July 2022

You’re Invited!

3RD ANNUAL PRESCOTT AREA ATHENA AWARDS SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 3-5pm

Get your Tickets at PRESCOTTATHENA.COM Nominations now being accepted See page 25 for more information

Espire Sports Offering Indoor Complex

By Ray Newton, QCBN

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ith diverse indoor sports and fitness opportunities ranging from pickleball to basketball and golf to ping-pong, Espire Sports Multi-Sport Complex has opened at the Prescott Gateway Mall in the more than 100,000-square-foot space previously occupied by Sears.

CEO and founder Jim Thomas,

his brother, Randy Thomas, General Manager Rita Kavanaugh and Membership Director Peg Travers recently led a media tour.

“I conceived of this concept four years ago when I realized that pickleball was soon going to become the most popular participant sport in the country,” said Thomas, a Prescott resident the past several years. “Ten years ago, if I had asked someone to

play pickleball, they’d look puzzled and ask, ‘What’s that?’ But now, it’s sweeping the country. I truly believe that Espire Sports and the other pickleball courts in the community can make Prescott into the finest pickleball destination in the nation.”

In addition to 14 indoor courts, five more outdoor courts are being constructed on the south side of the building.

“I think it [Espire] will be tons of fun for everyone,” he said. “We’ve got an all-purpose sports court, yard games, bocce ball, cornhole, pingpong, billiards, a nine-hole putting green, virtual reality golf simulators, an arcade, a fitness center with full range of exercise equipment, rooms for yoga, aerobics and Pilates, and locker rooms with showers.”

Continued on page 30

True Course Creates Virtual Realty Flight Training Programs for Air Force Academy

I True Course Simulations officials AJ Smith, Brett Watts and Ken Watts stand before one of the prototype virtual reality flight simulators being manufactured by True Course Simulations in their Prescott plant. Photo by Ray Newton

July 2022 | Issue 7 Volume 10

By Ray Newton, QCBN

n just seven years, True Course Simulations (TCS) grew from a small garage business in Prescott into one that now is manufacturing virtual reality flight simulators for the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs.

Or, as TCS Director of Sales AJ Smith says, “Our business really took off when we got that USAFA contact in 2018.”

Even better, the USAFA has just issued a contract to TCS for units to support the operation of 40 simulators.

Company owner Ray Bedard said the new USAFA agreement is “comfortably over a million dollars.”

The first contact with the

academy came in 2018-19.

Smith says TCS is the one of the few companies doing professional virtual reality (VR) and the only company that has developed a virtual flight instructor that allows educators to substantially reduce their student-to-instructor ratio.

Formally called Immersive Training Devices (ITDs), some users suggest that flying an ITD is more difficult than actual airplanes. Founder Bedard says VR simulation is meant to teach and reinforce procedures.

“Simulation isn’t meant to replace real airplanes,” he said.

“You must combine simulators and airplanes together for the things each of them is good at.”

Founder Bedard started TCS following retirement from a 20-plus year career as a faculty

member at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Before that, he had been in the Canadian Air Force.

Now, the company is located at 430 N. Mount Vernon in Prescott. Six full-time people work for TCS, including Bedard, Smith, ERAU graduate, co-owner and Vice President Brett Watts, IT Specialist Ken Watts and two part-time employees who help set up machines. Two others are full-time instructors at the USAFA. While major manufacturing is for the USAFA, TCS also builds simulators for ERAU’s Daytona Beach campus. “We’re also putting four simulators together for a high school in Liberty Creek, Tennessee,” said Watts. Eight others are under Continued on page 31

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2022

quadcitiesbusinessnews.com

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Our coordinated and compassionate approach to breast cancer includes experienced specialists hand-selected by our specially trained, accredited and highly skilled breast surgery team.

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JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

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Following a five-minute pitch, Prescott Bark Resort Owner Elaine O’Connor won over the judges in Moonshot at NACET’s business startup competition. Courtesy photo by Sean Openshaw

Bark Resort Wins State Competition SBDC helps businesses gain resources and visibility

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By Stan Bindell, QCBN

rescott Bark Resort Owner Elaine O’Connor praised the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Yavapai College for “overwhelming” support to help create her business, which just won $10,000 through a state Shark Tank-like competition.

Prescott Bark Resort is a dog boarding and grooming business slated to open in Prescott in 2023. O’Connor is waiting for the property purchase to go through and then will have the building constructed. She has worked with SBDC since November 2021.

O’Connor said SBDC helped her write a business plan and a financial plan and complete loan applications.

