AzBusiness magazine Jul/Aug 2014

A Z BUSINESS

Connect » Guide » Inspire

JULY // AUGUST 2014

JULY // AUGUST 2014 A ZRE : ARIZONA COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

2014

50

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN in ARIZONA BUSINESS

$4.95

CONNECT » GUIDE » INSPIRE

JULY // august 2014

Arizona Hospital & Healthcare Association

62

GLENDALE CVB

84

WESTMARC

89

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Table Of Contents They are women, hear them roar

6 Up Front

12 CEO Series

14 Technology

20 Tourism

22 Marketing

24 Law

62

26 Banking

28 Dining

30 Most Influential

Women in Arizona Business

62 Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association

72

72 Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry

89 WESTMARC

89 Az Business on the Go: AzBusinessMagazine.com 2 AB | July-August 2014

By most accounts, Arizona is a great state for women in business.

While Arizona is ranked 15th among U.S. states and territories by population, it ranks 6th in terms of growth and economic clout among women-owned businesses, according to an American Express OPEN report.

Arizona has about 137,600 women-owned firms that employ 146,900 and contribute almost $22 billion to the state’s economy, which packs the equivalent economic impact of hosting a Super Bowl a week.

Speaking of the Super Bowl, which is easily one of the country’s most masculine events, a woman, Jay Parry, is CEO of the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee. Another woman, Lorraine Pino, runs the convention and visitors bureau for Glendale, the host city. In terms of politics, there hasn’t been a male in the Arizona governor’s office since before Bill Clinton’s presidency erupted in scandal.

However, it’s not all perfect for Arizona women in business. According to a 2013 Women-Owned Business Enterprise report from the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, approximately one in four woman-owned businesses in Arizona experience challenges specific to being a womanowned business – being taken seriously, overcoming negative perceptions or being treated differently.

But for the most part, women are on the rise in Arizona. That’s why this issue of Az Business celebrates women with our 2014 list of the 50 Most Influential Women in Arizona Business. We don’t allow women to repeat, so be sure to check of the classes of 2012 and 2013. And if you want to nominate a woman for the 2015 list, be sure to e-mail me her name and why she should be included.

Michael Gossie Editor in chief michael.gossie@azbigmedia.com

Making your business and home loan needs our top priority.

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SCOTTSDALE • PHOENIX

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Winners earn 2014 AREA Awards Here are the winners of the 2014 Arizona Real Estate Achievement (AREA) Awards, which were presented by Az Business magazine on May 15 at the Ritz Carlton in Phoenix.

Real estate company of the year:

RE/MAX Excalibur Realty With three offices serving Phoenix and its surrounding communities and another office in Tucson, RE/MAX Excalibur uses technology to give buyers and sellers an edge.

Residential agent of the year: JoAnn Callaway, Those Callaways In her first 10 years selling real estate, Callaway sold more than 4,000 homes, totaling in excess of $1 billion dollars. She is also the author of “Clients First: The Two Word Miracle.”

Mortgage lender of the year:

President and CEO: Michael Atkinson Publisher: Cheryl Green Vice president of operations: Audrey Webb EDITORIAL Editor in chief: Michael Gossie Associate editor: Amanda Ventura Interns: Jacob Green | Jesse Millard Sara Parker | Leslie K. Hughes Az BUSINESS MAGAZINE Senior account manager: David Harken Account managers: Ann McSherry | Shannon Spigelman ART Art director: Mike Mertes Graphic designer: Shavon Thompson Photo intern: Courtney Pedroza

Bank of America Bank of America participates in affordable housing and down payment assistance programs and also features its Clarity Commitment, which helps borrowers understand what they’re getting into with a simple one-page summary of loan terms.

DIGITAL MEDIA Web developer: Eric Shepperd Digital manager: Perri Collins

Mortgage company of the year: Homeowners Financial Group HFG is known as the No. 1 Best Place to Work with a heavy focus on giving back to the community. In 2013, the company closed 3,275 loans for a total value of $755 million.

OFFICE Special projects manager: Sara Fregapane Executive assistant: Mayra Rivera Database solutions manager: Cindy Johnson

Environmentally responsible company of the year: KB Homes

SCOTTSDALE LIVING MAGAZINE Director of Sales: Jon Buls

KB announced in March that home buyers in its Arizona communities have the opportunity to own a solar-powered home, which will help reduce their monthly energy bills by as much as 80 percent.

Homebuilder of the year: Blandford Homes Blandford is an award-winning Arizona builder specializing in resortstyle master-planned living communities, including Las Sendas and Mountain Bridge in Mesa, Power Ranch in Gilbert, and Pecan Groves in Queen Creek.

Residential service provider of the year: Cox Communications

Cox serves nearly 3 million subscribers in Arizona and has topped numerous J.D. Power and Associates’ studies of customer satisfaction, most recently receiving top honors for residential telephone and high speed Internet.

Developer of the year: DMB Associates DMB is an Arizona-based, diversified real estate investment and development firm whose portfolio includes commercial properties, resort/recreational and Eastmark, DMB’s new high-profile community in Mesa.

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MARKETING/EVENTS Manager: Angela Vaughn

AZRE | Arizona Commercial Real Estate Director of sales: Steve Koslowski AZ BUSINESS LEADERS Director of sales: Mark Blum RANKING ARIZONA Director of sales: Sheri King EXPERIENCE ARIZONA | Play Ball Director of sales and marketing: Carla Baran AZ BIG MEDIA HOME SHOWS SCOTTSDALE HOME & GARDEN SHOWS Exhibit directors: Kerri Blumsack | Tina Robinson

Az Business magazine is published bi-monthly by AZ BIG Media, 3101 N. Central Ave. Suite 1070, Phoenix, Arizona 85012, (602) 277-6045. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Submissions will not be returned unless accompanied by a SASE. Single copy price $4.95. Bulk rates available. Copyright 2014 by AZ BIG Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from AZ BIG Media.

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UP FRONT Recipe for success Owners of The Herb Box find the perfect blend to build a business By MICHAEL GOSSIE

T

hey weren’t even friends when they launched a 20-year partnership.

“We didn’t know each other until we started the business,” said Susan Smederovac-Wilcox, who created The Herb Box with Becky J. Windels in 1995. “We heard about each other and met for breakfast. I said, ‘If you can cook it, I can sell it.’ We were very young and said, ‘Why not?

We’ve got nothing to lose.’”

What blossomed was The Herb Box, a critically acclaimed catering company and casual dining establishment with two Scottsdale locations. The establishments serve some of the healthiest and most creative dishes in the Valley.

“The magic to our relationship is we each have equally impressive skill sets that don’t cross whatsoever,” SmederovacWilcox said. “Not only do they not cross, we are not interested in each other’s piece of the business.”

Windels takes care of the food.

“I have a huge passion for being in the kitchen,” she said. “It’s my therapy. It’s my happy place.”

Smederovac-Wilcox handles the business. “I thoroughly enjoy playing the big game,” she said, “and that’s the game of business.”

While she enjoys the game, Smederovac-Wilcox points out that it’s still a game mostly played by men.

“We still have to deal with people who look at us as girls, not women in business,” she said. “The most common question we are asked is, ‘Are you two best friends?’ You’d never sit down with two businessmen and ask them if they were best friends. It would just be weird.

We just have to go in there that much more sure of ourselves, that much more prepared and that much more driven.”

That drive has led the pair to create a recipe for success. Eight years after launching their prosperous catering company, their customers sometimes sat in the parking lot outside of the business, eating food from The Herb Box. Customers were clamoring for them to open a restaurant.

“Opening a door to wait for people to come in wasn’t something we wanted to do,” Smederovac-Wilcox said. “We were pulled into this kicking and screaming. But we built the business by listening to what our customers were asking us to do.”

Now, the business partners have a goal to open at least 10 Herb Boxes, with two more in Arizona and the rest out of state.

“We don’t want to lose who we are in the meantime,” Smederovac-Wilcox said.

“We will continue to feed our customers really good food that keeps them very healthy.”

Photo by Mike Mertes, AZ Big Media

Quarles & Brady smashes the ceiling The law firm of Quarles & Brady has been included in the Law360 inaugural class of Ceiling Smashers, the 25 U.S.-based law firms that have the highest percentage of female partners.

The firm was also noted as being one of seven big law firms with a woman chair. According to the Glass Ceiling Report, women make up 43 percent on nonpartner ranks at U.S. law firms, but only 21 percent of partnerships are composed of women.

At Quarles & Brady, 29.5 percent of the partners are women, placing the firm well above average and is also among the top 10 firms with the most women partners in raw numbers.

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THE MASTERMINDS: The Herb Box, with a location at 7134

E. Stetson Dr., Scottsdale, is powered by co-owners Susan Smederovac-Wilcox and Chef Becky J. Windels. Learn more at theherbbox.com.

Vacation time is going unused With summer in full swing, that means it’s vacation season for many Arizona workers — or does it? A new survey from Robert Half survey shows 39 percent of workers don’t plan to use all the paid vacation time they’re given.

The top two reasons for leaving earned vacation unused: 38 percent are saving days in case they need them later, while 30 percent fear falling behind at work.

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UP FRONT 4 ways workers harm their careers online According to Strikingly.com CEO David Chen — one of the world’s foremost experts on creating an effective online presence — thousands of professionals prevent themselves from receiving future job opportunities and promotion possibilities due to the following four mistakes:

Photo by Shavon Rose, AZ Big Media

EVOLVING HEALTHCARE: “My patients inspired me to go into concierge medicine as they felt their healthcare foundation slipping and were searching for options,” says Dr. Anne-Marie Feyrer-Melk

Picking a career

Former flower farmer’s medical career blooms as the Valley’s only concierge cardiologist By MICHAEL GOSSIE

D

What was your first job in your current industry?

r. Anne-Marie Feyrer-Melk is the Valley’s only concierge cardiologist, providing her patients with the most advanced diagnostics and therapies in heart attack and stroke prevention available.

She is the first and only cardiologist in the Valley to design a program to provide screenings, specialized technologies and the research time necessary to comprehensively evaluate heart and blood vessel health, and identify and assess cardiac risks before tragedy strikes.

What inspired you to do what you are doing now?

What was your first job?

What has been your biggest challenge?

I cut and sold gladiolas for my father’s family flower farm in central Wisconsin. With farm work, I also weeded quarter-mile rows, laid irrigation pipe, drove a tractor, cut other field flowers and bunched up the gladiolas for sale at grocery stores, florists and farmer’s markets.

What did you earn at that first job?

Whether cutting gladiolas or weeding, I earned 25 cents per row. I could then take my bike three miles into town to buy candy at the local Ben Franklin, turn around, and sell it to my younger sisters at inflated prices.

What did you learn form your first job?

Your word is your bond; honor and respect; and that it felt good to sweat and stay strong, especially if anyone had energy for a game of basketball once in awhile.

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Private practice invasive cardiology in downtown Phoenix.

My mother inspired me to go into medicine. As a high-schooler, she placed a lab coat on me at the clinic where she worked as an RN and the wonderful doctors let me shadow them during their office hours.

Staying ahead of the massive healthcare changes. Upon taking the Hippocratic Oath, I never envisioned the politics of medicine prodding me out of the field I love and to which I have dedicated my life. My challenge now is to continually evolve to provide my special patients with a unique doctor-patient relationship and the cutting-edge preventive care they so deserve in an environment which is eroding both.

>> Mistake No. 1: Unbalanced online content.

Even if you’re not posting overtly embarrassing photos online, you can still harm your career if you’re perceived as “partying” more than working. >> Mistake No. 2: Ill-timed online activity.

Because most online content is time-stamped, your current or future employer can easily determine if you’re regularly posting online content during work hours. >> Mistake No. 3: Reusing personal photos for work. Using Google Images, an employer can easily upload your LinkedIn headshot and see all other personal accounts and websites where you’ve also used that photo. >> Mistake No. 4: Poor online first impression.

Because most employers now Google job candidates, if the first few search results for your name aren’t the most flattering, you’ve got to create new content (such as a personal branded website) to replace those results.

Out-of-office difficulties Despite their popularity, remote work arrangements present a host of challenges for bosses tasked with managing those employees. According to a recent Robert Half Technology survey, 30 percent of CIOs cite communication issues as their top challenge when managing remote workers. Both productivity and technology hurdles were cited as a top concern by 22 percent of CIOs.

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UP FRONT Improving job market Tempe-based eJobba makes it easier to find qualified workers By MICHAEL GOSSIE

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eff Dumas wants to help businesses and individuals find local workers for jobs ranging from home improvement to self improvement. Dumas launched Tempe-based eJobba.com earlier this year in Arizona, but plans to expand nationwide over the next several months.

How did you come up with eJobba?

I have a background in real estate. Through the last few years of rehabbing houses, I saw all the little tasks that need to get done. I developed the idea for eJobba as a way for consumers to safely and conveniently find service providers in an open bidding marketplace.

Who is your target market?

It’s really anyone who doesn’t have enough time or the ability to get all the little things done – from busy moms to the elderly who can’t climb the ladder to clean the gutters anymore. Service providers are another target for us as we enable them to grow their businesses without costly advertising.

How is Arizona as a place to launch a start-up?

Arizona is a fantastic place for a start-up and a lot of big tech companies have offices here now. Phoenix is one of the fastestgrowing cities in the country and has a thriving year-round community. Also, tax laws in Arizona are very favorable for businesses.

What has been your biggest challenge?

Getting the word out about the company. When I took marketing in college there was radio, TV, newspapers and billboards. Now it’s such a diverse advertising world, trying to use your dollars wisely is a daunting task.

How do you protect potential customers?

Photo by Shavon Rose, AZ Big Media

Healthcare apps in need of life support Despite the countless mobile apps available today, a recent survey

by Robert Half Technology found that the majority of companies — 58 percent — neither have a mobile app, nor are they planning to offer one in the next year. Additionally, 28 percent said their organization doesn’t even have a mobile strategy. Among the specific industries represented in the survey, the healthcare industry is lagging behind retail and business services in mobile strategy and application development, with 36 percent having no strategy and 57 percent lacking a mobile app, according to the survey of CIOs.

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Thorough background checks and screenings are performed on every service provider. Also, funds for jobs are paid in advance and held in a secure escrow account. Money isn’t released to the worker until the consumer is happy with the job and the worker never has to worry about collections.

Altier Credit Union offers members Arizona’s first video ATM Tempe-based Altier Credit Union took customer service to a whole new level when it became Arizona’s first financial institution to deploy an In-Lobby Teller (ILT) ATM. The Diebold Opteva 923 ILT ATM allows credit union members to conduct most of the transactions they would do at the teller line — cash withdrawals, envelope free bulk check deposits and bulk cash deposits, balance inquiries, transfers — with the option to drive their own transactions through a self-service option or speak directly to a live Altier CU teller concierge representative via a two-way video on-demand connection.

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CEO

She’s trending

Wiest continues to blaze her own trail with the launch of AZ Dental Bank

E

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

arlier this year, Candace Hunter Wiest, president and CEO of West Valley National Bank, launched AZ Dental Bank, a specialty group that she unveiled at the Western Regional Dental Convention in Phoenix. Az Business sat down with Wiest to talk about trends in her industry.

What qualities do you think an effective CEO needs to have?

Sense of humor. Perseverance. Clear focus. Integrity.

What attracted you to the banking industry?

They describe me as the Cinderella CEO. I was in the restaurant business when my husband left me with three kids at age 21. I had to have a job and I had a high school diploma, so I went to work for a bankowned insurance agency. After I turned that around — they forgot to tell me it had never made money when they hired me — they offered me a job at a bank here, so I threw my kids into the truck and moved to Arizona. I like the diversity of the banking industry and how it’s a puzzle and you have to figure out how to make it work.

What enabled you to become such an effective leader?

I never take myself seriously. When you start taking your own press releases seriously, you’re in trouble. I will just not give up. When I want something, I will not quit until I get it. This bank has been a challenge because we opened in 2006 and I like to say we did the right things at the right time for the right people and we are starting to see the benefits of that. I also had three kids who needed shoes and clothes and food, and that’s a real motivator.

What prompted you to start AZ Dental Bank?

