefits for you as a consumer. In Business Magazine recently reported that a study by Cox Business concluded Arizonans enjoy shopping at small businesses because of the “familiarity, engagement and convenience of small-business owners and employees.” Additionally, the same study found that a majority of Arizona consumers believe small businesses offer better customer service. Any of the 50 businesses listed in this guide are likely to live up to these expectations of providing a great customer experience. At Local First Arizona, we are working to make Arizona a better place by supporting locally owned businesses and building vibrant communities that residents are proud to call home. Studies tell us that up to four times more money stays and recirculates in the local economy when that money is spent with local businesses instead of national chains. When you support local businesses, either as an individual consumer or a fellow business owner, those dollars are directly responsible for local job creation, revenues for local schools and safety services, and vibrant and prosperous communities. As you peruse this guide, know that if you decide to seek out any of these businesses for their products or services, your choices will have a positive impact on your surrounding community. We’re excited to see some of the 2,600 Local First Arizona business members featured in this guide, representing the best of Arizona’s local business community. Being a member of Local First Arizona, North America’s largest local business coalition, means you are a “certified local” business, a label that more and more people are intentionally seeking. Arizonans are thinking “Local First” on a regular basis, whether it’s going out to lunch, buying gifts for loved ones, getting an oil change or purchasing office supplies for their business. Thanks to In Business Magazine for shining a spotlight on the importance of supporting small and local businesses, and for showcasing some of the best businesses that Arizona has to offer. We›re proud to partner on this endeavor to build a strong local economy and support a thriving small and local business community. And special thanks to the 50 businesses featured in this guide for their commitment and devotion to our community.

Sincerely,

Kimber Lanning Founder and Executive Director Local First Arizona

Presents

The Top 50 Small Business Industry Leaders special section is a resource guide of top small businesses or smallbusiness service companies vetted by In Business Magazine editorial staff and recommended to you, the reader. Serving your business with quality companies can make all the difference in running a small business. These leaders are dedicated to serving their clients, provide proven service and have a high degree of experience in their given fields. We recommend that you do business with them. Our Top 50 Small Business Industry Leaders special section will be online at www.inbusinessmag.com for an entire year under the “Business Resources” tab. Please go there to link for contact information, services and other details.

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Our most comprehen Greater Phoenix Leadi sive guide to ng Small Businesses

JULY 2015

2014 TOP

Small Business Resources Guide

Accounting & Tax Services

Business Banking / SBA Lending (con’t)

CBIZ and Mayer Hoffman McCann, P.C.

BMO Harris Bank, N. A.

CBIZ provides accounting, tax and business valuation, benefits and insurance, and consulting services to real estate, not-forprofit, retail, construction, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution business in the Phoenix marketplace.

BMO Harris Bank offers business banking products and services for small and medium-sized businesses: checking and savings accounts, loans and lines of credit, online banking, treasury management and more.

Top Executive: Steven L. Gerard

Offices (Local / National): 1 / 100+

Local Headquarters: 3101 N. Central Ave., Ste. 300, Phoenix, AZ 85012 Phone: (602) 264-6835

Top Executive: Chuck Goodmiller

Offices (Local): 3

Local Headquarters: 2055 E. Warner Rd., Ste. 101, Tempe, AZ 85284 Website: www.hhcpa.com

Phone: (602) 241-6565

Website: www.bmoharris.com

Liquid Capital Liquid Capital provides innovative financing solutions for small to middle-market businesses and a strategic accounts payable outsourcing program for large corporate and governmental buyers of goods and services. Top Executive: Joel Gottesman

National Bank of Arizona provides local expertise and focuses on delivering award-winning service. It is more than just a business bank; it has expanded to a fullservice financial institution offering a suite of products and services tailored to business. Top Executive: Mark Young

Offices (Local / National): 24 / 66

Local Headquarters: 6001 N. 24th St., Phoenix, AZ 85016 Phone: (602) 235-6000

Website: www.nbarizona.com

Pinnacle Bank

Alternative Funding

Offices (Local/National): 1 / 41

Local Headquarters: 8679 E. San Alberto Dr., Ste. 201, Scottsdale, AZ 85258 Website: www.liquidcapitalcorp.com

Pinnacle Bank is an Arizona-based, business-oriented bank serving small businesses and the community in Northeast Phoenix and Scottsdale and along the Camelback corridor. It has a specific expertise in SBA and Residential Mortgage & Construction Lending. Top Executive: Michael J. Thorell

Offices (Local): 3

Local Headquarters: 14287 N. 87th St., Ste. 123, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone: (480) 609-0055

Website: www.pinnaclebankaz.com

Stearns Bank N.A.

FSW Funding FSW Funding is a privately owned and operated asset-based lending company specializing in the financing needs of small and medium-sized businesses. Top Executive: Robyn Barrett

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 4530 E. Shea Blvd., Ste. 142, Phoenix, AZ 85028 Phone: (602) 535-5984

Local Headquarters: 1 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85012

National Bank of Arizona

Henry & Horne is Arizona’s largest locally owned accounting firm, with a broad base of services to meet clients’ needs. The firm includes estate specialists, international tax experts and a multitude of experts with other areas of expertise.

Phone: (480) 473-2105

Offices (Local / National): 43 / approx. 600

Website: www.cbiz.com

Henry & Horne, L.L.P.