One of the most exciting parts of this for O’Connor is that SBDC connected her with Moonshot at NACET, which runs Pioneer Pitch competitions that can result in financial awards and other resources. With SBDC’s help, O’Connor won the Quad Cities competition. She then was eligible to compete in the statewide competition in Flagstaff on Friday, June 17.

For the event, O’Connor delivered a five-minute presentation to a packed ballroom of business owners, innovators and community leaders. SBDC helped her prepare and practice for the competition.

“SBDC is available, accessible and gives feedback. They are a wonderful group to work with,” she said. “They have a lot of tools to help. You just write your idea and they help you put it together.”

SBDC at Yavapai College, with offices on the Clarkdale Campus and the Prescott Valley Campus, offers no-cost, confidential business consulting and coaching to businesses of all sizes. It is part of a statewide network of 10 centers, all with expert teams and advisors.

SBDC Director Ruth Ellen Elinski provides consulting services and educational training to business owners and entrepreneurs throughout Yavapai County. “Our five-member team has

the expertise to help you start and grow your business. We can assist with business planning, loan application preparation, strategic growth, financial management, operations planning, QuickBooks training, government contracting, process improvement, social media, online marketing and more,” she said.

Most of the SBDC staff are or have been entrepreneurs and business owners themselves.

Elinski says they understand the hurdles, challenges and best practices of building sustainable and profitable enterprises.

“Our center facilitates confidential counseling sessions in person at one of our offices, at client locations and virtually via Zoom. We prioritize meeting clients where they are most comfortable and where it is most convenient for their busy schedules,” she said. “Our center hosts trainings, webinars and workshops to educate and inform on the most up-to-date information and trending tools and resources.”

The SBDC offers consulting for new businesses and provides support in business plan writing, strategic planning, financial projections and access to capital, among other critical planning.

“Our team is here to assist entrepreneurs with bringing their business idea to market and to provide resources that move their business idea or plan forward. We can assist with the basic first steps of legitimizing your business, like filing an LLC and opening your business bank account, to more complex issues like creating clear strategies for sales and revenue, putting together a marketing strategy, and how to identify your target market,” she said. “We offer all clients access to an online business plan writing tool to help them understand their business, create goals and milestones, make financial projections, as well as prepare for a loan.”

Elinski said SBDC can help established businesses that are seeking to expand their product line, renovate or build new facilities and identify and hire new talent.

Continued on page 26

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Last of the Large Flagstaff Loggers Retires Ribelin Logging parks its loaders for good

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

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hen forest restoration giant Wally Covington drives by the Ribelin Logging Co. sort yard on East Huntington in Flagstaff and sees the equipment up for sale, it makes him sad. “They are very good operators in the forest and had a huge impact on the community.”

With decades of experience, millions of dollars invested in logging equipment and a deep love for the forest, Ribelin Logging Co. President Ken Ribelin says the family-owned and operated business – a thriving logging company that at one time employed almost 70 people and could run 50 to 60 truckloads of timber a day – is closing.

“We really cared about what we did,” he said. “We hope our legacy is about improving the image of the logging industry. We always prided ourselves on what we did. We thinned a lot of acres, lowered fire risks and provided a lot of jobs. Others looked up to us in what was going on on the ground.”

“It’s a huge loss to the communi-

ty,” said retired Coconino National Forest Flagstaff District Timber Staff Officer Joe Luttman. “Ken is as much a conservationist as he is a logger.

They were a very good company to work with, a very good company to be associated with and a very good company for the community. They were very conscientious. I’ll tell you what: That company would do roads better than anyone else I ever worked with. Kenny was a stickler for details.

He could tell you the cost per acre of running a skidder for one hour. He always followed the rules and regulations and was always trying to make sure the Forest Service was holding up their part of the agreement.”

“They had unbelievable integrity,” said retired Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) Operations Coordinator and former Forest Service Timber Sale Administrator Dick Fleishman.

“Their contributions to the work around Flagstaff helped get this town a little bit safer. When we’d get fires in locations where they worked, it was clear they had made a difference. They also paid good benefits to their workers at a time when other loggers wouldn’t take care of their people. And they were expensive. They wouldn’t drop their price to do their work because that’s what it took to do it right. In the timber sales

going on now, some other companies struggle and the end results are more ground disturbance in the forest.”

Ken was 22 years old in 1974, when his dad, George, brought Ribelin Logging and the family to Flagstaff from Colorado in response to a request from Southwest Forest Industries, Flagstaff’s large sawmill operator.

“When we came to Flagstaff, the logging companies did not have a good reputation. We tried to fix that. My father always taught us, ‘If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.’”

Ken says at the time, the logging companies in Flagstaff didn’t communicate with the loggers in the White Mountains. George and other loggers changed that. “He was instrumental in creating the Northern Arizona Logging Tim and Ken Ribelin work in the sort yard as Ribelin Logging closes down.