We weren’t growing after the Recession and we were trying to figure out where the growth was coming from. Our bank has a significant number of shareholders and directors in the medical and dental 12 AB | July-August 2014

Photo by Courtney Pedroza, AZ Big Media

GROUNDBREAKERS: Candace Hunter Wiest, right, president and CEO of West Valley National Bank, and Steve Sinclair, senior vice president of AZ Dental Bank. Wiest was the first female community banker elected as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

industries. They believe local physicians and dentists are under-served and would welcome an opportunity to do business with a local bank. As a result, we have spent the last 30 months learning about the challenges and opportunities local dentists face every single day. This is a pun, but we now have deep roots in the dental industry.

What is the benefit of a specialty bank?

We believe that a bank founded by dentists and physicians for physicians and dentists will be able to provide superior service and products because of that knowledge. We also have a community board consisting of professionals who serve the dental industry, who have helped guide us as we formed this new entity. They will also contribute regularly to our website to provide local expertise for our clients and potential clients.

What are some trends you’re seeing in the banking industry?

The days of banks being able to be all things to all people are over. The mortgage industry showed us that. What we like about the AZ Dental Bank model is that we will be able to replicate this process and there are similarities with other industries. We have three other industries targeted, but I’m not going to say what they are yet.

What advice would you give to other women who aspire to be a business leader?

Be brave. I like something Pink said. “Be humble in victory, be brave when you’re afraid, be strong when you feel weak, and be bad-ass every day.” I’ve been scared to death my whole life, but I was brave when it counted.

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HEAT

HEALTHCARE // ENERGY // AEROSPACE // TECHNOLOGY

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n o i t a m

p u s

s r e

in

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y a w d e

he t in a e r a izon Y TOLL s ie o Ar y ERIC JA n B pa et t m co tern r e it In h t d o igab n le a ing g g r o Go to b mix

e p s S

etting aside the “wow” factor, Google’s interest in providing Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe residential customers with gigabit speed Internet connections is making waves across the Valley. Primary residential ISPs CenturyLink and Cox Communications plan to continue fiber expansion in their markets. The ultimate winner here will be the Internet user.

The key factor here is “residential service.” Most telecommunications companies are capable of delivering gigabit Internet services to businesses.

CenturyLink offers it in Omaha and Las Vegas. Cox announced in May that it will deliver residential gigabit service to Phoenix beginning this fall.

Google does not offer gigabit service to businesses — although it plans to expand into that market in Kansas City. In addition to the “phone” companies, business Internet service is available from a number of other telecommunications companies like Telesphere and XO Communications. Windstream, which offers business service in Arizona, has residential Internet service in more than a dozen states.

The groundbreaking news that Google included three Arizona cities among the 34 for its next round of gigabit fiber installation is the residential focus. In Kansas City, Missouri, Google offers low residential connection rates in competition with established ISPs. Competition is driving prices in Arizona down, but based on its previous market entries in Austin, Texas; Provo, Utah; and Kansas City, Google will offer higher speeds at a lower cost.

Competitive marketplace

For consumers, Cox and CenturyLink are the main players in the Valley. CenturyLink is constantly investing in new infrastructure. “More than 80 percent of our service is delivered over fiber,” says Arizona spokesperson Mark Molzen. “During the (CenturyLink/ Qwest) merger, we promised to invest $70 million over seven years. To date, we’ve invested over $631 million in Arizona.” The companies merged in 2011.

Google’s proposal to move into as many as 34 new cities next year has an impact on high speed communications providers, but is not causing any to divert from current marketing and deployment activities.

Of the business-oriented Internet service providers in Arizona, Windstream and AT&T are the only companies offering any residential service, but neither serve homes in Arizona.

Fiber optic backbones crisscross Arizona. It’s one reason the Phoenix metro is so popular with data centers. The wide variety of ISPs accommodate broad client requirements. Consumer residential choice is more limited.

A Google spokesperson providing background for this story said that one reason the company is entering the residential market is because of the open opportunities. Business service is more competitive, and Google believes its brand is highly recognizable with residential customers.

Eric Points, director of product management for XO Communications, says the Google entry doesn’t directly impact its market. “We provide speeds up to 100 Gbps to midsize and large companies,” he explains.

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HEAT “XO Communications not only serves individual businesses, we also carry other ISPs.” Molzen says that brand recognition is one of CenturyLink’s competitive assets. He explains, “We’ve been serving Arizonans for a long time, people want assurances that the telecommunications provider has stability.” The company’s roots go all the way back to Mountain Bell as an AT&T division.

As the new kid on the block, Google’s name recognition is a result of its search engine popularity. In Kansas City it used its financial power to offer gigabit service at rates similar to those of telecommunications providers for typical fiber speeds in the market. Speed increased and rates decreased as a result.

Someone has to provide the backbone to connect the Phoenix market to the rest of the Internet, and a company like Google could use XO Communications’ lines for its backbone service.

Windstream, according to Vice President for Corporate Affairs David Avery, is the fifth-largest fiber network in the U.S. He says, “We build the last-mile facilities alongside incumbents’ existing infrastructure.” Where it’s not possible, the company leases connections. Google is planning to build its own last-mile connections—a major undertaking in a market this size.

Construction opportunities Google will string more than 3,000 miles of fiber optic lines in the three Valley cities beginning as early as spring 2015. The company will draw local and national firms for engineering, surveying, construction and installation. Black

T

and Veatch, which has a Phoenix office, is one of the national firms used in Austin and Kansas City.

Some aspects of the installation are underway. Google already has an agreement in place with Phoenix to install fiber huts — small, modular, cargo container-sized buildings used as neighborhood switching stations—on city property and rights-of-way. Similar agreements are expected to follow in Scottsdale and Tempe.

The company plans to make use of existing rights-of-way, in-ground conduit and poles where available. Scottsdale offered access to some “dark fiber”—previously installed, but currently unused infrastructure—as part of its response.

Google uses surveyors to find each pole and in-ground route. Engineers design the system—particularly the “last mile” connections to homes that have to be verified on the ground. Contractors will prepare sites and install fiber huts, soft-dig trenches to bring services to homes, and string the fiber on poles where necessary.

There will not be a large permanent Google employment presence if the gigabit service comes to the Valley. The company uses contract call centers and installers, and does direct-hire some employees to sign up new subscribers.

Google will maintain its own long-term installation team after the initial rush.

It’s a major opportunity for home Internet users to connect with speed and bandwidth needed for movies, running remote home operations and taking advantage of the full power of Cloud computing and the World Wide Web. The competition will ensure options for Arizona homes.

How fast is 1 Gigabit Internet?

he term “gigabit” seems to be just the next step over megabit bandwidth, but the difference in data delivery is significant. Most residential users are in the 12 to 20 megabit per second (Mbps) speed range; some homes subscribe to service as fast as 50 Mbps. The 50 Mbps download speed is

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equal to 0.00625 gigabits per second (Gbps); the 1 Gbps service is eight times faster than 50 Gbps speed.

At its base, 1 Gbps is 1,000 Mbps.

The advantage of speed comes with streaming video. One hour of high definition video is 3.6 gigabytes.

With a typical home connection of

20 Mbps, it takes eight minutes to download the full hour program. With high speed 50 Mbps service, the download time is under four minutes.

With 1 Gbps service, the download time is nine seconds.

Time is running out...

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2014

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HEAT

A

rizona needs more women in STEM

T

he numbers are astounding. While women comprise 48 percent of the U.S. workforce, just 24 percent are in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, a statistic that has held constant for nearly the last decade, according to ASU’s College of Technology and Innovation.

Google’s recently released employment figures give even more cause for alarm − 83% of their tech workers internationally are male.

It’s a critical issue that needs our attention. If Arizona wants a future filled with high-paying jobs in a vibrant, growing economy, we have to open the doors to everyone for careers in STEM. That’s where the economic opportunities lie and our competitors know it.

Women looking to maximize their earnings and rise to the top should take note. In the past 10 years, growth in STEM jobs has been three times greater than that of nonSTEM jobs. STEM jobs also pay more and have a lower wage gap between genders: females earn 92 cents on a dollar versus 75 cents in other fields.

Researchers at SpencerStuart specifically took a close look at the educational background of S&P 500 CEOs and found that 33 percent held undergraduate degrees in engineering and only 11 percent were in business administration. This may be attributed to the fact that engineers in general are found to be good at attention to detail, problem-solving, risk management and analysis. On the flip side, they often lack empathy, people management and communication skills.

So why are women less likely to pursue STEM careers?

ASU also reported that many young women who begin a STEM degree, leave those degree paths despite their good academic standing, often citing uncomfortable classroom

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experiences and a disconcerting climate. High-tech doesn’t feel like a very welcoming place because they don’t fit in.

Dr. Maria Klawe of Harvey Mudd College also feels the problem lies in attitudes, not skill. In an interview on PBS NewsHour, Dr. Klawe said more women aren’t computer scientists and engineers because, No. 1, they think it’s not interesting; No. 2, they think they wouldn’t be good at it; and, No. 3, they Steven G. Zylstra have the image of the people in those Technology fields that they don’t think is attractive.

There’s no magic wand to fix the problem, but there a lot of opportunities to embrace. There’s a shortage of mentors for women in STEM fields and clubs and organization such as the Society of Women Engineers and the Association for Women in Science, both with Arizona chapters, can help bridge the gap.

We also need to improve math and science teaching in our schools. The Arizona STEM Network, led by Science Foundation Arizona is working to make a real difference for students across the state. With support from the Council and its members, along with Arizona’s governor, educators and philanthropic organizations, a common agenda to graduate more Arizona students prepared for the global economy through STEM education is in motion.

For those young women considering a career in STEM, I have this advice: Embrace the opportunity to take a leadership position. Shoot high and never doubt yourself.

Find great teachers and mentors and go on field trips to laboratories and job sites. Once you fully engage and feel the excitement, the rewards will begin to flow.

Steven G. Zylstra is president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council.

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19 AB | July-August 7/3/13 5:07 2014 PM

Tourism Arizona tribes&

their casinos Ak-Chin Indian Community: Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, near Maricopa

Arizona’s tribal casino revenues grow faster than national rate By MICHAEL GOSSIE

I

f you were a gambler, it would have been a long shot.

Despite a drop in the overall number of gaming tables and machines in 2012, Arizona’s 22 tribal casinos saw a $50 million increase in revenues in 2012. The numbers were included in a report by Casino City Press, which said revenue at Arizona’s 22 tribal casinos grew from almost $1.75 billion in 2011 to $1.8 billion in 2012.

That was a faster growth rate than the average for the nation, where tribal casinos saw a 2-percent increase in revenues, rising a total of $500 million to $28.1 billion in 2012. Arizona was sixth among states for overall revenues in tribal casinos and 14th for the rate of growth, the report said.

So how did Arizona increase revenue with fewer machines?

Rick Medina, assistant director at Arizona Department of Gaming, said the 15 tribes that manage casinos in the state may have cut less-popular games to focus on those where players were risking more money.

“Every square foot of their establishment is important to them,” Medina said. “Casinos don’t want to have games on the floor that people aren’t playing.”

It’s not just the tribes that profit from their business savvy. The state’s Indian gaming industry contributed $97.5 million to state and local governments in 2013, according to the Arizona Department of Gaming. And this summer, tribes expect to reach $1 billion in contributions to the state budget, stretching back to the approval of tribal casinos in 2003.

Gaming contributions Here are the Arizona Indian gaming industry’s contributions to state and local governments by fiscal year: 2004: $40.5 million 2005: $70.3 million 2006: $91.7 million 2007: $103.6 million 2008: $111.2 million 2009: $97.5 million 2010: $89 million 2011: $90.5 million 2012: $97.3 million 2013: $97.5 million 20 AB | July-August 2014

Cocopah Indian Tribe: Cocopah Casino, near Somerton Colorado River Indian Tribes: Blue Water Casino, near Parker Ft. McDowell Yavapai Nation: Ft. McDowell Gaming Center, near Fountain Hills Fort Mojave Indian Tribe: Spirit Mountain Casino, near Bullhead City Gila River Indian Community: Lone Butte Casino, near Chandler; Vee Quiva Casino, near Laveen; Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino; near Chandler Navajo Nation: Twin Arrows Casino, near Flagstaff Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona: Casino del Sol, near Tucson; Casino of the Sun, near Tucson Quechan Indian Tribe: Paradise Casino, near Yuma Salt River-Pima Indian Community: Casino Arizona at Salt River, near Scottsdale; Casino Arizona at Talking Stick, near Scottsdale San Carlos Apache Tribe: Apache Gold Casino, San Carlos Tohono O’odham Nation: Desert Diamond Casino, near Tucson; Desert Diamond Casino, near Sahuarita; Desert Diamond Casino, near Why Tonto Apache Tribe: Mazatzal Casino, near Payson White Mountain Apache Tribe: Hon Dah Casino, near Pinetop Yavapai-Apache Nation: Cliff Castle Casino, near Camp Verde Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe: Bucky’s Casino, near Prescott; Yavapai Gaming Center, near Prescott

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21 AB | July-August 2014

MARKETING

Go mobile orgo broke

B

eing “mobile friendly” is no longer an option if you want your business to survive in the long run. The figures related to the increase in usage of mobile and tablet devices tell the story. According to a 2013 report from Walker Sands, 28 percent of all web traffic comes from a mobile device and that number is increasing rapidly.

Start small if you must, but you must get started. It’s often easier said than done. For small businesses integrating a mobile-focused approach from scratch, implementing strategies gradually is a smart way to make the transition.

Here are some quick tips to easily make your marketing tactics more mobile-friendly: Search: Mobile users use voice search features like Siri with conversational language. Your content needs to adapt and also be written in a conversational style. You should also examine your analytics to see which terms and phrases your mobile visitors are using and incorporate that type of wording into your content.

Email: Make your email easy for people to see and read. A narrow vertical layout is better for quick scrolling. Large buttons and links are easier to click. For faster load times, go easy on the images. Put some thought into the subject line and grab their

22 AB | July-August 2014

attention. Finally, make sure the “from” name is recognizable – something that doesn’t look like a spammer.

Local: To hook the customers in your geographic area, optimize your mobile strategies for local search. In order to influence people who are ready to buy on-the-spot, you should invest in geo-aware tools and technologies to create locationspecific campaigns. For example, you should match the offer you make in your digital marketing campaigns to your target’s specific location and make it relevant.

Web Design: Google’s research has shown that 67 percent of mobile users say they are more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly site. Make sure your web page has a responsive design and functions well no matter which device the visitor is using. If you can’t optimize your entire website for mobile right away, pick a few key pages and then monitor the analytics and feedback from the users who interact with those pages.

Social: Ever heard of SoLoMo? That’s short for Social, Local and Mobile – the three traits that describe many consumers today. Social media is another important way to interact with your customers. Facebook is now offering geo-targeted advertising options to small businesses.

Encourage your customers to “checkin” on social media when they are at your business and review your products online.

Video: Mobile users love video and they are more likely to pass it along to their friends and family.

It can also spur countless new potential leads because its drives higher engagement. Plan your video carefully and make sure it fits in with your larger content strategy and your marketing goals. Make it educational and entertaining and have it link back to a landing page of high quality that is also optimized for mobile viewing.

Will your business go mobile or go broke? The statistics paint a clear picture. If your business isn’t optimized for mobile consumer behavior, it’ll go broke.

Sheila Kloefkorn Marketing After founding KEO Marketing in Phoenix in 2000, Sheila Kloefkorn grew it into an award-winning multi-million dollar agency that helps companies drive leads and sales with digital marketing. Kloefkorn also recently became an ActionCOACH business owner.

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23 AB | July-August 2014

LAW

#protectyourprofile Social media prenuptial agreements are ‘trending’ in Valley law offices

By AMANDA VENTURA About

f

irst comes love, then comes marriage, the baby carriage, and, for many Americans, divorce. Even if a couple doesn’t have an estate to divvy, family matter lawyers are reporting emerging trends that may have couples wishing they had signed a prenup.

As the director of family law at Rose Law Group, Kaine Fisher has prepared many high-profile pre- and postnuptial agreements. Some have had unusual provisions, such as what happens if a spouse transmits a sexually transmitted disease or a clause that liquidates damages for infidelity. However, there’s a new trend he and other local lawyers are touting — social media clauses.

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the first places millions of people turn to share their thoughts, photos and lives. It’s where professional and personal relationships grow, thrive and — sometimes — end. And, when the inevitable happens, there’s a chance the scorned and burned feelings will turn up on social media platforms in the form of private or unflattering information or photos about the other person. This is where the expertise and intervention of attorneys is rapidly required.