Phone: (480) 839-4900

Top Executive: Steve Zandpour

Stearns Bank is a top-ranked bank that has established a reputation across the Valley as a strong and stable business bank specializing in fast and flexible commercial finance. Top Executive: Norm Skalicky

Offices (Local / National): 1 / 13

Local Headquarters: 9225 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone: (480) 314-4200

Website: www.stearnsbank.com/arizona

Website: www.fswfunding.com

Wells Fargo & Company

Business Banking / SBA Lending Alliance Bank of Arizona Alliance Bank of Arizona is a division of Western Alliance Bank, the go-to bank for business in its growing markets. Alliance Bank of Arizona offers a full spectrum of deposit, lending, treasury management and online banking products and services, plus superior, personalized service to meet the needs of local businesses. Top Executive: James H. Lundy

Offices (Local / National): 11 / 43 national as part of larger company

Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company that provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance. For the sixth consecutive year, it is the No. 1 Small Business Administration 7(a) lender in Arizona in amount of dollars loaned. Top Executive: Pamela Conboy

Offices (Local / National): 260 / 6200

Local Headquarters: 100 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85004 Phone: (602) 378-4644

Website: www.wellsfargo.com

Local Headquarters: 1 E. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85004 Phone: (602) 389-3500

JULY 2015

Website: www.alliancebankofarizona.com

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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

We know business owners are busy. So at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), we are changing how employers manage and employees buy their insurance benefits. With the launch of BenefitStarter, our online benefit enrollment platform, employers will have the ability to simplify the enrollment process, improve administrative functions, and provide a portfolio of product choices for their eligible employees.

Smart Design for Employee Enrollment BenefitStarter is based on a simple yet smart design that streamlines the benefit selection and enrollment process. Once an employer selects the benefit plans to offer, employees will access BenefitStarter and experience a guided one-stop shopping experience where they can search, compare and enroll themselves and their family members in plans that meet their needs. Employees will see side-by-side comparisons of plans and costs. When more than three plans are available, they will answer a few questions about what they value in a plan and what they think about health plan factors (e.g., premium costs, network options, etc.). Based on their answers, BenefitStarterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision support tool will help narrow their options. Once they select their plan(s), BenefitStarter can estimate costs so employees have an idea of how much could be taken out of their paychecks.

Learning Tools BenefitStarter also includes video content and other materials to help employees understand how to select a healthcare plan, learn insurance terms

and more. The educational materials were designed to help employees when trying to decide what plan is best for them, their family and their budget.

Flexibility Is Key The BenefitStarter platform is flexible enough to support either a defined benefit model or defined contribution model, and accommodate BCBSAZ health products as well as ancillary products such as dental, vision, life, disability, accident and critical illness plans.* The end result: greater transparency, more product choices, an easier, less time-consuming shopping and enrollment process, and happier employees. To receive updates on this exciting new product, including availability, send an email to BenefitStarter@azblue.com. *Some ancillary products are offered and underwritten independently by separate companies that are not associated with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona. These companies do not offer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona products or services. BenefitStarter is a service mark of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.

At a Glance Company Name: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Main Office Address: 2444 W. Las Palmaritas Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85021 Phone: (602) 864-5792 Website: azblue.com Number of Offices in Metro Phoenix: 2 Number of Staff: 1428 City Nationally Headquartered: Phoenix CEO/Managing Director: Rich Boals No. of Years with Firm: 44 Year Established Locally: 1939 Specialties: Employer Group health insurance, Individual health insurance, Dental insurance

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JULY 2015

Small Business Resources Guide

Business Banking / SBA Lending (con’t)

Business Services (con’t)

West Valley National Bank

Stoney-Wilson Business Consulting, L.L.C.

West Valley National Bank is the West Valley’s first locally owned and operated community bank, founded by local business leaders. WVNB is dedicated to looking after business owners and their financial needs. The bank has now expanded to Scottsdale, Buckeye and Gila Bend.

Julie Stoney and Bob Wilson bring more than 60 years of business experience to the table. Their background in banking, finance and communications provides the foundation for advising businesses in need of banking and credit, cash management, strategic planning and sales management services.

Top Executive: Candace D. Wiest

Top Executive: Julie Stoney and Bob Wilson

Offices (Local): 4

Local Headquarters: 2440 N. Litchfield Rd., Ste. 100, Goodyear, AZ 85395 Phone: (623) 536-9862

Website: www.wvnb.net

Business Marketing Services

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 6501 E. Greenway Pkwy., Ste. 103-583, Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Phone: (602) 370-1776

Website: www.stoneywilson.com

Commercial Real Estate

Infusionsoft Infusionsoft provides small-business solutions built exclusively to help conquer the chaos through a Web-based system that combines intelligent automation with powerful CRM, email marketing, e-commerce and social media tools.

CBRE, Inc.

Local Headquarters: 1260 S. Spectrum Blvd., Chandler, AZ 85286

CBRE offers strategic advice and execution for property sales and leasing, corporate services, property, facilities and project management, mortgage banking, appraisal and valuation, development services, investment management, and research and consulting.