“Over the past couple of years, I have noticed an explosion of requests by clients wanting to include what is more affectionately known as a ‘social media clause’ in their pre- and post-nuptial agreements,” Fisher says. “At the onset of a marriage, such provisions are effective in setting relationship boundaries. However, at the end of

24 AB | July-August 2014

one, these provisions are are typically used as swords to achieve greater financial gain.”

The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers reported more than 80 percent of U.S. divorce attorneys say social networking is a rising topic in divorce proceedings.

Social media has been a staple in divorce proceedings since MySpace was introduced in 2003, but Norma Izzo Milner, a litigator focusing in the areas of alternative dispute resolution, family law and domestic relations with Jennings, Strouss and Salmon Law Firm in Phoenix, is still surprised by how few clients still aren’t considering social media prenups.

“Once I provide some basic legal information about how social media can play a part in or impact either a relationship or the ending of one, they tend to take precautions and limit their social media activity,” she says.

People just can’t seem to help themselves, Fisher says, adding that they also don’t always have control over what hits the web.

“A jaded ex-girlfriend or a careless spouse can expose, either intentionally or unintentionally, private photographs or videos of you that you never wanted anyone to see,” he says.

“The reality is, most people connect through cyber space and report daily activities from what they are eating to how they are feeling. This can be a dangerous outlet for people facing the emotional challenges of a divorce or legal separation,” Milner says.

The amount of couples who enter into prenuptial agreements, despite a divorce rate of 3.6 per 1,000 people,

Chris Ingle

NORMA IZZO Milner

Kaine Fisher

Photos

is surprisingly low, says Milner. The two leading causes of getting a prenup, she says, is to protect an estate or to prevent the difficulty and costs of a divorce, based on previous experience.

“I find it surprising that the majority of people spend a large percentage of their daily time engaged in some form of social media, but do not think about how it might impact their lives long-term,” she says. “I generally have to bring the topic up for discussion with my clients.”

Social media prenups can be drafted as inclusive of existing and future platforms. In the event of being blocked from an ex’s social media pages, Milner says couples can include a term that enables access to personalized web content for a period of time after separation.

The family law group at Burch & Cracchiolo hasn’t used a social media clause in any of the prenups it has drafted, but recognizes it as something that’s on the horizon, says Marketing and Client Development Manager Chris Long.

Chris Ingle, an attorney at Rose Law Group who specializes in online defamation and protection of intellectual property, has not encountered a social media prenuptial case outside of the news articles and online buzz.

“I have to say that if somebody approached me with that idea, I’d recommend against that very strongly,” he says.

It’s a matter of a dispute escalating into a court battle that becomes public record and costs “a small fortune,” he says, adding, “It takes what started out as a disagreement

Likes

and turns it into a full-fledged litigation war. I don’t think that’s in everyone’s best interest.”

Ingle recommends couples who are going their separate ways to write a non-disparagement clause, which promises couples won’t go out of their way to say anything bad about the other person or have anyone do that on their behalf.

It’s not necessarily the words that have many people preoccupied — there are images and the revenge porn industry to consider.

“If you’re going to let somebody take those photos and videos, you have to trust them implicitly,” says Ingle. “Once it gets out there (online), it’s difficult (to reverse).”

Some options, particularly for people whose images or videos are posted on a website by a third party (presumably an ex), include filing for copyright of the footage. It’s “cheap and easy,” says Ingle, to get a copyright. Unless your significant other challenges the claim, someone can generally submit a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) request to the hosting website and get the photo or video removed.

For couples who drafted their prenups pre-Zuckerberg, who, by the way, had a relationship agreement drafted up before his marriage to Priscilla Chan that required 100 minutes of alone time away from Facebook’s headquarters, Milner still suggests considering a dialog about social media in the relationship and, potentially, a post-nuptial agreement.

“It’s never too late to have the discussion and spell out expectations and healthy boundaries to avoid future problems,” she says.

25 AB | July-August 2014

BankING

Money talks Financial experts applaud new law requiring schools to teach financial literacy By SARA PARKER

A

Derek Flottum

Gregg Murset

rizona has joined 24 other states in passing Senate Bill 1449, which requires schools to teach financial literacy in a K-12 setting. It comes after a report from the Center for Financial Literacy, which gave Arizona a “B” for its efforts to improve financial literacy in high schools.

“The new law has tremendous value in preparing children and youth to understand the critical importance of financial literacy as they prepare for their futures,” said David Woell, senior vice president at Bank of America. “Understanding how to manage simple tasks like balancing a checkbook (even if it’s done online) and managing money certainly eases the transition from school to work.”

The law leaves the methods for teaching financial literacy up to the individual district, school or teacher, but said lessons should include how education, careers and family affect income; how advertising influences spending habits; how to set shortterm and long-term goals on spending, saving and investing; the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of credit; and credit history.

Joyce Richards, president of Junior Achievement of America, said that it is critical to prepare children with the knowledge of how to responsibly manage their finances. She explains that it is important for children to learn about finance in order to gain “the personal finance knowledge necessary to effectively meet fiscal challenges and obligations, take advantage of economic opportunities, and plan courses of action to achieve goals.”

26 AB | July-August 2014

Joyce Richards

David Woell

“These practical, lifelong skills need to be taught to children so they can be financially successful in life,” said Derek Flottum, former Arizona regional president of Enterprise Bank & Trust. “Also, kids need to understand the significant negative consequences financial mismanagement can cause. Poor choices early in life can close doors of opportunity.”

Financial professionals not only agree on the importance of the law, but also that schools and teachers are in a perfect position to further integrate this knowledge into current lesson plans.

“In the same way that English teachers have successfully integrated reading into every academic discipline from math to PE, implementing financial literacy concepts and applications can be creatively and strategically achieved,” Woell said. “One example might be to create basic money management classes for junior high and high school students who are interested in or need to work during their school years.”

Experts agree that financial curriculum needs to start at a young age, much before high school.

“My opinion is that high school is too little too late,” said Gregg Murset, CEO and founder of MyJobChart.com. “They already have spending habits and those things ingrained in them.

I think that by 5 years old, these kids can understand money.”

Experts agree that kindergarten-age is when children can start learning about money and finance.

“It’s hard to resist having things ‘right now’ in today’s society, whether you can afford them or not,” Flottum said. “Kids need to understand there is a downside. Alternately, they can be proud when they’ve saved enough to buy them.”

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27 AB | July-August 2014

Dining a cut

above

the rest

Ben & Jack’s establishes itself as a go-to steakhouse for cow-crazy diners

a

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

s a native New Yorker, dining at Ben & Jack’s made me miss home.

Ben & Jack’s is a New York steakhouse that has been transported to Scottsdale. They aren’t trying to do the L.A. thing by dressing up the beef with sauces and garnish. The chefs at Ben & Jack’s get out of the way and let the dry-aged, prime-grade beef speak for itself.

And all four cuts speak the language of deliciousness.

From the signature steak — the scrumptious 44-ounce porterhouse ($87.90 for two) — to the rib eye ($45.95), Ben & Jack’s serves steaks in a manner so simple, yet mouthwatering, that most other Valley steakhouses cannot compete. It helps that all the beef served at Ben & Jack’s comes from Strassburger, one of America’s elite purveyors, which is fitting because Ben & Jack’s has immediately positioned itself among the Valley’s elite dining establishments.

Located in Old Town Scottsdale, Ben & Jack’s Steakhouse is a charming 5,000 square foot modern restaurant that offers exceptional prime dry-aged steaks and chops, fresh seafood, mouth-watering side dishes, decadent desserts and an impressive wine list.

An even more delicious surprise from Ben & Jack’s is that during a recent visit, the Chilean Sea Bass was every bit as taste-tempting as the restaurant’s signature steak dishes. The kitchen knows how to do everything right.

The rich and well-appointed ambiance at Ben & Jack’s is similar to their Manhattan location. Set in what was an Outback Steakhouse, the refurbished room spotlights lots of gleaming wood paneling, tables lined with crisp white linen, comfy padded chairs and a glassed-in wine cellar. Live music was playing in the background during a recent visit, but you won’t have any trouble having a conversation at Ben & Jack’s. The staff — the perfect blend of New York efficiency and Arizona ease — is friendly, accommodating, with a command of the menu and wine list that let’s you know you’re in good hands.

While ambience and service are important, it’s all about the food in the end. And the food is killer. The moist, fresh crab cake ($16.95) was a favorite from the appetizer menu. Also delightful was the Ben & Jack’s

28 AB | July-August 2014

salad for two ($20.95), a mix of onions and tomatoes tossed with diced shrimp and bits of Canadian bacon; the captivating and crunchy calamari ($13.95); and the mozzarella and beefsteak tomatoes salad ($13.95), with mozzarella as fresh as the stuff I ate straight from my Italian grandmother’s colander as a child.

If you have room for dessert ($9.95), Ben & Jack’s delivers. The two that stood out were key lime pie, which was the perfect level of tart and was topped with whipped cream that was so decadently delicious that we wanted to gobble it by the spoonful, and the crème brûlée, whose custard base was as seductively smooth as we’ve ever had.

My mouth is watering once again as I recount the memory.

Do yourself a favor and try Ben & Jack’s. If you’ve grown weary of our world filled with corporate chains, it’s comforting to know there is an old-school, familyowned steakhouse right here in Old Town Scottsdale.

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Experience A Steakhouse Like No Other Ben and Jack’s Steakhouse offers the steak house’s famed beef, including Midwestern prime and a wide range of seafood including the Chilean Sea bass and Grilled Norwegian Salmon. Ben & Jack’s signature cut is a Porterhouse for two, three, or four, served sliced alongside its king-sized bone. The wine list features wines and après dinner spirits from around the world that complements the menu. come visit us: HOURS OF OPERATION: Dinner Only Sunday - Thursday 4:00pm - 10:00pm | Friday & Saturday: 4:00pm- 10:30pm

29 AB | July-August 2014

3:33

FIFTY MOST INFLUENTIAL

WOMEN IN ARIZONA

BUSINESS State’s female leaders are redefining traditional gender roles and becoming economic juggernauts By LESLIE K. HUGHES

30 AB | July-August 2014

5

I

“

can work like this, let’s get liberated.” These words from Peggy Olson on “Mad Men,” spoken so boldly and valiantly, without hesitation and free of remorse, carry a determined message that should be the motto not only of today’s businesswomen, but today’s businessmen as well.

Huge headway has been made by women in business since Peggy Olson’s era and in some disciplines, women excel far beyond men. However, there exists an array of converging and diverging opinions about females as workplace leaders that leave us running in circles in an attempt to determine whether women in business are rightfully celebrated or unjustly overlooked. We ought to look to Ms. Olson for a lesson and stop viewing females as the weaker sex in business and allow ourselves to revel in the extraordinary accomplishments of today’s female business leaders.

Here in Arizona, statistics show that women are succeeding in channeling their inner Peggy Olson and making their skills and abilities widely known and appreciated.

According to American Express OPEN’s 2014 State of Womenowned Business Report, Arizona ranked fourth in the United States for its economic power of women-owned businesses.

All 50 states were ranked according to growth charted over the last 17 years in the following three areas: the number of women-owned businesses in the state, the number of jobs those businesses account for, and the total revenue brought in by the female-owned companies. For the state of Arizona as a whole, that revenue grew 101 percent between 1997 and 2014, as compared with just 72 percent overall for the United States.

Arizona women also lead in areas once thought to be exclusively male fields, such as government. Four of the past five governors of the Grand Canyon State have been women.

Additionally, Arizona is one of 10 states that uses multimember districts (MMD), which research suggests encourages electing female candidates. MMD allows Arizonians to vote for a male and a female representative rather than just one or the other. The use of MMD appears to be extremely successful – 77 percent of our state’s population has a female representative in the house or the senate.

Furthermore, women are beginning to dominate in areas such as accounting, management, and financial management.

When talking to women who are leaders in previously thought male-ruled industries, we found that many of them reached their lofty, professional status by looking past gender. Rather than focusing on being a woman in a “man’s world,” they concentrate on what it really takes to succeed: hard work and dedication. And that is why they are in the top positions.

Once our fictional role model, Peggy Olson, realized she was talented and had the skills necessary to be as competent as (if not more than) the male copywriters, she put her gender aside and expected to be treated not worse, not better, but the same as her male counterparts. Most importantly, Peggy

demanded equal pay. Yet here we are, 50 years later, running circles again around the ideas of different pay for males and females. The numbers vary depending on the source, but it is estimated that women make, on a national average, 77 cents for every dollar men make. That can be quite an upsetting statistic – until you look at the data behind the numbers. First of all, this number represents middle-aged women. Females aged 30 and under, on average, make more money than males.

In Dallas, women under 30 make $1.18 for every man’s $1.

The “77 cents statistic” is also based on annual salaries, necessitating a change in perspective when you look at the field of education. The vast majority of educators are women, and typically educators only work nine months each year. The annual pay gap statistic does not take into account that on average, women work fewer hours a year than men. By looking at the monthly salary of educators rather than annual, the pay gap would shrink significantly and most likely disappear.

The time for the complete dissolution of the national annual pay gap is near. In 2010, for every three women that earned a B.A. degree, only two men did the same. And the number of women receiving higher education degrees has continued to grow a great deal in the four years since those numbers were reported. Also, 13 of the 15 job categories projected to see the greatest growth in the next 10 years are dominated by women. It is reasonable to believe that over the next decade, the pay gap will entirely reverse itself and women will be outearning men.

A vanguard in this soon-to-be eradicated pay gap is the reality that the structure of households and families is changing. More and more women today are opting for careers over family. For those that do have children, it is not rare to see the wife bring home a bigger paycheck than her husband. The days of women as stay-at-home mothers are dwindling. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, is an advocate of mother-father duty equality and believes that “our culture needs to find a robust image of female success that is first, not male, and second, not a white woman on the phone, holding a crying baby.” Ms. Sandberg, meet Ms. Olson. Peggy Olson represents the image of female who reaches the top by refusing to believe that she deserves anything less.

So, rather than focusing on trying to emulate the characteristics of successful men, businesswomen and businessmen of today need to focus on the fact that working hard and exuding confidence are the tools you need to “get liberated” like Peggy Olson and become a leader. After all, why shouldn’t you be at the top? Over the next several page, you’ll get to meet women who refused to submit to assumptions about gender limitations and earned recognition as the 50 Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2014.

it is obvious that Arizona is a leader for female-owned businesses

31 AB | July-August 2014

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN Nazneen Aziz, Ph.D | Senior Vice President and Chief

Research Officer

Phoenix Children’s Hospital

A ziz has held executive leadership positions in healthcare, biotechnology and was on the faculty at Harvard. She received her Ph.D. from MIT.

Greatest accomplishment: “Imbuing the love of science and medicine to my

daughters, who are both headed towards a career in medicine.”

Surprising fact: “I am originally from Bangladesh and came to the U.S.

to study in college.”

Trish Bear | President and CEO I-ology • i-ology.com

Bear’s leadership helped make I-ology, a 16-year-old web strategy and development firm, one of Arizona’s fastest-growing woman-owned businesses.

Greatest accomplishment: “After 16 years of business, leading the organization out

of a brutal recession and launching a revised business model that creates more value for both clients and employees. “

Surprising fact: “I was the first female in my extended family to graduate college.”

Dr. Amy Beiter | President and CEO

Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital & Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute carondelet.org

Under her leadership, St. Mary’s has been ranked among the top hospitals in the country for quality and patient safety.

Greatest accomplishment: “Working alongside medical staff, nursing

professionals and associates to establish one of this region’s most sophisticated heart and vascular specialty institutes.”

Surprising fact: “I was a mountain climber for many years, once summiting

Chearoco in Bolivia at 20,101 feet.”

Janet G. Betts | Member

Sherman & Howard • shermanhoward.com

Betts is a published author and is recognized in Best Lawyers in America.

Greatest accomplishment: “I am a zealous advocate, leading my clients with integrity and perseverance through challenging business situations to meet their expectations and goals. My greatest accomplishment: Achieving the end result, with a thank you.”

Surprising fact: “If Condoleezza Rice, George Will and Rob Manfred would step aside, I could become the commissioner of baseball.”