Phone: (480) 807-0644

Top Executive: Craig Henig

Top Executive: Clate Mask

Offices (Local): 1

Website: www.infusionsoft.com

Offices (Local / National): 1 / 166

Local Headquarters: 2415 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85016

Business Organizations & Associations

Phone: (602) 735-5555

Arizona Small Business Association

DTZ

ASBA is the largest trade association in Arizona, representing 10,000+ member businesses and more than half a million employees in all 15 counties. ASBA creates opportunities for Arizona small businesses to make money, save money and achieve results.

DTZ is a global leader in commercial real estate services, providing occupiers, tenants and investors around the world with a full spectrum of property solutions. A leader in the Phoenix market since 2003, DTZ offers brokerage investment and advisory services in: office, industrial, retail, multi-family and land, as well as property management and development services.

Top Executive: Rick Murray

Offices (Local): 2

Local Headquarters: 4600 E. Washington St., Ste. 340, Phoenix, AZ 85034 Phone: (602) 306-4000

Website: www.asba.com

Top Executive: Bryon R. Carney

Local First Arizona is a nonprofit organization working to strengthen communities and local economies through supporting, maintaining and celebrating locally owned businesses throughout the State of Arizona.

Offices (Local / National): 1 / 250, in 50 countries

Local Headquarters: 2375 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 300, Phoenix, AZ 85016 Phone: (602) 954-9000

Local First Arizona

Website: www.cbre.com/phoenix

Website: www.dtz.com

GPE Companies

Local Headquarters: 407 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, AZ 85004

GPE Commercial Advisors and GPE Management Services are leading providers of commercial real estate sales, leasing, property management and consulting solutions for business, office, medical, dental, retail and industrial properties in the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area.

Phone: (602) 956-0909

Top Executive: David Genovese

Top Executive: Kimber Lanning

Offices (Local): 1

Website: www.localfirstaz.com

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 2777 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 230, Phoenix, AZ 85016

Business Services

Phone: (480) 994-8155

Website: www.gpe1.com

Reliable Background Screening Reliable Background Screening has been providing clients a unique and thorough screening service for employers, business owners, franchisers and landlords by offering background checks on new employees, franchisee applicants and new residents and tenants. Top Executive: Rudy Troisi

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: Scottsdale, AZ 85267 Phone: (602) 870-7711

JULY 2015

Website: reliablebackgroundscreening.com

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West Valley National Bank

Employee Benefits / Insurance Focus Benefits Group Focus Benefits Group is an independent group employee benefits consulting company that offers a variety of services to help clients receive the greatest amount of benefit coverage for the most cost-effective dollar. It helps clients by looking at ways to reduce healthcare costs, improving the overall benefits they can offer employees. Top Executive: Bill Weaver Offices (Local): 1 Local Headquarters: 4120 N. 20th St., Ste. B, Phoenix, AZ 85016 Phone: (602) 381-9900 Website: www.focusbenefits.com

Holmes Murphy & Associates Holmes Murphy is a premier independent risk-management and insurance brokerage firm. While today’s insurance market sees consolidations and mergers resulting in conglomerates more concerned about the bottom line, Holmes Murphy remains focused on clients’ needs and is committed to accelerating business success. Top Executive: Daniel Keough Offices (Local / National): 1 / 12 Local Headquarters: 7047 E. Greenway Pkwy., Ste. 210, Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Phone: (480) 951-1776 Website: www.holmesmurphy.com

Healthcare Insurance Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

BCBSAZ offers various health plans for individuals, families, and small and large businesses. BCBSAZ also offers Medicare supplement plans to individuals over age 65. BCBSAZ is committed to improving the quality of life of Arizonans. Top Executive: Rich Boals Offices (Local): n/a Local Headquarters: 2444 W. Las Palmaritas Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85021 Phone: (602) 864-4100 Website: www.azblue.com

West Valley National Bank was founded by local business leaders in 2006. As a community bank, we are involved with many community organizations because Arizona is our home. Our focus is on lending to small businesses, medical and dental professionals as well as making investor and commercial real estate loans. We believe providing our clients the financial tools they need to succeed gives them the ability to control their destiny and create their future. Most importantly, we make all of our decisions locally and answer to Main Street Arizona and not Wall Street! Candace Hunter Wiest is the president and CEO of West Valley Bancorp, Inc.; West Valley National Bank; AZ Dental Bank; and AZ Physicians Bank. In June of 2015, Wiest celebrated her 22nd anniversary as a bank CEO. In 2003, Wiest was elected a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and served on the board two terms. She was the first woman to be elected a Class A Director in the bank’s 100 year history. While at the SFFRB, Wiest served as the chair of the Public Affairs Committee, a member of the Audit Committee, and was one of four directors appointed to the Search Committee that chose Janet Yellen as CEO of the SFFRB. Wiest believes that community commitment is the cornerstone of community banking. Currently, she serves as a member and director of Greater Phoenix Leadership; a director and secretary of Cancer Treatment Center of America at Western Regional Medical Center in Goodyear; director and member of the Executive Committee and chair of the Audit Committee for Delta Dental of Arizona; member of the board for Delta Dental Foundation; a director of the Arizona Bankers Association;

Candace Wiest

and member of the board of the 100 Club; as well as a director and member of the Ethics Committee and chair of the Audit Committee of the Arizona Commerce Authority. She also represents Arizona on the national Government Relations Committee for the American Bankers Association.