Kristin Bloomquist | Executive Vice President and General Manager Cramer-Krasselt • c-k.com

In addition to leading C-K’s Phoenix office, Bloomquist, a blue-chip veteran of the advertising and marketing industry, is responsible for developing the network’s digital production team.

Greatest accomplishment: “I am incredibly proud to lead such a talented team. It’s a

fortunate feeling to work among some of the best professionals in the business.”

Surprising fact: “I ride a Harley-Davidson three-wheel motorcycle.”

32 AB | July-August 2014

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33 AB | July-August 2014

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN Delia Carlyle | Councilwoman

Ak-Chin Indian Community • ak-chin.nsn.us

Carlyle is the first Native American woman inducted into the Arizona Democratic Hall of Fame; served as chairwoman of Arizona Indian Gaming Association; and was the first recipient of the Phyllis Bigpond Lifetime Achievement Award.

Greatest accomplishment: “My long-term service to my community and my

children and grandchildren.”

Surprising fact: “Many years ago, I received my EMT certification and worked at

the community’s fire department.”

Luci Chen | Partner

Arizona Center for Cancer Care • arizonaccc.com

Chen is partner at Arizona Center for Cancer Care and an award-winning

medical researcher and radiation oncologist. She is also a volunteer/fundraiser for American Cancer Society, Tesseract, MADD, Salvation Army, Goodwill and Heifer International.

Greatest accomplishment: “Co-founding Arizona Cancer Specialists (now Arizona

Center for Cancer Care).”

Surprising fact: “I have never ordered takeout pizza for my family, but cook fresh foods daily .”

Mary Collum | Senior Vice President National Bank of Arizona • nbarizona.com

Collum is a senior vice president and director of private banking at National Bank of Arizona, with more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Greatest accomplishment: “Creating the Private Bank from scratch was

my most challenging and rewarding professional accomplishment.”

Surprising fact: “I am one of four women since 1899 to be appointed to the

Phoenix Country Club’s board.”

Kathy Coover | Co-founder

Isagenix International • isagenix.com

A n internationally-recognized leader, trainer and ambassador for the direct sales profession, Coover has helped tens of thousands of entrepreneurs achieve financial freedom, including more than 100 Isagenix millionaires.

Greatest accomplishment: “Co-founding Isagenix to help hundreds of thousands of people transform their lives physically and financially.”

Surprising fact: “I’m 62 years young and, thanks to Isagenix, in the best shape of my life.”

Janna Day | Managing Partner

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck • bhfs.com

With two decades of legal experience and numerous high profile public

policy accomplishments, Day is regarded as one of Arizona’s top lawyer lobbyists and is also president of the State Board for Charter Schools.

Greatest accomplishment: “I advocated for tax legislation, helping to

ensure the preservation of high-quality rural jobs.”

Surprising fact: “I grew up in a large northeastern Arizona ranching family.”

34 AB | July-August 2014

35 AB | July-August 2014

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN Karen Dickinson | Shareholder Polsinelli • polsinelli.com

Dickinson is an international business attorney with extensive experience negotiating and advising clients on complex international deals and e-commerce legal issues. She is chair of the Arizona District Export Council and a founding member of Arizona Women in International Trade.

Greatest accomplishment: “Flying to England with a Japanese client to negotiate a

patent license agreement for DNA chip technology.”

Surprising fact: “I am a photographer and a poet.”

Michele Finney | CEO

Abrazo Health • abrazohealth.com

In May, Finney, an accomplished healthcare leader who ran health networks in

California, was named CEO of Abrazo Health, the second largest health care delivery system in Arizona with six hospitals and a network of primary care and specialty clinics.

Greatest accomplishment: “I led a multi-phase development plan for Los Alamitos Medical Center, expanding services to better serve patients.”

Surprising fact: “I am a Pilates and outdoors enthusiast. Being active keeps me centered.”

Susan Frank | CEO

Desert Schools Federal Credit Union • desertschools.org

Highly active in the credit union movement and in community improvement efforts on behalf of DSFCU, Frank leads her employees by exemplifying her personal passion and commitment to the industry. She has more than 35 years of experience working with financial institutions, with 33 years dedicated to credit unions.

Greatest accomplishment: “Creating an embedded legacy of community support and

giving at Desert Schools.”

Surprising fact: “I love scuba diving.”

Leah Freed | Managing Shareholder Ogletree Deakins • ogletreedeakins.com

Freed is the managing shareholder of Ogletree’s Phoenix office, one of the world’s largest labor and employment firms. Freed has extensive experience advising and defending employers.

Greatest accomplishment : “Being selected as the managing shareholder of the Ogletree Phoenix office at the age of 36.”

Surprising fact: “I have held a job everywhere from Taco Bell to Home Depot.”

Deborah Griffin | President of the Board of Directors Gila River Casinos • wingilariver.com

Griffin started in the accounting department in 1999

and in 2004, joined the marketing team until 2006, where she currently serves on the Board of Directors as president.

Greatest accomplishment: “Contributing to the long-term sustainability and growth

of the Gila River Indian Community.”

Surprising fact: “My grandmother, Beatrice Villareal, has a bronze plaque on the south

side of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ parking garage.”

36 AB | July-August 2014

CONGRATULATIONS! NB|AZ is proud to congratulate Mary Collum on being recognized as one of the Fifty Most Influential Women in Arizona Business!

Mary understands the power of connections, collaboration and community and is dedicated to the growth and development of business women throughout our organization and our community.

WWW. NBARIZONA. COM | MEMBER FDIC 37 AB | July-August 2014

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN Mary Ann Guerra | CEO BioAccel • bioaccel.org

Guerra creates novel programs to accelerate the transfer of technology from the lab into useful products and new business opportunities.

Greatest accomplishment: “Founding BioAccel, sustaining it through the worst financial times and emerging as a successful entity with a portfolio of amazing new companies in the bioscience sector.”

Surprising fact: “I work with my husband to develop new rock bands, including my son

Joe’s band, 13 Steps to Nowhere.”

Deb Gullett | Senior Specialist Gallagher & Kennedy • gknet.com

Gullett is the executive director of the Arizona Association of Health Plans and senior specialist in G&K’s governmental affairs and lobbying practice.

Greatest accomplishment: “While I’ve had fabulous jobs, being a part of the Medicaid restoration was my proudest accomplishment.”

Surprising fact: “Back in my salad days I spent five months as the cook, sailing on a Caribbean charter boat.”

Diane Haller | Partner

Quarles & Brady • quarles.com

Haller is national chair of Quarles’ Real Estate and Land Use Practice Group; vicechair of the Phoenix Community Alliance; and was named one of the Top 25 female lawyers in Arizona in 2014 by Southwest Super Lawyers.

Greatest accomplishment: “Pro bono work I’ve done for Habitat for Humanity and

being part of a firm that supports pro bono work in a big way.”

Surprising fact: “I am a kindergarten dropout.”

Maria Harper-Marinick | Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost Maricopa Community Colleges • maricopa.edu

Harper-Marinick helps develop and implement the District’s strategic plan; leads

initiatives to enhance access and increase student success; and build the stature and recognition of the District and its 10 colleges locally, nationally, and internationally.

Biggest challenge: “Balancing multiple roles — professional, mother, wife, daughter,

mentor, friend.”

Surprising fact: “The joy I get from driving fast cars.”

Catherine Hayes | Principal

hayes architecture/interiors inc. • hayesstudio.com

Shaping Valley architecture and interior design for more than 20 years, Hayes’ award-winning projects include the Valley’s most enjoyable restaurants and resorts, beautiful residences and inspiring offices.

Greatest accomplishment: “Helping to strengthen our community through the

designs of homes, resorts and restaurant/retail projects.”

Surprising fact: “Not having a TV for 12 years has enabled me to read more than 2000

books; enriching my understanding and my designs.”

38 AB | July-August 2014

39 AB | July-August 2014

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN Camille Hill | President Merestone • merestone.com

Hill began her career as a theatrical designer in New York, then ended up in Arizona and co-founded Merestone in 1974.

Greatest accomplishment: “Having a company which values individual growth and

group compatibility. This formula allowed Merestone to double in size in one year.

Surprising fact: “I gave up an awaiting dream job of scenic designer for the San

Francisco Opera House to marry Ted and then got to live an even better dream.”

Chevy Humphrey | President and CEO Arizona Science Center • azscience.org

Humphrey oversees the $12 million operation of Arizona Science Center, a

164,000-square-foot facility with more than 330 employees and volunteers that welcomes 500,000 visitors every year.

Greatest accomplishment: “Inspiring and helping others succeed. I am humbled to play a role in their achievement.”

Surprising fact: “I am a huge college basketball fan and March Madness is my favorite event of the year.”

Heidi Jannenga | Founder WebPT • webpt.com

Jannenga, who has 15 years of experience as a physical therapist and clinic director, is WebPT’s co-founder and chief operating officer. As COO, she leads the product strategy and oversees the WebPT brand vision.

Greatest accomplishment: “Launching a sustainable technology company in

Phoenix that now provides more than 200 local jobs.”

Surprising fact: “I once scored 57 points playing basketball against the Chinese National Team.”

Kara Kalkbrenner | Acting Fire Chief City of Phoenix • phoenix.gov/fire

K alkbrenner is a Phoenix native who manages nearly 2,000 personnel and a $300

million budget for the Phoenix Fire Department. She is the first woman to lead the department.

Greatest accomplishment: “To have the honor and privilege of serving the citizens of Phoenix for nearly three decades.”

Surprising fact: “I am a homebody. My biggest joy in life is spending time with my family.”

Lynne King Smith | CEO TicketForce • ticketforce.com

Smith co-founded TicketForce in 2003 and manages daily operations.

Greatest accomplishment: “I took over as CEO in 2010 when the economy was still shaky. I made some deep budget cuts ... We remained strong, had no layoffs and were set for the next several years of solid growth.”

Surprising fact: “My mom was born Amish – I’m thankful her parents left and

became Mennonites, a faith I still feel connected to in many ways.”

40 AB | July-August 2014

41 AB | July-August 2014

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN Joan Koerber Walker | CEO

Arizona Bioindustry Association • azbio.org

A n entrepreneur, investor, advisor and former Fortune 500 executive, Koerber-Walker works on behalf of the Arizona bioscience industry to support the growth of the industry on the local and national level.

Greatest accomplishment: “Developing and maintaining relationships with a

diverse community of leaders around the world.”

Surprising fact: “I co-authored “Connecting Resources,” the first college textbook

ever written on electronics distribution.”

Karen Kravitz | President and Head of Conceptology Commotion Promotions • commotionpromotions.com

K ravitz’ leadership and vision have helped Commotion Promotions earn a spot on Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 5000 list — which honors the fastest-growing private companies in America — for three consecutive years.

Greatest accomplishment: “Celebrating 30 years of being in business and working with a talented, energetic and creative team.”

Surprising fact: “On my bucket list: Gorilla trekking.”

Deb Krmpotic | CEO

Banner Estrella Medical Center • bannerhealth.com

Krmpotic began her healthcare career as a candy striper at the age of 14. She joined Banner Health 28 years ago as an oncology nurse. In 1993 she assumed CEO positions in rural North and South Dakota before returning to the Valley in 2000.

Surprising fact: “On a recent trip to Thailand, I spent a day caring for an elephant

named MaMoo, riding her, bathing her and even inspecting her skin and poop.”

Jessica Langbaum, PhD | Principal Scientist Banner Alzheimer’s Institute • banneralz.org

L angbaum is actively involved in research activities at Banner Alzheimer’s

Institute focusing on the earliest evidence of Alzheimer’s and on the design and conduct of Alzheimer’s prevention trials.

Greatest accomplishment: “Playing a pivotal role in securing two unprecedented grants from the NIH totaling over $48 million.”

Surprising fact: “I worked my way up from scooper at Baskin Robbins to being

a cake decorator.”

Georgia Lord | Mayor

City of Goodyear • goodyearaz.gov

L ord has served as mayor of Goodyear since 2011 and has served on the Goodyear City Council since 2005. In 2013, GPEC awarded Lord the Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her promotion of economic development in the region.

Key to her success: “The most important quality that has helped me in

leadership positions is my ability to build relationships and coalitions.”

Surprising fact: “I grew up in a rural Michigan house with no electricity

or running water and attended a one-room school house.”

42 AB | July-August 2014

43 AB | July-August 2014

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN Sherry Lund | Founder

Celebration Stem Cell Centre • celebrationstemcellcentre.com

A fter having her eyes opened to the advancement of stem cell transplant medicine, Lund helped found Celebration Stem Cell Centre to provide the highest quality of viable stem cells for transplant and regenerative medicine and increase awareness of the healing effects of stem cells.

Greatest accomplishment: “Building, opening and operating Celebration Stem

Cell Centre in Gilbert.”

Surprising fact: “I am a big kid at heart.”

Teresa Mandelin | CEO

Southwestern Business Financing Corporation • swbfc.com

Mandelin has specialized in SBA lending since 1992. She is believed to be the first

Native American woman to preside over a certified development company in the U.S.

Greatest accomplishment: “Being named president and CEO of Southwestern Business Financing Corp in October 2013.”

Surprising fact: “According to a recent DNA study, I have more ancient hominid DNA (Neanderthal and Denisovan) than the average human on the planet.”

Shirley Mays | Dean

Arizona Summit Law School • azsummitlaw.edu

Mays’ priorities are focused on the school’s mission of promoting diversity in the legal profession, serving under-served communities, developing innovative curriculum tailored to meet student needs and preparing students for success in their legal career.

Surprising fact: “I am blessed to have the opportunity to raise my 7-year-old

grandson, which allows me to both teach him and learn from him lessons of spiritual, physical, and emotional growth.”

Ann Meyers-Drysdale | Vice President

Phoenix Mercury and Phoenix Suns • wnba.com/mercury

A pioneer in women’s athletics, Meyers-Drysdale was one of the first women to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Greatest accomplishment: “Being a part of the Phoenix Mercury and their two WNBA Championships; and my tryout with the Indiana Pacers.”

Surprising fact: “I was ‘very’ shy growing up and didn’t speak to very many people.”

Marcia L. Mintz | President

John C. Lincoln Health Foundation • jcl.com/foundation

Mintz leads the John C. Lincoln Health Foundation and community benefit for Scottsdale Lincoln Health Network. She has more than 20 years of international and national experience in creating community and business partnerships through development and philanthropy.

Greatest accomplishment: “Knowing that my work is contributing to making our

community a better place.”

Surprising fact: “I am a third-degree black belt in karate.”

44 AB | July-August 2014

Š 2014 Cramer-Krasselt

Congratulations to Kristin Bloomquist on making AZ Business Magazine’s list of 50 Most Influential Women in Arizona Business.

45 AB | July-August 2014

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN Martha C. Patrick | Shareholder

Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A. • bcattorneys.com

Certified as a tax specialist, Best Lawyers in America has named Patrick the 2014 Phoenix tax “Lawyer of the Year.” Patrick represents clients in tax controversies.

Greatest accomplishment: “Successfully resolving my clients’ issues with the

IRS. Nothing could be greater or provide more satisfaction.”

Surprising fact: “When I was 18, I wanted to be a long-haul truck driver.”

Stephanie J. Quincy | Partner Steptoe & Johnson • steptoe.com

Quincy maintains a caseload of employment litigation and has extensive

experience handling class-action and multi-plaintiff lawsuits. Quincy was named one of the Top 25 female lawyers in Arizona in 2014 by Southwest Super Lawyers.

Greatest accomplishment: “Surviving 22 years of litigation without compromising who I am. Litigation is not for the faint of heart.”

Surprising fact: “I still hold the record at my middle school for the 200-meter dash.”

Barb Rechterman | Chief Marketing Officer Go Daddy

Rechterman oversees all facets of corporate marketing, including making Go Daddy’s edgy and viral Super Bowl spots.

Greatest accomplishment: “We’ve gone from a company no one knew existed, to a brand with ‘household name’ recognition in the U.S., to a global powerhouse doing business in 42 markets around the world today.”

Surprising fact: “I ride horses and Harleys.”

Marian Rhodes | Senior Vice President

Arizona Diamondbacks • arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com

With 27 years of Major League Baseball experience, Rhodes has re-

developed the D-backs human resources while reinforcing a culture where the best and brightest want to work.

Greatest accomplishment: “I built two highly effective Human Resources departments for two different sport franchises.”

Surprising fact: “Despite the fact that I work with people every day as the SVP of human resources, I can be shy in certain situations.”

Joyce Santis | Chief Operating Officer Sonora Quest Laboratories • sonoraquest.com

Santis has more than 30 years of laboratory management experience and works with numerous local and national charities and community organizations.

Greatest accomplishment: “The opportunity to contribute to the business

turnaround, growth and success of Sonora Quest Laboratories.”

Surprising fact: “My secret ambition was to be a writer or a singer.”

46 AB | July-August 2014

Congratulations to our partners GENA L. SLUGA

Recognized as one of the 50 Most Influential Women

by AZ Business magazine gsluga@cdslawfirm.com

ALISON R. CHRISTIAN

Recognized in Generation Next as part of the 50 Most Influential Women in AZ business achristian@cdslawfirm.com

Christian, Dichter & Sluga, P.C. 2700 North Central Avenue, Suite 1200 Phoenix, AZ 85004 602.792.1700 Office www.cdslawfirm.com Christian, Kravitz, Dichter, Johnson & Sluga 8985 S. Eastern Avenue, Suite 200 Las Vegas, NV 89123 702.362.6666 Office www.ckllclaw.com

Christian, Dichter & Sluga, P.C. Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent Law Firm™

Insurance Law • Bad Faith Litigation • Personal Injury Litigation • White Collar Criminal Defense 47 Defense AB | July-August 2014 Business Litigation • Banking and Finance Litigation • Professional Liability

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN Gena Sluga | Partner

Christian Dichter & Sluga • cdslawfirm.com

Sluga maintains a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating and was recognized by Southwest Super Lawyers in 2013 in both the Insurance Coverage category and as one of the Top 25 Women Lawyers in Arizona.

Greatest accomplishment: “Becoming named partner in a nationally-recognized

law firm before the age of 40.”

Surprising fact: “I am an avid classical music fan and began my college education as a

music performance major.”

Beth Soberg | CEO

UnitedHealthcare of Arizona • uhc.com

Soberg brings more than 25 years of industry experience to her leadership role overseeing Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming.

Greatest accomplishment: “The multi year integration of two companies post-

merger that leveraged the strengths of each to build a sustainable and differentiated offering that resulted in 20 percent growth in top line and bottom line results.”

Surprising fact: “I make it a point to exercise daily, starting at 5 a.m.”

Scarlett Spring | President VisionGate • visiongate3d.com

Spring is charged with bringing an early cancer detection technology utilizing 3D imaging to market. Her background includes 19 years at AstraZeneca and COO at GPEC.

Greatest accomplishment: “Ability to shift from launching billion-dollar brands

to taking a start-up from angel investment to commercialization.”

Surprising fact: “Every day during my drive to work, I talk to my mom on the phone.”

Patrice Strong-Register | Managing Partner JatroBiofuels • jatrobiofuels.com

Strong-Register has an Executive MBA, is the managing partner of JatroBioFuels and CEO of PLR Services. She also spends her spare time being a mentor for startup companies and teaching at-risk students life skills.

Greatest accomplishment: “Becoming a partner in a renewable energy company and finding ways to improve or create alternative fuel sources.”

Surprising fact: “I was a law enforcement officer and I am a marksman.”

Sarah A. Strunk | Director Fennemore Craig, P.C. • fclaw.com

Strunk practices business and financs law, with experience in finance, mergers and acquisitions, and as outside general counsel dealing with corporate governance and compliance.

Greatest accomplishment: “I have continually mentored younger lawyers who can

someday replace me.”

Surprising fact: “I like to swim with the sharks, seriously.”

48 AB | July-August 2014

49 AB | July-August 2014

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN Marie Sullivan | President and CEO

Arizona Women’s Education & Employment • awee.org

Sullivan has been involved in education, women and family issues, and community development for more than 40 years.

Greatest accomplishment: “Leading efforts in education and the nonprofit

sector to improve people’s lives and enhance their dignity.”

Surprising fact: “I recently earned an Austrian culinary school certificate for

strudel making.”

Nancy K. Sweitzer, MD | Director UA’s Sarver Heart Center • heart.arizona.edu

S weitzer, an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist and

physiologist, hopes to build bridges between clinical and science enterprises and increase discovery in the areas of translational and personalized cardiovascular medicine

Greatest accomplishment: “Becoming director of the Sarver Heart Center and chief of cardiology at the University of Arizona in March 2014.”

Surprising fact: “When visiting a new place, I always seek out local beer and yarn shops.”

Dana Vela | President

Sunrise Schools and Tots Unlimited • sunrisepreschools.com

Vela, a 31- year veteran of child care, helps operates 25 schools in Arizona that serve more than 4,000 children.

Greatest accomplishment: “I think I have held every single job available in the company over the years. Those experiences ... are why I am uniquely qualified to lead Sunrise Preschools.”

Surprising fact: “I have absolutely zero ability in all areas of arts and crafts

and I am often embarrassed by it.”

Alicia Wadas | COO

The Lavidge Company • avidge.com

A s COO, Wadas creates processes, relationships and profits for The Lavidge

Company. Outside the office, Alicia promotes safety through Mothers Arms and the FBI Phoenix CAAA.

Greatest accomplishment: “Establishing direction, processes and relationships to benefit many Arizona companies and nonprofit organizations.”

Surprising fact: “My keen interest and passion for individual safety and the

safety our country.”

Ginger Ward | CEO

Southwest Human Development • swhd.org

Ward founded Southwest Human Development in 1981 with six employees serving 175 families. Today, her organization is Arizona’s largest nonprofit dedicated to early childhood development, with almost 800 employees serving 135,000 young children and families each year.

Greatest accomplishment: “Starting Southwest Human Development to fill

gaps and meet the needs of Arizona’s young children.”

Surprising fact : “I’m an avid exercise enthusiast and love Australian Shepherds.”

50 AB | July-August 2014

Stepping up

for the health of your employees and the community

We congratulate all the women being recognized for their contributions to Arizona businesses.

We proudly congratulate Beth Soberg, President and CEO, UnitedHealthcare, Desert Mountain States, for being recognized as one of Arizona Business magazine’s “50 Most Influential Women” of 2014.

At UnitedHealthcare, we strive to make a positive impact by offering health care plans that surround employees with innovative tools and resources to help make it easier to achieve a balanced lifestyle.

And with our broad portfolio of plan options, our goal is to help every business get the right coverage at the right price.

AB | provided July-August ©2014 United HealthCare Services, Inc. Insurance coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates. Administrative51 services by 2014 United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates. Health Plan coverage provided by or through a UnitedHealthcare company. UHCAZ678629-000

X

GENERATION NEXT Anca Bec, 36 | Business Development Officer Alliance Bank of Arizona • alliancebankofarizona.com

Bec is a Certified Ambassador at GPEC and a committee member for the Arizona Bioindustry Association

Greatest accomplishment: “I began my business lending career in 2008 at the

beginning of the economic downturn and was able to rank in the Top 3 for the bank’s Greater Phoenix market in my first year.”

Surprising fact: “Spoke my first words of English at age 14 when I moved to Queens,

N.Y., from Romania.”

Alison R. Christian, 32 | Shareholder Christian Dichter & Sluga, P.C.

Christian is an AV-rated insurance bad-faith and coverage attorney. She serves on the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel board of directors and is a Southwest Super Lawyers Rising Star.

Greatest accomplishment: “Developing, launching, and sustaining the nationallyrecognized ‘Ladder Down’ business development program for Arizona women lawyers.

Surprising fact: “I’m a cowgirl who loves outlaw country music, dusty leather and riding horses across the desert.”

Jaime R. Daddona, 38 | Senior Associate Squire Patton Boggs • squiresanders.com

Daddona is a business lawyer whose practice focuses on corporate matters, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, securities offerings and compliance, and corporate governance.

Greatest accomplishment : “I love it when companies and other law firms on the

opposite side of a transaction end up becoming future clients or referral sources.”

Surprising fact: “I was an Arizona Cardinals cheerleader in college.”

Nancy Kim, 36 | Owner

Spectrum Dermatology • spectrumdermatology.com

A graduate of Harvard and the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Kim founded Spectrum in 2011 and has amassed nearly 10,000 patients.

Greatest accomplishment: “Surrounding myself with talented and caring people has made our practice grow rapidly and has made my life easier.”

Surprising fact: “I used to be very tan when I was young — I ran cross-country and track all year. Now, I cover up with sunscreen.”

Jami Reagan, 35 | Owner

Shine Factory Public Relations • facebook.com/ShineFactoryPR

Reagan is the principal of Shine Factory, a boutique firm specializing in hospitality and healthcare.

Greatest accomplishment: “The No. 1 request throughout my public relations career has always been, ‘get me on Oprah.’ I’m happy to say I can check that off my career bucket list.”

Surprising fact: “I once held a lit birthday cake for celebrity blogger Perez Hilton

while the Jonas Brothers serenaded him with a Happy Birthday song.”

52 AB | July-August 2014

Celebrating our 1,000th

SBA Commerical Real Estate Loan

3200 N. Central Ave., Suite 1550 Phoenix, AZ 85012 Teresa Mandelin Preseident & CEO

53 AB | July-August 2014

MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN - Class of 2012 The following 50 women made Az Business magazine’s list of the 50 Most Influential Women in Arizona Business in 2012.

Rhonda Anderson, CEO, Cardon Children’s Medical Center Maria Baier, CEO, Sonoran Institute Barbara M. Barrett, CEO, Triple Creek Ranch Deborah Bateman, Executive Vice President and Director of Wealth Strategies, National Bank of Arizona

Betsey Bayless, president and CEO, Maricopa Integrated Health System

Lorraine Bergman, president and CEO, Caliente

Construction, Inc.

Terri Bishop, executive vice president, academic strategy and senior advisor to the CEO, Apollo Group, Inc.

Kathy Bollinger, Arizona West Region for Banner Health Rebecca Lynne Burnham, shareholder, Greenberg Traurig Pamela Conboy, regional president, Wells Fargo Arizona Carla Consoli, partner and practice group leader, Lewis and

Roca LLP

Lisa L. Daniels, managing partner, Sandra Day O’Connor, retired Supreme Court justice

Kimber Lanning, founder and executive director, Local First

Arizona

Barbara Lockwood, director of Energy Innovation, Arizona

Public Service

Christine Mackay, economic development director, City of Chandler

Mary Martuscelli, managing director of private banking, JPMorgan Chase

Christy McClendon, executive director, The Wellness Community

Kimberly J. McWaters, CEO, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. Sue Navran, executive vice president, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

Darlene Newsom, CEO, UMOM New Day Center Dr. Kathy Player, president, Grand Canyon University Kathleen Quirk, executive vice president, FreeportMcMoRan Copper & Gold

Denise D. Resnik, founder and president, DRA Strategic Communications

Julia Dollarhide, chief operations officer, senior vice president, Biltmore Bank of Arizona

Marcia Rowley, founder, International Cruise & Excursions, Inc.

Shelly Esque, vice president, Intel

Visitors Bureau

Rhonda Forsyth, president and CEO, John C. Lincoln

Stella Shanovich, partner, audit services, Grant Thornton LLP

Health Network

Pam Gaber, Founder and Ceo, Gabriel’s Angels Stephanie Gorman, president and general manager, Cigna Medical Group

Sharon Harper, co-Founder, president and CEO, Plaza

Companies

Sherry Henry, director, Arizona Office of Tourism Linda Hunt, CEO, Dignity Health Arizona

Rachel Sacco, president and CEO, Scottsdale Convention &

Ann Siner, founder and CEO, Eco-Chic Consignments Eileen Joy Spitalny, president and co-founder, Fairytale

Brownies, Inc.

Debra Z. Sydenham, executive director, Urban Land Institute, Arizona District Council

Karrin Taylor, executive vice president, DMB Associates Deb Weidenhamer, CEO, Auction Systems Auctioneers & Appraisers, Inc.

Debbie Johnson, president and CEO, Arizona Lodging &

Tammy Weinbaum, senior vice president and general

Lisa K. Johnson, president and CEO, Corporate Interior

Nancy L. White, partner, Steptoe & Johnson LLP

Judy Jolley Mohraz, Ph.D., president and CEO, Virginia G.

National Bank

Tourism Association Systems

Piper Charitable Trust

Michelle King Robson, founder, chairman and CEO,

EmpowHer.com

Margaret Bushman LaBianca, shareholder, Polsinelli Shughart PC

54 AB | July-August 2014

manager, American Express

Candace Hunter Wiest, president and CEO, West Valley Kari Yatkowski, CEO, Corporate Citizen Diana Yazzie Devine, president and CEO, Native American Connections

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MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN - Class of 2013 The following 50 women made Az Business magazine’s list of the 50 Most Influential Women in Arizona Business in 2013.

Karen Abraham, Senior vice president and CFO, Blue

Lori Linder, COO, MomDoc

Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

Robin Milne, executive director, Phoenix Suns Charities

Mara Aspinal, president and CEO, Ventana Medical Systems

Jan Brewer, governor, State of Arizona Diane Brossart, president and CEO, Arizona Forward Theresa Chacopulos, senior vice president and senior financial advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors

Debbie Cotton, director, Phoenix Convention Center Diane Costantino, managing partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Tamika Curry Smith, founder and president, The TCS Group, Inc.

Michelle De Blasi, shareholder, Greenberg Traurig Sara R. Dial, chief development officer, Discovery Triangle Development Corporation

Judith Dworkin, managing partner, Sacks Tierney Diane Enos, president, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community

Christine Espinoza, founder and CEO, Platform Scottsdale Nicole France Stanton, partner, Quarles & Brady Kathleen Goeppinger, Ph.D., president and CEO,

Zandra O’Keefe, CPA, managing director, CBIZ Sheryl Palmer, president and CEO, Taylor Morrison Homes Jay Parry, president and CEO, Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee

Michelle J. Perkins, managing partner, Owens & Perkins, P.C. Judy Rich, president and CEO, TCM Healthcare Sen. Michele Reagan, chair of the Economic Development and Jobs Creation Committee, Arizona State Senate Laura Robertson, CEO, Banner Baywood Medical Center. and Banner Heart Hospital

Kristen Rosati, shareholder, Polsinselli Jordan Rose, owner, Rose Law Group Adrienne Scheck, Ph.D, principal investigator, Barrow Neurological Institute

Lori Singleton, manager of Sustainability Initiatives and Technologies, SRP

Valerie Spicer, executive director, Arizona Indian Gaming Association

Patricia Tate, vice president and CFO, Talking Stick Resort and Casino Arizona

Midwestern University

Brenda Thomson, executive director, Arizona Humanities

Kathy Hancock, executive director, Fennemore Craig

Council

Beth Harmon-Vaughan, managing principal, Gensler

Sandra Watson, president and CEO, Arizona Commerce

Lynne Herndon, Phoenix city president, BBVA Compass Bank

Authority

Sheryl Hildebrand, partner, Deloitte Amy Hillman, dean, W. P. Carey School of Business at

Ann Weaver Hart, president, University of Arizona Vickie Wessel, owner, Spirit Electronics

Arizona State University

Patty White, president and CEO, St. Joseph’s Hospital

Wendy Jameson, co-founder and CEO, Colnatec

Rebecca White Berch, chief justice, Arizona Supreme

Jodi Jerich, executive director, Arizona Corporation

Court Chief Justice

Commission

Donna Witherwax, CPA, partner, Grant Thornton

Jeri Jones, CEO, UnitedHealthcare

Dr. Judith Wolfe, chief of surgery, Banner MD Anderson

Sharon Lechter, founder and CEO, Pay Your Family First

Cancer Center

Michelle Lind, CEO, Arizona Association of Realtors Jennifer Linder, M.D., chief scientific officer, PCA Skin 58 AB | July-August 2014

Beth Jo Zeitzer, founder and president, R.O.I. Properties

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Financial resuscitation Medicaid expansion and restoration helps hospitals temper impact from uncompensated care

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

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Jan Brewer

Bill Byron

David Covert

N

ow that the debate over Medicaid expansion and restoration is over and the issue has moved from the political arena to the medical arena, hospitals are already starting to see an impact.

“Our self-pay has been declining since Medicaid expansion took effect,” said David Covert, chief operating officer, Western Division, IASIS Healthcare, and CEO for St. Luke’s Medical Center and Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital.