At a Glance Company Name: West Valley National Bank Main Office Address: 2440 N. Litchfield Rd., Suite 100, Goodyear, AZ 85395 Phone: (623) 536-9862 Website: www.wvnb.net Number of Offices in Metro Phoenix: 4 Number of Staff: 25 City Nationally Headquartered: Goodyear CEO/Managing Director: Candace Wiest No. of Years with Firm: 9 Year Established Locally: 2006 Specialties: (List top 3) Community Banking, SBA Loans, Medical Professional Loans Member FDIC

ADVERTISING PROFILE

JULY 2015

Small Business Resources Guide

Healthcare Insurance (con’t)

Information Technology

Delta Dental of Arizona

Affinity IT

With 40 years of experience insuring healthy smiles across the state, Delta Dental of Arizona is passionate about oral health and its importance to generations of families. Delta Dental works hard to improve oral health by emphasizing preventive care and making dental coverage accessible to a wide variety of employers, groups and individuals. With the largest network of dentists, locally and nationally, Delta Dental offers a full range of plans to fit any budget and any size company.

At Affinity Technology, clients get a friendly team of problem solvers with know-how that comes from 20 years of applying technology solutions to the business world. Equipped with executive-level perspectives on business technology, its professionals are intuitive IT strategists.

Top Executive: Allan Allford

Phone: (602) 439-4989

Offices (Local): n/a

Top Executive: Dave Sloan

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 549 S 48th St., Ste. 106, Tempe, AZ 85281 Website: www.atechaz.com

Local Headquarters: 5656 W. Talavi Blvd., Glendale, AZ 85306 Phone: (602) 938-3131

Website: www.deltadental.com

UnitedHealthcare of Arizona UnitedHealthcare offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 850,000 physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare has developed mobile and Web resources, Health4Me and myHealthcare Cost Estimator, which provide cost and quality information to plan participants, including healthcare cost estimates that are customized to an individual’s location and health plan. Top Executive: Beth Soberg

Offices (Local): n/a

CyberTrails CyberTrails is the leading provider of managed information technology services in Phoenix. With 24/7 customer support and rapid implementation, it helps small to mid-sized businesses manage the right technologies to support their business goals. Top Executive: John Allen

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 1919 W. Lone Cactus Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85027 Phone: (623) 434-6000

Website: www.cybertrails.com

IT Partners It Partners is known locally as the “go-to” solution provider in designing and implementing data center technology solutions on time and within budget.

Local Headquarters: 1 E. Washington St., Ste. 1700, Phoenix, AZ 85004

Top Executive: Steve Tepedino

Phone: (800) 985-2356

Local Headquarters: 6939 S. Harl Ave., Tempe, AZ 85283

Website: www.uhc.com

Phone: (602) 667-0100

Human Resources / Hiring Diversified Human Resources Since 1996, DHR has built a reputation as one of the premier human resource solutions in North America. Its professionals are ready to present customized solutions to clients’ most pressing HR issues, including recruiting and hiring talented staff, managing personnel matters, processing payroll, benefits administration and insurance. Top Executive: Brian D. Lesk

Offices (Local/National): 1 / 2

Local Headquarters: 3020 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 213, Phoenix, AZ 85016 Phone: (602) 437-1964

Website: www.dhr.net

Maricopa Workforce Connections Maricopa Workforce Connections collaborates with state and community partners to continually identify and develop local talent to meet the needs of local businesses. Services include employee recruitment and training to fill job vacancies by a diverse and broad range of qualified workers at no charge to business owners. Top Executive: Patricia Wallace

Offices (Local): 2

Offices (Local): 1

Website: www.goitpartners.com

Omnis Networks, LLC A single source for all colocation needs, including virtual private and dedicated servers, Omnis Networks provides value-based services to reliably deploy and implement solutions for the small and medium-sized business. Top Executive: Kevin Martin

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 1005 W Geneva Dr., Tempe, AZ 85283 Phone: (480) 295 7797

Website: www.omnisdatacenters.com

OneNeck IT Solutions Corporation OneNeck is a leading provider of hybrid IT solutions tailored for mid-market and enterprise companies, including cloud and hosting solutions, managed services, ERP application management, professional services, IT hardware and top-tier data centers. Top Executive: Phil LaForge

Offices (Local / National): 1 / 15

Local Headquarters: 5301 N. Pima Rd., Ste. 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85250 Phone: (480) 315-3000

Website: www.oneneck.com

Local Headquarters: 234 N. Central Ave., Third Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Phone: (602) 506 5911

JULY 2015

Website: maricopaworkforceconnection.com

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Maricopa County Workforce Development Business Services

The growth and prosperity of our region depends on a competitive workforce. Maricopa Workforce Connections collaborates with state and community partners to continually identify and develop local talent to meet the needs of local businesses. The MWC team can relieve employers of the burdens of employee recruitment and training. Area businesses can take advantage of high-value, no-charge specialized services, and career seekers can use MWC’s complimentary employment resources for assistance in obtaining or retaining employment. Through MWC, a company’s job vacancies will be exposed to a diverse and broad range of qualified workers. And MWC offers businesses a training network than can help current and future employees acquire the skills they need to make each business more profitable. Workforce development specialists work collaboratively with on-site community partners to provide no-charge, comprehensive career search assistance that includes resume development and review, career counseling, job readiness workshops, labor market information, extensive resources, and skill and aptitude assessment. MWC is experienced in connecting employers with candidates matching their specialized needs as well. Some of the high-value, no-charge services it offers the business community are recruitment and candidate screening, employed worker training,

on-the-job-training, and assistance with downsizing. Whether a business is changing in size or structure, Maricopa Workforce Connections’ strategic assistance and support is there to help. With just one contact, businesses can access Arizona’s entire array of high-value, no-charge workforce system services. One contact to recruit and network statewide, within the city or throughout the county. MWC will connect a business with its job seekers at its One-Stop Career Centers and partner organizations. Services provided by Maricopa Workforce Connections are overseen by workforce investment boards, policy and oversight boards. MWC’s board is comprised of at least 51 percent private industry representation. The MWC Board aspires to be the countywide, self-sustaining partnership hub of employers, elected officials, industry professionals and organizations, all dedicated to the development of a multi-skilled, highly motivated workforce that meets the growing needs of our ever-changing community.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Program Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities

At a Glance Company Name: Maricopa Workforce Connections Main Office Address: 234 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85004 Phone: (602) 506-9675 Website: maricopaworkforceconnection.com Number of Offices in Metro Phoenix: 2 Comprehensive Workforce Centers, 4 Youth Centers & 46 Access Points Number of Staff: 101 City Nationally Headquartered: Phoenix CEO/Managing Director: Patricia Wallace No. of Years with Firm: 3 Year Established Locally: 1960 Specialties: Career Readiness, Career Planning, Comprehensive Assessment, Job Search/Placement and Support Services

ADVERTISING PROFILE

JULY 2015

Small Business Resources Guide

Janitorial

Law Firms (con’t)

Jani-King

Ryley Carlock & Applewhite

Family-owned and -operated Jani-King Southwest provides state-of-the-art commercial cleaning services to hotels, restaurants, surgery centers, schools, financial institutions, manufacturing facilities and municipal buildings from Regional Support Centers in Phoenix and Tucson.

Local Headquarters: 7250 N. 16th St., Ste. 302, Phoenix AZ 85020

Ryley Carlock & Applewhite provides legal support to clients in the areas of real estate; creditors’ rights and bankruptcy; bank regulation and licensing; labor and employment; corporate and securities; public finance and corporate trust; commercial litigation; taxation and estate planning; water, energy, natural resources and environmental; information technology; intellectual property; advertising; food and drug; government affairs; and eDiscovery, eReview and eRetention.

Phone: (602) 433-0550

Top Executive: Rodolfo Parga Jr.

Top Executive: Julie Robinson

Offices (Local): 1

Website: janiking.com/southwest

Offices (Local / National): 4 / 6

Local Headquarters: 1 N. Central Ave., Ste. 1200, Phoenix, AZ 85004

Law Firms

Phone: (602) 440-4808

Lewis Roca Rothgerber LLP Founded in 1950, Lewis Roca Rothgerber LLP is one of the largest law firms in the Western U.S. The firm maintains thriving practices in litigation, real estate, business transactions, intellectual property, regulatory affairs, gaming, banking, bankruptcy and energy and natural resources with more than 250 attorneys across nine offices in Phoenix, Albuquerque, Casper, Colorado Springs, Denver, Las Vegas, Reno, Silicon Valley and Tucson. Top Executive: Kenneth Van Winkle Jr.

Offices (Local / National): 1 / 9

Local Headquarters: 201 E. Washington St., Ste. 1200, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Phone: (602) 262-5311

Website: www.rcalaw.com

Office Furniture Copenhagen Imports Copenhagen is focused on helping clients improve productivity by designing for them the perfect work environment, from executive suites to functional home offices. Top Executive: Erik Hansen

Offices (Local / National): 4 / 7

Local Headquarters: 1701 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85016 Phone: (602) 266-8060

Website: www.copenhagenliving.com

Website: www.lrrlaw.com

Goodmans Interior Structures Engelman Berger Engelman Berger is comprised of experienced lawyers who are well recognized for their expertise and committed to resolve commercial disputes and assist clients in preventing legal problems through proper planning. Top Executive: David Wm. Engelman and Steven N. Berger

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 3636 N. Central Ave., Ste. 700, Phoenix, AZ 85012 Phone: (602) 271-9090

Website: eblawyers.com

The Luther Law Firm The Luther Law Firm focuses on securing and protecting intellectual property rights. Its patents for individuals and firms of all sizes have produced millions of dollars annually from many well-known corporations in license fees to the inventors. Top Executive: Barbara Luther

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 8149 N. 87th Pl., Scottsdale, AZ 85258 Phone: (480) 315-6508

Website: thelutherlawfirm.com

Polsinelli PC Polsinelli offers clients the full array of business law and litigation services with a local presence and tremendous national and international reach.

Goodmans represents millions of quality commercial furnishing products from manufacturers that include Herman Miller, Geiger, Davis, Nemschoff, Nucraft, Fixtures, Global, Hon, National, La-Z-Boy and more than 400 250 others. Services include space planning through installation. Top Executive: Adam Goodman

Offices (Local / National): 1 / 3

Local Headquarters: 1400 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85014 Phone: (602) 263-1110

Website: www.goodmansinc.com

IKEA In addition to the store’s extensive stock of furnishings and furniture, IKEA Business offers its customers free consultation and design services — in its store or at the customer’s place of business. Top Executive: Peter Agnefjäll

Offices (Local/National): 1 / 40

Local Headquarters: 2110 IKEA Way, Tempe, AZ 85284 Phone: (888) 888-4532

Website: www.ikea.com/us

Office Supplies Wist Office Products

Local Headquarters: 1 E. Washington St., Ste. 1200, Phoenix, AZ 85004

Competitive pricing among all product categories allows Wist to achieve success that is shared with team members, communities and clients, who experience reliable business practices, sound ethics and a commitment to sustaining the environment.