This early trend showing a drop in uncompensated care is good news for hospitals. It is precisely what advocates of Medicaid expansion and restoration said needed to happen to help the business of healthcare get off life support.

“The uncompensated care problem in this state is the biggest issue hospitals face,” said Greg Vigdor, president and CEO of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (AzHHA). “Uncompensated care since the Recession has essentially doubled. Most of that was attributed to Medicaid eligibility being rolled back (in 2011). Eliminating the problem of uncompensated care was a crucial concern for Arizona hospitals.”

The two major contributors to uncompensated care are charity care and bad debt. Bad debt, by far the largest portion of uncompensated care, is when a patient does not qualify for charity care because they are above the income threshold, but they fail to pay their bill. It encompasses uninsured patients and also insured patients who fail to pay their co-pays, deductibles, or co-insurance.

The problem arises, experts said, because someone has to absorb the cost for that medical treatment. “When a hospital provides care to someone who doesn’t pay, there has to be a cost shift,” Vigdor said. “You figure out a way to add the cost of that uncompensated care onto somebody’s else’s bill.”

Paying the price While Arizona hospitals do ground-breaking work healing patients, they haven’t had as much luck fixing what ails themselves. In 2013, at least five Arizona hospitals filed for

Daniel Derksen

Crystal Hamilton

Greg Vigdor

bankruptcy protection or went under when their expenses exceeded revenues. Casa Grande Regional Medical Center (CGRMC), a 177-bed, acute care hospital, was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy after the hospital’s uncompensated care more than tripled from $13 million in 2011 to $42 million in 2013, according to reports.

“It’s hard to make margins work when doing that level of uncompensated care,” said Daniel Derksen, MD, director of the Center for Rural Health and chair of the Public Health Policy and Management Section at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

CGRMC’s losses were attributed to reductions in reimbursements and eligibility requirements by the Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), the state’s Medicaid agency. CGRMC was bought by Banner Health.

Three other small hospitals — Florence Hospital in Anthem, Arizona Regional Medical Center in Apache Junction and Douglas Hospital — filed for bankruptcy protection in 2013. In Phoenix, Surgical Specialty Hospital had to shut down because of uncompensated care.

Making an impact When Gov. Jan Brewer signed a law in 2013 that expanded Medicaid to low-income Arizonans earning less than 133 percent of the federal poverty level, she extended potential health coverage to an additional 350,000 people and experts estimated the move would bring in $1.6 billion in federal funds during the first year of expansion. Experts hoped it would relieve some of the uncompensated care pressure that was crippling Arizona hospitals. So far, it’s working.

“In 2013, we had been in a cost-cutting mode because our hospital had a self-pay/charity population of about 25 percent,” said Crystal Hamilton, CEO of Abrazo Health’s Maryvale Hospital in Phoenix. “Since the Medicaid expansion started in January 2014, the self-pay population has dropped to about 10 percent.”

Not only is the expansion and restoration having an impact on hospitals’ financial health, it’s also impacting patients’ health.

“A common scenario for people lacking insurance is to wait longer to access care,” said Bill Byron, vice president of public relations for Banner Health. “Often, this can result in

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AzHHA routine health issues evolving into more serious issues by the time these people come to an emergency room, where the cost of care is very high.”

The positive trends should only continue. Of Arizona’s 1.2 million uninsured residents, 300,000 have gained coverage through Medicaid expansion and restoration or through the Affordable Care Act. “We’re one-fourth of the way there,” Derksen said.

Encouraging enrollment The challenge now, experts agree, is getting healthcare coverage for the rest of Arizona’s uninsured residents in order to keep improving hospitals’ bottom line and residents’ health.

“Our challenge is reaching the Hispanic and American Indian populations,” Derksen said. “If you look at our 1.2 million uninsured in Arizona, 600,000 to 700,000 of them are Hispanic-Latino. Of those 600,000 to 700,000 uninsured Hispanic-Latinos, we only had about 6 percent enroll in a plan. That’s a pretty low participation rate.”

Derksen said it didn’t help that the healthcare.gov website wasn’t functional during the first month of enrollment and the Spanish version — cuidadodesalud.gov — wasn’t functional for the first couple months. “In addition, some of the terms — co-pay, deductible, cost share — don’t translate well from English into Spanish,” Derksen said. “So it was difficult even for people who had assistance to really understand the choices and feel confident they are making the right choice for their family.”

To help uninsured patients gain coverage, Arizona hospitals have developed programs to assist in the enrollment process and walk through the application process with uninsured patients.

“We had a campaign starting in October 2013 to provide education to the community about the Medicaid expansion,” Hamilton said. “Bilingual Medicaid financial counselors have been helping people with their applications and we continue to offer assistance on site.”

The key now, Derksen said, is for healthcare providers and administrators to get people the information they need in the language they understand so they know what their cost share is going to be and how to select a plan in this marketplace.

Long-term impact Healthcare experts said the impact of insuring an additional 300,000 Arizonans is steadily building and Byron said Banner’s emergency rooms have experienced the positive impact first. But beyond the bottom line, Vigdor said Medicaid expansion and restoration was “just the right thing to do.

“Getting more people covered is what the members of the AzHHA believe in,” he said. “It’s not like getting the uncompensated care taken care of was a financial windfall. It’s just the right thing to do to allow people to access care outside of the emergency room.”

Hamilton said the drop in uncompensated care gave Maryvale the opportunity to explore expanding the service lines it offers.

“It allows us to hire more staff, reinvest capital into our facilities and expand patient services,” Hamilton said. “The additional revenue will have a significant economic impact on our community.”

It also offers hope to Arizona hospitals that they will actually be able to move into the future.

“It provides some sense of stability to see in your financial numbers that you can actually work toward a new future,” Vigdor said. “Otherwise, you’re just chasing ghosts.”

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AzHHA

Prescription for change

G

Q&A

President and CEO of AzHHA offers his views of creating a healthier future

reg Vigdor was named president and CEO of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (AzHHA) in March 2013.

Since then, he has seen the landscape of the healthcare industry change dramatically. Az Business magazine sat down with Vigdor for five quick questions.

What iS the financial outlook for hospitals over the next year?

I don’t think anyone really knows. It’s not just that it’s been turbulent, it’s that we’re on a trajectory of uncertainty that we haven’t experienced since Medicare and Medicaid were created 40 years ago. There is so much change going on fundamentally and so much more that has to happen that most people are looking to the future with a big question mark.

Have you seen any impact from the Affordable Care Act? Many people don’t recognize that part of the Affordable Care Act is supposed to be financed with provider payment cuts and many of those were coming in the hospital world, so we’ve already seen a tremendous number of cuts to hospitals and they are feeling the pain from that already. There is a national estimate of $113 billion in cuts.

Arizona’s estimated share of that is $3.7 billion in cuts. This is where the uncertainty comes in: When Congress and the administration are looking at new things to fund, not just in healthcare, they are saying, “We have some other ideas for cuts for hospitals.” So we are battling back against even more cuts. The bulk of most hospitals’ finances are driven through Medicare, so what’s going on with Medicare really dictates a lot of uncertainty and that’s just making people crazy.

Are there other healthcare trends you’re seeing emerge in Arizona?

One of the more significant trends is how hospitals are not only working to improve the quality of care they administer, but they are trying to improve the health of the entire community. Instead of trying to figure out how to get insulin to a diabetic, they are taking steps to make sure that the person doesn’t get diabetes in the first place. There has always been an incentive to overtreat. We are learning that taking care of the patient through preventative efforts creates a better future for everyone.

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PHOTO BY SHAVON ROSE, AZ BIG MEDIA

GREG VIGDOR: “Arizona needs to get the hospitals, medical leaders and

business leaders all on the same page and say, ‘I’m going to go there. Are you coming with me?’” said the president and CEO of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association. “If they don’t go together, none of them will get to the goal of better, more affordable healthcare.”

How is Arizona doing at attracting OR KEEPING TALENTED healthcare PROFESSIONALS? My first week here, I realized that what I thought about Arizona had no relationship to reality. Arizona just has this national brand and reputation as “crazy land.” And it’s not.

We have a lot of very bright people who are working very hard to figure out answers to major healthcare issue. But we are fighting that negative reputation. Just when some of the amazing research going on in our hospitals and at our universities starts to change that negative perception, we do something like SB 1062 and it just reinforces that “crazy land” brand again. It’s an issue we have to face and start to build a new Arizona brand.

What do you want to tell those who oppose Medicaid expansion?

They need to understand that there are no alternatives unless you want to bankrupt the state. If we don’t use the federal money to cover the costs of uncompensated care, it’s going to have to come from the state. We would do something else if there was an alternative, but there isn’t.

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69 AB | July-August 2014

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For additional information, call 602.277.6045 or visit

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assembling An increasingly business-friendly environment begins to attract more manufacturing companies to Arizona By ERIC JAY TOLL

G

ov. Jan Brewer has done a lot to make Arizona more competitive for manufacturing, economic development leaders say.

“The repeal of the energy sales tax on gas and electricity is very big for us,” says Mark Dobbins, co-chairman of the Arizona Manufacturing Partnership at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “We have a business friendly reputation and this change makes a big difference in our attractiveness to manufacturing.”

But there is one piece of the puzzle that still creates concern.

“Businesses wanting to relocate to Arizona are impressed with the business-friendly climate in the state,” Dobbins continues. “The question I hear most is, ‘Will I find an educated and experienced workforce for my business?’”

Concerns over education bring the Partnership and other economic development advocates around to the next focus — a quality, educated workforce to serve Arizona’s growing job demand. The conversation started with business, the community colleges, state universities and schools during the depths of the recession.

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Tax cuts boost bottom line “The tax cut makes a major difference for a corporation,” says Barry Broome, CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. “Tesla, if it locates here, saves $30 million to $40 million a year with that bill in place.”

Broome considers SB1413 the most important bill for business in the current session. “The (manufacturers electricity sales tax) exemption brings us in line with most of the rest of the country; only 15 states had such a tax. For big power users, this is a make-or-break proposition. High technology companies spend more on power than payroll.”

“Continuous innovation is what keeps Arizona competitive in manufacturing,” says Sandra Watson, CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “We believe that the future is in research and development and Arizona has one of the most competitive R&D tax credits in the country.”

The ACA manages that tax credit and it’s not handed out lightly or just for large manufacturers. The state has seen much of its manufacturing employment growth, now six percent of the workforce, from the smaller businesses. The ACA makes the credit available to any sized qualifying firm.

The state’s manufacturing history is sometimes lost in the ads for golf courses and new subdivisions. “We have a

m

op 5 r s T a n o Ariz secto g n i r u t anufac

industries, g n ri tu c fa manu ve biggest mestic product: fi ’s a n o z ri o Here are A tribution to gross d tors n o c miconduc e n s o d d n e a s a s b onic ter, electr 1. Compu n ) ) 3.6 billion $ ( $ 7 billio ( t n e m quip illion ) ortation e o ( $ 1.6 b c c 2. Transp a b to d an beverage g 3. Food, nufacturin a m s u o e llan 4. Misce on ) ( $ 1.3 billi on ) ( $ 1.2 billi ls a ic m e 5. Ch

Barry Broome

Mark Dobbins

Joseph La Rue

history of solid manufacturing in the state that goes back 50 or 60 years,” recounts Steve Macias, president and CEO of Pivot Manufacturing, Arizona Commerce Authority board member, and chairman of the Arizona Manufacturers Council, which falls under the umbrella of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “This gives us a solid workforce with experience, ability and productivity that is a plus for any manufacturer wanting to relocate or expand.

In addition to the cut on the utility sales tax, SB1484 was another breakthrough for manufacturers. The bill created energy tax credits that can be claimed by manufacturers generating renewable energy to power Arizona operations.

Exploiting assets for growth Dobbins says that Arizona has all the right assets in place for manufacturing today, but can’t rest on what we have now for the future. “We need to invest more to build our assets up,” he says. “We need a lot of work to build our competitive logistics infrastructure.”

He lists logistics where the state needs to invest more money and projects. “We’re in great shape when it comes to passenger traffic with Sky Harbor and (Phoenix-Mesa)

Steve Macias

Sandra Watson

Gateway airports. We need to do more for air freight.”

Dobbins believes Arizona’s manufacturing future is in building our exports with Canada, Mexico and South America. He’s not alone in that view. State Transportation Board Member Joseph La Rue emphasizes the same position.

“Interstate 11 makes this market a crossroads. Right now, we’re just connected to the east and west.”

The state is taking effective action, says Macias. “With the change in (sales tax on energy) and (research and development) tax credit, we’re a state that is very appealing to a capital intensive business. Arizona is moving in the right direction.”

Arizona’s manufacturing opportunities are spread across the state. Most people think of Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma as the places where the businesses cluster, but small manufacturers are seeing emerging markets in Flagstaff, Prescott and Kingman, according to Dobbins.

With the tax credits and incentives offered through the ACA and some local governments, Macias says a small manufacturer can take advantage of an underemployed workforce in a rural area. Arizona provides significant tax credits and incentives for businesses to train and develop their employees. These come through ACA and the Department of Economic Security Workforce Arizona programs.

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Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry Building the future workforce “We’ve always had aerospace, defense and semiconductors as our base,” says Broome. “We’re starting to build manufacturing industry clusters in high technology glass. GT Advanced Technology in Mesa and Rioglass Solar Steel in Surprise are a start. Once businesses start to cluster, more become interested because it means there’s a growing, skilled workforce.”

“We need to do more to build our workforce,” says Dobbins.

“Arizona has consistently underfunded education and we’re paying that cost now. Common Core standards will give us a business-accepted measure of how our workforce stacks up. We don’t just mean in college education, but also in the important areas of technical education.”

“Common Core (education standards) are driven by business so that there is a national standard of comparison,” says Macias. “We’ve been working on the need for a trained and educated workforce so that we don’t slip into a deep recession in the future. We were too dependent on construction.”

Arizona needs to get the word out, experts say.

“When people come in to Sky Harbor, they’re overwhelmed with ads for golf, resorts and housing,” muses Macias. “That’s why they’re here in the winter. We need to overwhelm them with a message of what we do in Arizona. We do a lot, and we do it very well.”

Arizona manufacturing by the numbers

• Each manufacturing job generates

three additional jobs • 155,000 manufacturing employees • 470,000 jobs generated by manufacturing • Arizona has 4,600 manufacturers • 4,370 manufacturers have fewer than 100 employees

1,200 are in aerospace and defense • Arizona ranks No. 4 in nation for aerospace •

industry payroll

•

• The 235 participating STEP companies generated $42 million in new export dollars since 2012 program inception • RevAZ, Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership has $1 million grant to strength manufacturing base in small and medium businesses

billion in goods

84,000 jobs (54 percent) of manufacturing workforce are directly involved in export economy

• Exports increased 25% from 2009-2013 • Small manufacturers make up 88% of Arizona’s exporting businesses • Arizona total manufacturing (GDP) in 2012 was $21.9 billion ; highest in the state’s history • Arizona’s manufacturing workforce, which is 6% of all workers, generate 8.2 % of state GDP.

Ma n

• Manufacturing exports $15.5 out of the state

• Arizona ranks No. 2 in the U.S. for participation by manufacturers in learning to export through the Arizona State Trade and Export Promotion Program (STEP)

the Year winner f o r s re u t c ufa The Arizona Manufacturers Council, which falls under the umbrella of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, presented its 2014 Manufacturer of the Year Awards in May. Here are the winners: Manufacturer of the Year:

Medtronic Outstanding Small/Medium Manufacturer:

Universal Avionics Systems Corp.

Excellence in Innovation:

Raytheon

Excellence in Sustainability:

CalgonCarbon

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n i e Mad

a n o z i r A You may not know it, but Arizona manufacturers are producing everything from salt to satellites

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Air bags TRW Automotive in Mesa manufactures airbag systems that can be integrated with other safety systems, and in particular with seat belts, to help improve occupant protection during a vehicle collision.

Helicopters

Artificial hearts

In 2013, the 2,000th Apache attack helicopter came off Boeing’s production line in Mesa, illustrating the enduring value of the helicopter to the customer.

Tucson-based SynCardia Systems, Inc. is the world’s first and only FDA-approved manufacturer of a total artificial heart.

Automated research slide system Tuscon-based Ventana Medical Systems’ Discovery XT research instrument brings unprecedented automation, reproducibility and productivity to slide preparation and processing.