Phone: (602) 650-2000

Top Executive: Ian and Robert Wist

Top Executive: Ed Novak

Offices (Local / National): 1 / 18

Website: www.polsinelli.com

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 107 W. Julie Dr., Tempe, AZ 85283 Phone: (480) 921-2900

JULY 2015

Website: www.wist.com

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Payroll Services

Promotional Products (con’t)

Human Capital Strategies

Gear Up Promotions, L.L.C.

Human Capital Strategies is a comprehensive firm that is all about driving business profits through its services, which include human resources, employee benefits, risk management and payroll.

Gear Up offers logo apparel, corporate gifts and promotional items, with hundreds of items and ideas to choose from and at prices that fit anyone’s budget. Clients are the No. 1 priority.

Top Executive: Jason Knight

Top Executive: Laureen Pugh

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 1801 S. Extension Rd., Ste. 130, Mesa, AZ 85210 Phone: (480) 962-1580

Phone: (480) 326-6251

Website: www.hcscando.com

Interlogic Outsourcing, Inc. (IOI) is a national and award-winning provider of cloud-based payroll and employer services offering scalable solutions to enable businesses of all sizes to achieve greater efficiencies and reduce bottomline costs by deploying state-of-the-art technology.

Cox Business Cox Business provides voice, data and video services for more than 330,000 small and regional businesses, including healthcare providers; K-12 and higher education; financial institutions; and federal, state and local government organizations.

Offices (Local / National): 2 / 11

Local Headquarters: 4300 N. Miller Rd., Ste. 151, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Phone: (480) 619-4110

Top Executive: Ed Aaronson

Website: www.ioipay.com

Phone: (623) 322-2000

Pay-Tech has been family-owned and -operated since 1979, with professionals who are trained and certified to bring clients customized payroll, accounting and HR solutions.

Telesphere

Website: www.coxbusinessaz.com

Telesphere is the leading pure-play provider of unified cloud communications, delivering carrier-grade performance and support for wireline and mobile devices to businesses over its private IP MPLS network, which is one of the largest of its kind in the nation.

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 3420 E. Shea Blvd., Ste. 170, Phoenix, AZ 85028 Phone: (602) 788-1317

Website: www.pay-tech.com

Top Executive: Clark Peterson

Paychex, Inc.

Offices (Local / National): n/a

Local Headquarters: 9237 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Paychex is a recognized leader in the payroll, human resource and benefits outsourcing industry. Focused on helping business owners run their business better, Paychex’s best-in-class solutions also include online payroll, mobile apps, 401(K) administration and enterprise solutions. Top Executive: n/a

Phone: (480) 385-7000

Website: www.telesphere.com

Workers’ Comp. Insurance

Offices (Local / National): 1 / 100+

CopperPoint Mutual CopperPoint Mutual provides workers’ compensation insurance coverage for more than 16,000 businesses statewide, ensuring workers the care they need if they are injured on the job. It has been providing workers’ compensation insurance to Arizona businesses since 1925.

Local Headquarters: 16404 N. Black Canyon Hwy., Ste. 140, Phoenix, AZ 85053 Phone: (602) 266-3660

Offices (Local / National): n/a

Local Headquarters: 1550 W. Deer Valley Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85027

Pay-Tech

Top Executive: Rene Brofft

Website: www.gearuppromotions.com

Telecommunications / Mobile

IOI Payroll Services, Inc.

Top Executive: Eric Wildstein

Offices: 1

Local Headquarters: 3999 S. Dobson Rd., Chandler, AZ 85248

Website: www.paychex.com

Promotional Products

Top Executive: Don Smith

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 3030 N. 3rd St., Phoenix, AZ 85012

Brandables Brandables.com offers a complete line of marketing products as well as custom promotional products for any type of business, including quality logo reproductions, unique business gifts, corporate trade show materials and branded office supplies, company stationery and business apparel. Top Executive: Amanda Wigal-Schlosser

Phone: (602) 631 2300

Website: www.copperpoint.com

Offices (Local): 1

Local Headquarters: 7707 E. Acoma Dr., Ste. 110, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone: (480) 951-8882

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Website: www.brandables.com

JULY 2015

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Adams, Peter, 35, 40 Anderson, David, 24 Armstrong, Jim,46 Blaney, Robert J., 9 Bogar, Brendan, 47 Bolnick, Mitchell, 22 Bullock, Tracy, 24 Burns, Andrew, 14 Calfee, Jessica, 47 Campa, Jesus M., 40 Cassidy, Brian, 17 Chi, Eugene, 26 Ciccarelli, LeighAnn, 23 Claypool, Mark, 11 Crabbe, Tony, 27

Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce, 31 All About Compression, 36 Alliance Bank of Arizona, 3, 24, 62 American Express, 16 American Sentinel University, 14 APS, 19, 36 Arizona Association for Economic Development, 30 Arizona Diamondbacks, 15 Arizona Science Center, 29 Arizona State University Biodesign Institute, 14 Arizona State University Foundation, 11 Arizona State University, 46 B2B CFO, 25 Ballard Spahr, 22, 23 Bank of Nevada, 24 Banner Health Network, 68 Banner Health, 14 Beckett’s Table, 34 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, 55 Brick & West Design, 11 Bullock Training & Development, 24 Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A., 18 Café Monarch, 34 Campus Corner, 36 Canal Partners, 46 Cathy Hotchkiss, 64 CBIZ, 25, 67 CCBG Architects, 17 Centers for Habilitation, The, 37 CenturyLink, 41 Chandler Chamber of Commerce, 30 Chandler Early College, 47 ClearDATA, 14 CopperPoint Mutual, 7, 23 CORE Institute, The, 10

Crow, Michael M., 46

Karlgaard, Rich, 27

Samit, Jay, 27

Darin Brannan, 14

Lanning, Kimber, 52

Santoro, Lynda, 41

DuBois, Raymond N., M.D., Ph.D., 14

Lawrence, Taylor W., 46

Schey, Ray, 48

Fielkow, Brian, 66

Lombard, Andy, 13

Senseman, Phyllis, 23

Finnegan, Mike, 25

Lorenzen, Kelly, 36

Smith, Blair, Ph.D., 14

Fortner, Benita, 29

Lykins, Melissa, 13

Smith, Rick, 46

Gillette, Mike, 22

Malone, Michael S., 27

Stipe, James, 18

Goodman, Bill, 40

Miller, Mary Ann, 37

Wales, Tim, 22

Goodman, Murray, 24

Mills, Jerry, 25

Warren, Pat, 36

Gregory, Scott, 29

Onuki, Hochiro, 36

Weeks, Julie, 16

Hart, Denise, 37

Osmani, Bassel, 10

Wilhoit, Adrienne, 22, 23

Hayward, Glen, 36

Polanski, Jodi, 37

Williams, Glenn, 41

Hayward, RaeAnn, 36

Priscella, Kristin, 29

Williams, John C., Ph.D., 30

Hocking, Dawn, 37

Radulovic, Ruzica, 24

Wilson, Robert, 10

Jacofsky, David J., M.D., 10

Reiman, Eric, M.D., 14

Zylstra, Steve, 29, 43

Jennings, Mike, 36

Rumpeltin, Michael, 11

Cost Reduction Technologies, 13

Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier

Desert Schools Federal Credit Union, 6

Development Council, 29

State Farm, 41 Steak 44, 34

Peoria Chamber of Commerce, 30

Stoney-Wilson Business Consulting, 10

Diversified Human Resources, 23

Phoenix Business Journal, 48

Sun Devil Trophy, 32

Downtown Phoenix Inc., 64

Phoenix Children’s Hospital

TASER International, 46

Eliances, 22

Foundation, 42

Tempe Chamber of Commerce, 31, 35

FSW Funding, 63

Phoenix Philanthropy Group, The, 28

ThinkSmallBiz, 64

Gallagher & Kennedy, 2

Ping! Development, 35, 40

Thunderbird Trophies, 32

Gammage & Burnham, 22

Pinnacle Bank, 52

Twin Palms Hotel, 36

Giving Institute, The, 28

Pita Jungle, 10

U.S. Small Business

Glendale Chamber of Commerce, 30

Raytheon, 29, 46

Gobiquity Mobile Health, 14

Red Mountain High School, 47

Vestar, 37

Good Works Auto Repair, 36

Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce, 31

Visibility Technologies Solutions, 22

Grand Canyon University, 40

SkySong, 11

WebProctor, 22

Greater Phoenix

Socialwhirled, 13

Wells Fargo, 49

Southern Rail, 34

West Valley National Bank, 57

Sprint, 7

Wetta Ventures, 11

Chamber of Commerce, 30 Greater Phoenix Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, 30

Administration, Arizona District, 9

SRP, 12, 13, 40

HJ Trophies & Awards, 32 IKEA, 5

CHECK US OUT

Intelemark, 24 J.B.’s Precision Industries, 11 Jetco Delivery, 66 Lexus, 32 LGE Design Build, 11 Local First Arizona, 6, 52 Lost Our Home, 37 Lovitt & Touché, 13 Maricopa Community Colleges, 33 Maricopa Workforce Connections, 59 Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C., 67 Mesa Chamber of Commerce, 30, 31 Microsoft, 26, 31 Morgan Stanley, 40 Networking for Professionals, 30 NewSpring Pharmacy, 63 North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, 31 Off Madison Ave, 24

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Ombudsman, 11

In each issue of In Business Magazine, we list both companies and indivuduals for quick reference. See the stories for links to more.

Bold listings are advertisers supporting this issue of In Business Magazine.

65 20JULY1 5 INBUSINESSMAG.COM

FEBRUARY 2015

A CANDID FORUM

Keep Out of the Friend Zone Management, beware the dangers of treating employees like pals by Brian Fielkow “Keep your work life and business life separate.” “Don’t get involved in your employees’ personal matters.” “There is no place for friendships in the office.” This is all age-old advice, but it is out of sync with what really happens in our workplaces. Friendships form in the workplace and it is, at times, impossible for employees to leave personal issues at home. As business leaders, we have to recognize that work and personal lives intersect often. Moreover, simply because we are in a position of authority does not somehow make us immune to this intersection. But, as leaders, we have a special responsibility to treat workplace friendships deliberately. Knowing about our employees’ personal lives is just good management because what is happening in their lives outside of the office can impact their professional life, too. But, while we have to be in tune with our employees’ personal lives, we also have to be equally aware of the drawbacks of this “friend zone.” Friendships that develop among key executives and their employees can negatively impact business and professionalism. So be mindful. When friendships form, here’s what executives should be exceptionally watchful of and how they should manage their way through it.

THE FRIEND ZONE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES Corporate culture and executive management advisor Brian Fielkow, J.D., is the author of Driving to Perfection: Achieving Business Excellence by Creating a Vibrant Culture, a comprehensive guide for building strategic company culture that’s based on his 25 years of executive leadership experience in both public and privately held companies. Brian Fielkow is the owner and president of Jetco Delivery, a Houstonbased logistics company specializing in regional trucking, heavy haul and national freight — an industry often cited as the backbone of America’s economy. brianfielkow.com

JULY 20 1 5

INBUSINESSMAG.COM

Cliques Are Corrosive. Allowing cliques to develop is dangerous. When a group of employees start going out to lunch, grabbing drinks after work, gossiping and excluding others, the rest of the team starts to feel like anonymous, unconnected, second-class citizens — some of whom might be a company’s best workers. Having an office that tolerates cliques will drive these superstars out the door. This Isn’t a Country Club. If overt friendships develop, perceptions of an uneven playing field can fester. Employees “on the outs” start to feel like the boss’s chummy pals have better access to him or her than the rest of the team and that they’re more likely to receive special treatment (e.g., deadline extensions, time out of the office, etc.). Playing Politics. Friendships make it more difficult for a person to execute his or her duties as a manager. Imagine if a subordinate starts to take advantage of the relationship, showing up late to work, missing deadlines — will that manager be prepared to act or will the employee get away with things that no one else does? Create Separation. Those in leadership positions must be able to

separate friendships from the execution of their duties. When the performance of a friend is declining, or the friend is taking advantage of the relationship and getting away with things that no one else is, that boss must be prepared to act. The closer the friendship — maybe families and spouses are friends — the more difficult this can become. However, one’s role as a manger is to handle these sorts of issues when they arise.

KEEPING CLEAR OF THE FRIEND ZONE Friendships are going to form. Let’s accept reality. But, once they do, it’s all about managing them. We will have a different level of personal chemistry with different employees, and friendships may form with some and not others. Our duty to the organization is paramount. We must make extra effort to create a level playing field. We must be equally accessible to all of our team and ensure that treatment is fair and consistent. Here’s how. Safeguard a Level Playing Field. A manager should make himself or herself equally accessible to all the team members. To ensure that treatment is fair and consistent, the boss should avoid talking with friends about business issues that they otherwise would not have access to. Avoid Forced Fun. Appreciating that a workplace has diverse people with diverse interests, a boss should avoid forcing his or her passion about golf, roller skating, professional wrestling or anything else on the team, and also avoid making it the only (or best) way for employees to access him or her. Set Boundaries. If a friendship really grows, it’s important to have a conversation to set mutually agreed upon boundaries. If it’s truly a friendship, the boundaries will be accepted. If they are not accepted, it may be that the boss is being taken advantage of. Share the Wealth. A boss doesn’t have to be “friends” to have a genuine interest in what’s going on with all the team members outside of work. Showing a personal interest in employees’ lives can help a boss be a better manager. For example, knowing what’s going on with them personally might explain a disruption in performance and allow for faster resolution. As leaders, we must know what is going on with our employees personally to some degree. Showing an interest is the same as showing respect. However, it’s important be aware when personal interaction journeys into “The Friend Zone,” and to have a clear plan in place to manage it. Ignoring this could damage one’s business and even one’s career.

Options for businesses to employ an “open door” policy while allowing employees the security of anonymity include suggestion boxes and hotlines, and ombuds officials.

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Chuck Chuck McLane, McLane, cmclane@cbiz.com cmclane@cbiz.com Chuck McLane, cmclane@cbiz.com www.cbiz.com www.mhmcpa.com Zandra Zandra O’Keefe, O’Keefe, zokeefe@cbiz.com zokeefe@cbiz.com Zandra O’Keefe, zokeefe@cbiz.com 602.264.6835 602.264.6835 • • www.cbiz.com www.cbiz.com •• www.mhmcpa.com www.mhmcpa.com Mike Finnegan mfi nnegan@cbiz.com 602.264.6835 602.264.6835 • www.cbiz.com • www.mhmcpa.com Mayer Mayer Hoffman Hoffman McCann McCann P.C.P.C. is an is an independent independent CPACPA firmfirm providing providing audit, audit, review review andand attest attest services, services, and and works works closely closely with a business a business consulting, consulting, tax tax andand fiaudit, nancial fiaudit, nancial services services provider. provider. Mayer Mayer Hoffman Hoffman McCann McCann P.C.with P.C. isCBIZ, an isCBIZ, an independent independent CPA CPA firmfirm providing providing review review andand attest attest services, services, andand works works closely closely with with CBIZ, CBIZ, a business a business consulting, consulting, taxtax andand financial financial services services provider. provider.

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