Beer Kilt Lifter is Tempe-based Four Peaks Brewery’s award-winning flagship brew, crafted in the tradition and honor of the great strong ales of Scotland.

Cancer pain reliever Chandler-based Insys Therapeutics’ painkiller, Subsys, was approved in 2012 to help cancer patients. In the last year, the company’s sales have soared and its share price has jumped nearly 270 percent.

Crackers Urban Oven’s line of gourmet crackers was launched in Chandler in 2008 and has steadily grown its distribution throughout the United States and abroad to more than 800 retail clients.

Cranial helmets Cranial Technologies in Tempe is the leading provider of medical devices used in the treatment of positional head molding (deformational plagiocephaly) in infants.

Flight management systems Phoenix-based Honeywell Aerospace products, including the flight management system, have been incorporated into the Airbus A350 XWB, scheduled to complete certification this summer in preparation for its entry into service at the end of 2014.

Golf clubs You might not know it by the name Karsten Manufacturing, but PING Golf is the name by which Phoenix-based Karsten Manufacturing Corporation is known worldwide for its golf clubs.

Microcontrollers Microchip Technology Inc. in Chandler is a leading provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions that provides their customers with low-risk product development and faster time to market.

Missiles Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems produces the Standard Missile-3, which can be launched from land or sea and is designed to destroy incoming ballistic missile threats with an impact that is equivalent to a 10-ton truck traveling at 600 mph.

Morton Salt In Glendale, Morton Solar Salt is crystallized by the sun and wind to create an excellent, natural choice for treating your hard water.

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Non-narcotic pain relief

Semiconductors

The Provant Therapy System, created by Regenesis Biomedical in Scottsdale, is designed to help reduce the pain and swelling that usually follow surgery without taking pain medications.

At its Chandler facility, Intel manufactures semiconductors, which are the foundation of modern electronics, including transistors, solar cells, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), quantum dots and digital and analog integrated circuits.

Solar energy panels

Pacemakers Earlier this year, Medtronic announced that it had developed its Micra TPS pacemaker in Tempe, which the company bills as the world’s smallest, minimally-invasive pacemaker.

Kyocera Solar, Inc. in Scottsdale has been one of the world’s leading manufacturers of innovative solar power solutions for more than 35 years and is one of the world’s largest verticallyintegrated producers and suppliers of solar energy panels.

Potato chips

Solar reflectors

Since 1986, Poore Brothers has been manufacturing hand-crafted, kettle-cooked potato chips that are sliced a little thicker and slow cooked at a lower temperature, one batch at a time.

Processed meat Bar-S, which was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Phoenix, produces hot dogs, bacon, lunchmeat, ham, and sausage for worldwide retail, service deli and foodservice markets.

Rifles Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. in Prescott is one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of rugged, reliable firearms for the commercial sporting market.

Satellites In March, Orbital Sciences Corp. in Gilbert began production of more than 80 satellites for Iridium Next, the world’s only voice and data satellite network program.

Rioglass Solar in Surprise manufactures mirrored-glass reflectors that are used in solar power plants.

Storage units Mobile Mini, which was founded in Tempe in 1983, manufactures, leases, sells, and transports welded steel cargo containers. These units are converted into storage units, guard shacks, and offices.

Stun guns Taser International, Inc. in Scottsdale is the developer, manufacturer, and distributor of the Taser electroshock gun in the United States. Taser is the most common brand of electroshock gun.

Surgical stitches W.L. Gore’s medical products include synthetic vascular grafts, endovascular and interventional devices, surgical meshes for hernia repair, and sutures for use in vascular, cardiac and general surgery procedures.

Tea Founded in a Scottsdale garage in 1982, China Mist Tea Company is the premiere supplier of fine iced and hot teas for the foodservice industry.

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“

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Who will be Arizona’s most influential leaders in 2014?

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81 AB | July-August 2014

Tennis racquets

Wine

Head/Penn Racquet Sports, which is headquartered in Phoenix, is among the world’s top manufacturers and marketers of tennis and other sports equipment.

Arizona Stronghold Vineyards, Dos Cabezas, Pillsbury Wine Company, Caduceus Cellars, Kokopelli Winery and Page Springs Cellars are among the Arizona wineries that are creating great wines.

Vodka Arroyo Vodka, produced in the traditional Russian style, was founded by sisters Lauren and Morgan Klemp is the Phoenix area’s first vodka distillery. Arroyo Vodka was first sold in January 2011.

Wafers Freescale Semiconductor has a wafer manufacturing lab in Chandler. A wafer is a thin slice of semiconductor material, such as a silicon crystal, used in the fabrication of integrated circuits and other microdevices.

Arizona’s fastest-growing companies

Here are the fastest-growing Arizona-based companies, with three-year growth, industry, number of employees and home of their headquarters: Consumer

Finance

Sprouts Farmers Market //

BlueSquare Resolutions //

QDIStone //

Loan Resolution //

Tilted Kilt Franchise Operating //

JD Mellberg Financial //

Health

Business services

GlobalMed //

VincentBenjamin //

Matrix Medical Network //

Blue Global //

Avella //

Infinity Trading Solutions //

Technology

Manufacturing

WebPT //

Rigid Industries //

Mission3 //

Integrity Engineering & Design Solutions //

360 Vantage //

ServerLIFT //

268%, $1.8 billion, Consumer Products & Services, 13,200, Phoenix 357%, $18.8 million, Consumer Products & Services, 34, Phoenix 213%, $12.4 million, Food & Beverage, 98, Tempe

1,000%, $32.2 million, Health, 101, Scottsdale

427%, $115.8 million, Health, 961, Scottsdale 379%, $493.9 million, Health, 343, Phoenix

1,837%, $8.9 million, Software, 140, Phoenix 546%, $2.1 million, Software, 12, Phoenix 246%, $9.2 million, IT Services, 97, Chandler

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3,458%, $14.3 million, Financial Services, 14, Scottsdale 799%, $21.3 million, Financial Services, 215, Scottsdale 361%, $14.4 million, Financial Services, 80, Tucson

1,770%, $8.2 million, Human Resources, 34, Phoenix 776%, $38.2 million, Advertising & Marketing, 32, Scottsdale 225%, $14.6 million, Business Products & Services, 45, Chandler

2,528%, $24.1 million, Manufacturing, 149, Gilbert 854%, $4.5 million, Engineering, 40, Scottsdale 241%, $4.8 million, Manufacturing, 15, Phoenix

83 AB | July-August 2014

Game changer The 2008 Super Bowl sparked the beginning of the Glendale CVB, which is turning the West Valley into a hot spot for tourists

By MICHAEL GOSSIE

T

he last time Glendale hosted the Super Bowl, the Glendale Convention & Visitors Bureau didn’t even exist.

“The 2008 Super Bowl was the first time the City of Glendale took on such a mega event,” said Lorraine Pino, manager of the Glendale CVB. “The Super Bowl was the perfect opportunity to not only showcase the the state of Arizona, but specifically our region. It was because of the success of the 2008 Super Bowl that our West Valley tourism partners saw opportunities to create a new regional message, to really work together and have partnerships that we’d never really thought of before. Those partners came to us and said, ‘We want Glendale to be the official CVB of the West Valley and showcase all 14 West Valley cities.’”

With a goal of building and enhancing the West Valley’s brand, the Glendale CVB was

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born in July 2010. Now, just four years later, the Glendale CVB is bracing itself for the busiest 18 months in its short history.

Glendale will host the biggest event in professional sports — the 2015 Super Bowl, along with the Pro Bowl — and a year later it will host the biggest event in college sports — the 2016 college football National Championship Game.

Az Business magazine caught up with Pino and asked her to share some of the secrets of her success.

How is the tourism industry doing in Glendale?

What’s been the biggest challenge to starting the CVB?

We are just starting benchmarks because we are so new. But last year, we saw a 10 percent increase in hotel occupancy in the West Valley and that’s a significant number. Over the last few years, flat was the new normal and we can now boast of double-digit increases. That speaks highly of the partnerships our hotels have with our restaurants and entertainment destinations to make sure our visitors — whether they are sports fans, here on a business trip or here for leisure — have the best experience possible from the moment they step off the airplane until the moment they step back onto the airplane so they want to come back for future visits.

I am often asked what it was like to open a CVB in 2010 during one of the worst economic downturns in the state’s history, but it turned out to be one of the best times because people were willing and wanted to find new partnerships and find a new way to do business so we were able to capitalize on that openness to create great partnerships. We worked with more that 300 West Valley tourism partners to form the CVB in July 2010. Since then, we have been gaining steam each and every day. Now, we have another big opportunity to show what Arizona and the West Valley has to offer.

Photo by Shavon Rose, AZ Big Media

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Glendale CVB How has Glendale attractED so many major events?

What impact DO sports haVE ON tourism?

After the Super Bowl was so successful, we began the long process of putting together a convention and visitors bureau that would showcase the 14 West Valley cities. We began a group called the West Valley Events Coalition, a coalition of West Valley partners that really wanted to bring in these mega events that have a major economic impact for all our partners and bring in new customers for the area. Because we have the infrastructure, from the stadium to the arena to the majority of the spring training baseball facilities, we were primed for success.

We’re also really known for our Southwestern hospitality and have built the reputation that we really roll out the red carpet when people come to Arizona. But it all comes down to partnerships. We have 1,500 rooms in Glendale, which is not enough to host large-scale events. But by taking a regional approach with our partners, the 14 West Valley cities have 8,000 rooms, which gives us the ability to put a lot of heads in beds and showcase the region.

Sports is huge for the state of Arizona and specifically for the West Valley. Sports have changed the face of who we are. I am a 43-year resident of Glendale and I can tell you that the past 10 years have seen Glendale transform from a wonderful bedroom community into a destination that people from all over the world want to visit. A big part of that is because of sports. When the lights go off in the stadium, the lights stay on in our homes.

Because of the sports that go on in our city and the money they generate, the quality of life in Glendale is better than it’s ever been.

What is the biggest change since the 2008 Super Bowl?

We have a lot of new infrastructure that visitors who came in 2008 didn’t experience, whether it’s the growth at the Westgate Entertainment District; the addition of Tanger Outlets, which is now going through its second expansion; and the development along Loop 101 and now Loop 303. Things are heading west, the growth is exploding and it’s fantastic because it not only benefits the short-term visitor, but it improves the quality of life for our residents. Because of these large-scale events and the money they leave behind and business that they leave behind, they benefit all of the residents in the West Valley.

How does hosting an event like the Super Bowl impact the West Valley’s economy?

The impact is not only for the local shops and restaurants, where customers walk in their doors who never would have know about them had there not been a Super Bowl. It’s also the business that happens on the golf courses when business leaders come to Arizona for these mega events and see that Arizona is not only a great place to play golf, but it’s a good place to do business.

What are your goals for the CVB? We have heard from our members that they want us to increase conference sales here in the West Valley, so we will be adding a staff member this fall who will focus on sales. With a national sales director on staff, our main goal will be increasing that convention and event services business, which is a new market for us to tap into and we are excited to see the growth that will come from the sales side of things.

PHOTO BY SHAVON ROSE, AZ BIG MEDIA

LORRAINE PINO: “After the 2008 Super Bowl, thousands of fans filtered back to historic downtown Glendale and told us they had the best time and they would return for future vacations because they had no idea how much we had to offer,” said the manager of the Glendale CVB.

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87 AB | July-August 2014

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WESTMARC

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WESTMARC creates united front to help West Valley cities capitalize economically on area’s assets By ERIC JAY TOLL

Y

ou can’t just say you ‘support regionalism,’ you have to believe it.” Surprise Mayor Sharon Wolcott is talking about attitude in the West Valley.

Thirty minutes earlier in a separate conversation, Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord made nearly the same comment. “We believe in regionalism and we put it into practice,” she says. “On this side of the Valley, it’s not just words, it’s real.”

District 5 Maricopa County Supervisor, Clint Hickman, points out the window of his 10th floor office. “They place us so when supervisors look out the window, we’re looking at our district,” he said.

Gazing across West Phoenix, the dome of University of Phoenix stadium is clearly visible in front of the White Tank Mountains. “I was born and raised in the West Valley,” he continues. “As a business owner, a public servant, and West Valley native, I believe we’re stronger for working together.”

Talk to any business leader about the West Valley, and the words heard are “regionalism,” “working together” and “diversity.” Maricopa County districts 4 and 5, and 15 communities from

Surprise to Gila Bend, Wickenburg to Phoenix are starting to flex economic development muscle.

When the synergies are totaled, the sum is the United Cities of West Valley.

The past not predictive of future The spirit of cooperation west of Interstate 17 is a break from history. As recently as a decade ago, West Valley cities were clawing for territory, car dealers, and the next power center. Tens of thousands of families were driving to qualify for affordable homes popping up in dozens of sprawling tracts. Politically, there may as well have been walls running down city limit lines.

Then came the recession. The economic downturn had a chilling impact on the West Valley.

Faced with abandoned neighborhoods, empty strip centers and vacant warehouses, municipal revenue streams dribbled to nothingness. What was the norm wasn’t working.

The change started quietly. “It all began shifting over the past three to four years,” recounts Lana Mook, mayor in El Mirage. “We, the area’s mayors and business leaders, realized we would be a lot stronger working together than working separately.”

Photo by Shavon Rose, AZ Big Media 91 AB | July-August 2014

WESTMARC WESTMARC creates a new attitude The challenge was bringing together the region’s assets and promoting the area. The catalyst had been sitting there since 1990. The Western Maricopa Coalition (WESTMARC) was the one place where mayors, businesses and public officials connected. In 2011, the WESTMARC board appointed a former Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) senior vice president to the role of president and chief operating officer.

Michelle Rider took the reins of an old organization with a new charge.

The regional development organization took on a new focus. Its board of directors and Rider decided to leave business recruitment to organizations like GPEC, Arizona Commerce Authority and individual cities’ economic development departments.

“We saw our role as creating a strong environment in which business can flourish,” she explains. “We focus on three priorities. Our efforts are to promote the West Valley, enhance economic development and increase member value.

We partner with GPEC and Arizona Commerce; they have the recruitment resources. We need to ensure when a business comes knocking on our door, we’re ready.”

Changing the perception “Let’s say there are a lot of misunderstandings about the West Valley outside the West Valley,” muses Mayor Lord. “Many of those misunderstandings are because people’s only experience with the Valley is sitting in traffic on I-10 when returning from California. They haven’t stopped here to explore.”

“I drive to work in the morning between two of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the state,” Supervisor Hickman says. “I look at the vast expanses of open land, the many homes, the business clusters we have, and realize, there’s a lot to offer.”

Site selection consultants look at many factors before plopping a business into a market. Key among those are similar firms, transportation and workforce. The West Valley has a well-kept secret. It is home to significant diversity in the three key siting factors. The region is home to a diverse collection of business sectors.

Mayor Wolcott lists the base: “Manufacturing and logistics, healthcare, advanced business services, aerospace and renewable energy businesses are located all over the region. We have the most diverse business and population base in the state.”

Clint Hickman 92 AB | July-August 2014

Georgia Lord

There’s another asset: Maricopa County west of I-17 has vast tracts of undeveloped, single ownership land.

“We learned from the rapid development in the East Valley,” explains Mayor Lord. “The cities in the West Valley have jealously guarded industrial land, Luke Air Force Base and our transportation corridors.”

Workforce transportation One of the region’s major corridors has a significant cheerleader. Mayor Wolcott has pressed for improvements to Grand Avenue since she first took office. “This is a multimodal corridor that’s unique to the West Valley,” she says. “No other road in the state is like this. It connects ten cities and runs from the Capitol to Wickenburg; essentially, it runs all the way to Las Vegas.”

“The West Valley has an extraordinary mix of transportation modes,” echoes Mayor Mook. “We have both (Union Pacific) and (Burlington Northern) rail roads, a collection of spurs, (Loop) 303, I-10 and some day, I-11.”

The biggest asset in the region is its workforce. “Goodyear is the sixth fastest growing city in the United States,” Mayor Lord says with pride.

The rest of the West Valley is growing rapidly. In 2010, the region was home to 39 percent of the County’s population, according to the Maricopa Association of Governments. By 2040, MAG says the share will climb to 46 percent for the region.

“Every work day you can almost feel the land tilt,” says Mayor Wolcott. “The roads are filled with our residents driving out of our region to go to work. We have a significant, well-educated workforce who’d rather work closer to home.”

More than half the Northwest Valley’s workforce commutes into Deer Valley, Central Phoenix and the Scottsdale Airpark.

“We want our residents to stay closer to home, and we’re working as a region to make that happen,” Mayor Lord is emphatic about cutting the commutes.

Manufacturing, medicine, aerospace, renewable energy and advanced business services. These are the roots of the “West muscle” promoted by WESTMARC. Rider is passionate about all of this. “We’re bringing our members together as a powerful force to make these assets known. There’s a story to tell, and we’re getting the word out.”

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WESTMARC

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W

W

est side glory

Quality of life makes West Valley an attractive location for businesses By ERIC JAY TOLL

hen my husband and I first moved to Arizona, we looked around the Valley and just fell in love with Goodyear,” says Georgia Lord, reminiscing about coming west, a long time before Goodyear voters entrusted her with the role of mayor.

“I was born and raised in the West Valley,” Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman says about his home.

“This is where I do business today. With the county, I have a role requiring me to join my neighbors and drive (Interstate)-10 to get downtown. When I get home at the end of the day and see the sun set behind the White Tanks, it reminds me why I call the West Valley home.”

“This is a beautiful and affordable place for people to live,” says Lana Wood, talking now about living in the region and not in her role as mayor of El Mirage. “We have so much recreation, so many beautiful spaces, and now a lot of things to do.

Two Arizona professional teams call the West Valley home. Every spring, eight of the 14 major league baseball teams train in the West Valley. Thousands of West Valleyites play in the multitude of sports fields throughout the region or swim and boat in Lake Pleasant.

The West Valley drew international attention when Cancer Treatment Centers of America opened its Western Region headquarters in Goodyear. In the few years the medical center has been in place, it has expanded once, is now the CTCA data center headquarters and has a third expansion on the boards.

Banner Estrella Hospital in West Phoenix built a new patient tower. Abrazo West Valley Hospital, Goodyear, just topped 700 employees after its most recent enhancements. Just weeks ago, Dignity Health Care opened the first phase of its new Glendale Westgate hospital. In Surprise, Cobalt Medical Treatment is joint venturing with the city to build a 50,000-square-foot brain-injury center.

The West Valley Arts Council is expanding with gallery space and a new headquarters in the original Surprise townsite. The organization funds and runs dozens of events and activities throughout the year from art exhibitions to live theatre to children’s drama camps all over the region.

“People are surprised when I tell them how different the West Valley really is from their impressions,” says Mayor Lord. “Then I find out, they’ve never been here to really see what we have to offer.”

It’s the quality of life offerings that are feeding consistent population growth. The U.S. Census Bureau says Goodyear is the sixth fastest growing community in the U.S. MAG says that 46 percent of the county’s population will call the region home by the 2040 census; that’s 56 percent of the county’s projected growth.

The region is now working to ensure that those who live in the West Valley can work in the West Valley. “People should be able to make a living where they want to live,” says Mayor Mook.

Photo by Shavon Rose, AZ Big Media 95 AB | July-August 2014

West Valley’s

biggest employers These firms are the West Valley’s top employers, based on information from the Maricopa Association of Governments: Banner Health What they do: Healthcare West Valley employees: 7,690 Website: bannerhealth.com

Luke Air Force Base What they do: Military training West Valley employees: 5,690 Website: luke.af.mil

American Express What they do: Financial services West Valley employees: 3,700 Website: americanexpress.com

Grand Canyon University What they do: Higher education West Valley employees: 3,550 Website: gcu.edu

Amazon What they do: Online retail sales West Valley employees: 3,020 Website: amazon.com

APS/Palo Verde Nuclear Station What they do: Energy production West Valley employees: 2,740 Website: aps.com

Abrazo Healthcare What they do: Healthcare West Valley employees: 1,940 Website: abrazohealth.com

PetSmart What they do: Retail pet supplies West Valley employees: 1,860 Website: petsmart.com

JBS Packerland What they do: Food processing West Valley employees: 1,100 Website: jbssa.com

Shamrock Foods What they do: Foodservice industry West Valley employees: 1,040 Website: shamrockfoods.com 96 AB | July-August 2014

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WESTMARC

Show of force West Valley uses lure of its built-in workforce to attract businesses to the region By ERIC JAY TOLL

E

very morning, Exodus begins. Squinting into the rising sun, more than 51 percent of the West Valley’s 885,000-person workforce turns the ignition and heads east.

Primary destinations are Deer Valley, Central Phoenix and Scottsdale Airpark submarkets.

One-by-one, tens of thousands of single occupancy vehicles head into the sunrise and slog home into the sunset.

The vast majority don’t want this drive, they tell the Maricopa Association of Governments annual Trip Reduction Survey.

A decade ago, the West Valley grew affordable housing like desert wildflowers in March. Patches of rooftops were everywhere. The Valley was not growing jobs. Retail followed rooftops, but paychecks were still being cut miles away from bedrooms.

“Our biggest asset is that we have a significant workforce who wants to work close to where it lives,” says Surprise Mayor Sharon Wolcott.

“People like living in the West Valley.

It’s affordable. It’s comfortable.”

It’s quite the workforce. MAG says that more than half the region’s workforce is now college-educated.

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The number of households earning over $150,000 tripled in 10 years. The challenge is that the high-value jobs are missing from top ten West Valley employment sectors.

West Valley cities recognized the issue and with WESTMARC waving the promotion banner, the region is getting out the word, “We’ve got the land, the lifestyle and the workforce.” Those are the magic ingredients corporate site selection consultants seek.

What is lacking in the West Valley is the high-value job clusters. That missing piece is starting to change. The region has fixed its eye on strategic employment sectors and economic developers are busy recruiting to those roles.

The West Valley’s already-trained and housed workforce sees that its outbound commuters are skilled employees in manufacturing and logistics, aerospace and aviation, biosciences and healthcare, and renewable energy. The region is now flexing its WestMuscle to target those sectors and build the employer clusters that synergistically attract more of the same.

“Throughout our region, we have the largest tracts of single-owner, vacant land in the Valley,” says El Mirage Mayor Lana Wood.

Tom Doyle, the city’s economic development specialist adds, “El Mirage actually has the largest developer-ready tract, nearly 1,000 acres held by one owner and managed by one developer, the Alter Group.”

The clustering has started.

Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord says that since Cancer Treatment Centers of America opened, the previously undeveloped area is bustling with construction, “They have expanded twice, and now have spurred new businesses and employment all around them. West Valley Hospital now employs more than 700 people.”

The West Valley isn’t just waiting for high-value jobs to relocate into its workforce, the cities are taking the steps to grow-their-own future businesses with high value jobs.

In Surprise, a new brain trauma center is expected to be a catalyst for health care and bioscience research and development. The city’s AZ TechCelerator is focused on growing the future local businesses in this sector of the job market.

“People want to live and work in the West Valley,” says WESTMARC’s President and CEO, Michelle Rider.

“Our members are working to have the jobs that cut the commute.”

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WESTMARC

Y

“

Easy access to transportation helps drive West Valley’s economic development By ERIC JAY TOLL

ou hear derisive remarks about highway projects that are ‘bridges to nowhere,’ but without Interstate 11, all of our transportation improvements are essentially roads to nowhere,” says Joseph La Rue, executive vice president of strategic oversight for Sun Health. “When it comes to economic markets, we only have one main road in and out—Interstate 10.”

La Rue is musing about the Valley’s transportation network, which is appropriate because he has another hat as well. La Rue sits on the Arizona State Transportation Board—and he is one of seven people responsible for vision, policy and approving statewide transportation improvements.

“When you think about it,” he says, “we have only one road connecting us to east and west markets, and that’s I-10.” The only other true interstate highway, I-40, doesn’t connect any major markets in the state. I-17 runs in-state from Phoenix to Flagstaff; I-19 runs from Tucson to Nogales.

La Rue is focused on the big picture. “Some look at the proposed I-11 and say, ‘that’s just to get traffic to Las Vegas.’

That is a very shallow perspective.”

La Rue talks about the proliferation of logistics, warehouse and manufacturing centers in the West Valley. “We grow best with an export economy, and our export trading partners are California, Mexico and Canada. We don’t have a route linking Mexico and Canada.”

“Building I-11 will spur significant economic opportunity for all of Arizona in reaching our prime markets,” La Rue believes.

Transportation—not just roads, but transit, commuter rail and freight rail — are high on the list of assets for the West Valley.

100 AB | July-August 2014

“One of our most important roads is Grand Avenue,” says Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman. He has a lot of support for that from the mayors in the ten cities the avenue traverses and the Arizona Department of Transportation.

“Grand Avenue connects the West Valley to Sky Harbor,” points out La Rue, and traffic should smoothly flow down that route. “We’re building interchanges at Grand Avenue and Bell Road, Thunderbird Road and Loop 303.” These are big, expensive projects. Thunderbird Road, an intersection, is a $50 million project. The interchange at Bell Road tops $33 million.

The crown jewel, however, is the nearly complete Loop 303.

“This route connects I-10 to I-17,” says La Rue. “It open up a lot of economic opportunity in the West Valley and relieves pressure on I-10.”

Mayor Sharon Wolcott in Surprise agrees. She says cities’ policies along the corridor preserves land for economic opportunity.

A big West Valley project underway is Northern Parkway connecting Loops 101 and 303 on a surface route. This crucial network component has been on the books for years, and the need is now. El Mirage, Peoria and Surprise are all dependent on the route to move truck traffic out of neighborhoods and onto a safer and efficient east-west corridor.

Building on existing arterial routes, ADOT, Maricopa County Department of Transportation and the cities are creating a series of higher-speed parkways throughout the region. Plans for S.R. 30 through Goodyear, Southern Parkway through Phoenix, Goodyear and Buckeye and Wintersburg Parkway in Buckeye and western Maricopa County are all in the early route planning stages.

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offers a Healthier Outlook Sun Health has been helping West Valley residents stay healthy, active and vibrant for almost 50 years. Programs include: > The Center for Health & Wellbeing – personalized resources for achieving optimal health

> Healthy U/Community Education Program – free and low-cost classes on a variety of health-related topics

> Resort-Style Senior Living – three Life Care communities designed for people to enjoy a long, healthier life, and explore new creative outlets through Masterpiece Living® Many programs are made possible through generous community support of Sun Health Foundation.

For information about Senior Living call (623) 236-3770. Mention “WESTMARC” to be entered into a drawing for Masterpiece Living Founder Dr. Roger Landry’s new book, Live Long, Die Short: A Guide to Authentic Health and Successful Aging.

Learn more about Sun Health and make a tax-deductible gift to the Foundation at SunHealth.org 102 AB | July-August 2014

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103 AB | July-August 2014

PV/303

the potential impact of

WESTMARC

104 AB | July-August 2014

What is it? PV|303 is a master-planned business park designed to meet the growing demand for commercial and industrial opportunities in metro Phoenix and the West Valley in particular.

How big will it be? At build-out, the business park will encompass about 1,600-acres with 20 million square feet of office, retail and industrial space.

Proposed buildings range in size from 10,000 to 1 million square feet.

Developers: Sunbelt Holdings, Merit Partners, Liberty Property Trust.

Impact: At completion, PV|303 is planned to be one of the largest master planned business parks in the Southwest.

Office Buildings: Class ‘A’ buildings are proposed as one to three stories ranging from 20,000 -150,000 square feet.

Warehouse/Distribution: From 40,000 to 2 million square feet, the

typical warehouse distribution building will be constructed of concrete tilt panels, 32-36 foot clear height with dock high and grade level landing.

Light Industrial: Light industrial lots offer small manufacturing and

warehouse users the opportunity to build and own or lease a facility for their specific needs.

Flex Office Buildings: 20,000–200,000-square-foot buildings are proposed with mezzanine options, at-grade loading and dock capabilities.

Location: Located at the confluence of Interstate 10 and Loop 303 in Goodyear, PV|303 offers 2 miles of freeway frontage along Loop 303. It is 2 miles north of Interstate 10 and 9 miles west of Loop 101. Conveniently located only 29 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and 9 miles from Phoenix Goodyear Airport.

Transportation access is 5.5 hours from Long Beach, 4.75 hours from Las Vegas and 6.5 hours from El Paso.

FTZ designation: PV|303 benefits from approved Foreign Trade

Zone status on portions of the property. This FTZ status provides special customs procedures to U.S. plants engaged in international trade-related activities, making it an attractive opportunity for major companies looking to locate in the metro-Phoenix area. FTZs provide special customs procedures to U.S. plants engaged in international trade-related activities. Duty-free treatment is accorded items that are processed in FTZs and then reexported, and duty payment is deferred on items until they are brought out of the FTZ for sale in the U.S. market which helps offset customs advantages available to overseas producers who compete with domestic industry. In Arizona, a Zone that is approved and activated may be re-classifed down from 20% tax valuation to 5% valuation, resulting in the tax beneft of a 75% reduction.

Users: Currently PV|303 is the home to SUBZERO/Wolfe manufacturing and distribution facility as well as Dicks Sporting Goods’ Western United States Distribution Center. PV|303 recently closed escrow on an 11.5-acre parcel for SUBZERO/Wolfe expansion and a 29-acre parcel for a light manufacturer which is scheduled to break ground in late 2014.

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WESTMARC

106 AB | July-August 2014

West Valley Communities Avondale: avondale.org

Phoenix: phoenix.gov

Buckeye: buckeyeaz.gov

Sun City: suncityaz.org

El Mirage: cityofelmirage.org

Sun City West: suncitywest.org

Gila Bend: gilabendaz.org

Surprise: surpriseaz.gov

Glendale: glendaleaz.com

Tolleson: tollesonaz.org

Goodyear: goodyearaz.gov

Wickenburg: ci.wickenburg.az.us

Litchfield Park: litchfield-park.org

Youngtown: youngtownaz.org

Peoria: peoriaaz.gov

Photo by Shavon Rose, AZ Big Media 107 AB | July-August 2014

OPPORTUNITY BEGINS HERE Goodyear, Arizona is where your business will have what it needs to succeed.

• The 6th fastest growing city in the US • A highly educated and skilled workforce • More than 5,000 acres of land for development • Business friendly • Quality of life: Rated 96% good/excellent place to live according to Citizen Survey To learn more, visit www.goodyearaz.gov or call 623-882-7900.

WESTMARC Appreciates the Support of Our Members

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Banner Health • CenturyLink • DMB • Southwest Airlines • SRP • Sun Health • Wells Fargo Bank Arizona West Valley Resort, An Enterprise of the Tohono O’odham Nation Gold

Abrazo Health • ASU • EPCOR Water • Fennemore Craig • Global Water • Merit Partners Phoenix International Raceway • Republic Services • Sunbelt Holdings Silver

The Arizona Republic • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona • Cancer Treatment Centers of America • Carollo Engineers, Inc. Coe & Van Loo Consultants, Inc. • Dignity Health • Goodwill of Central Arizona • Hensley • John F. Long Properties Land Advisors Organization • Midwestern University • Mortenson Construction • Orcutt|Winslow Partnership Sanders & Parks, PC • Snell & Wilmer • Southwest Gas • Sundt Construction • Swift Transportation Valley Metro • West Maricopa Association of Realtors • West Valley Hospital • West-MEC Bronze

DLR Group • FirstBank of Arizona • Glendale Community College • Hunt & Caraway Architects JacksonWhite • Littleton Elementary School District • Meridian Bank • Nathan & Associates • The Renaissance Companies The Walton Group of Companies (Walton) • WC Scoutten Inc. • West Valley National Bank Communities

Maricopa County • Avondale • Buckeye • El Mirage • Gila Bend • Glendale • Goodyear • Litchfield Park Peoria • Phoenix • Sun City • Sun City West • Surprise • Tolleson • Wickenburg • Youngtown

108 AB | July-August 2014

109 AB | July-August 2014

WESTMARC

West Valley by the numbers

Median age of resident: 33 Businesses: more than 50,000 Area: approximately 3,000 square miles Average household income: $64,807 Population: 1,272,747 Educated workforce: increased 66% over last decade

110 AB | July-August 2014

Photo by Shavon Rose, AZ Big Media

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111 AB | July-August 2014

112 AB | July-August 2014