Photo by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography.

Association. The group would meet four times a year to work together on too,” said Fleishman. “There were five Fleishman recalls the Dirty Neck improving conditions for loggers and different large harvesting subcontracdiscuss how to prevent injuries and ac- Timber Sale near Clint’s Well as the tors working with Southwest Forest cidents. Sitting down and talking made first time he saw a tree seemingly moving by itself through the woods. It Industries then. The Ribelins were things better.” the only ones to stick around. They Fleishman was working as a harvest was being carried in the arms of new understood the economics and did the machinery, a fellerbuncher. inspector on the Long Valley Ranger work efficiently. They had good equip“Ribelin knew if you do the job District of the Coconino National ment. They also built a lot of roads right with the least amount of [forest] Forest when he first met George, who founded Ribelin Logging in Montrose, disturbance, you never had to go back. and would do extra work on roads, which saved them on not tearing up I learned so much from those guys.

Colorado in 1958. “They were the They were the best loggers by far. They their logging trucks. They were never first to actually be doing mechanical Continued on page 31 would tell you how good they were, harvesting.”

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JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

Every day, prepared.

Wildfire preparation protects you, the community and first responders.

Providing you safe, reliable energy is our top priority. That’s why we work year-round to prepare for wildfires by updating equipment, working with first responders on emergency action plans, performing visual inspections of lines before and during an outage, and managing vegetation and other potential hazards around our equipment.

Power lines may be temporarily taken out of service to protect firefighters, which could result in outages that might last longer than usual. Working together, we can be prepared. Here are some things you can do: • Keep grass, weeds, trees and shrubs trimmed. Dispose of trimmings and trash properly.

• Get emergency alerts through local resources and visit ein.az.gov to create an emergency preparedness plan.

• Sign up for outage alerts and view our interactive outage map at aps.com/outagecenter.

• Have flashlights, batteries, a portable cell phone charger and water handy.

Please visit aps.com/wildfiresafety for more information.

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Army Veteran Creating Jobs for Those Who Served Workforce development champion honored with prestigious national award

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By Ray Newton, QCBN

rant Quezada has created what is known locally as the Founding Fathers Collective (FFC). After four tours of duty in Afghanistan and two in Iraq, he said when he returned to Prescott with his wife, Veronica, and two small sons and a daughter, he wanted to create a business environment to benefit his fellow veterans while simultaneously creating a unique signature experience for the community.

When he opened the John Hancock Barbershop in fall 2014, he began what has become an award-winning collection of businesses that now employ 67 full- and part- time employees - and continues to expand.

As a recent result of that expansion, Quezada has received the W. O. Layton Business Leadership Award from the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). He and FFC were selected from among more than 300 nominations from across the United States. The NAWB represents about 12,000 business members nationally that coordinate and leverage workforce strategies with economic development

in individual communities.

The award was presented in a well-attended public ceremony on April 12 in Washington, D.C. Quezada and his colleagues were nominated by Teri Drew, regional director for the Northern Arizona Council of Government (NACOG) and a member of the WDB Board. Drew’s nomination stated, “Grant worked with the WDB and WIOA to support recruitment, training and placement and hired a management team, including co-owner Jesse Burke, through his partnership with us. They offer an average wage that well exceeds the Yavapai County average.”

Quezada and FFC were recognized by the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors (BOS) on June 1 for having won the prestigious national award. They noted it is the first time the national award has ever gone to an Arizona recipient.

Recognition occurred during the regular monthly BOS meeting.

Quezada told Quad Cities Business News that he was genuinely surprised when he learned he had been nominated. “All of us associated with the FFC are honored. But the honor belongs to everyone who has helped support us and

our growth. We honestly believe that if what we do is of value, it multiplies and spreads to benefit the entire community.”

He said the success of FFC is the result of a clearly defined vision and execution of healthy solutions that benefit all walks of life.

FFC GROWTH CONTINUES

Currently, the FFC contains seven distinct businesses - a far cry from eight years ago when Quezada opened John Hancock Barbershop as the anchor for FFC in the one-story, 9,000-square-foot building. Since then, he and co-owner Burke worked with NACOG Yavapai County ARIZONA @Work Workforce Development Board to acquire grants and create opportunities to give back to the veteran community.

Such efforts resulted in FFC becoming a leader in the Quad Cities’ hospitality and entertainment industries.

Now operating out of the FFC building are these businesses: N City Tavern Taproom, the largest selfserve beer taproom in Arizona; N Merchant Coffee, which features local specialty coffees; N Seven-Six, an exclusive and nostalgic 1920s-style speakeasy; N Liberty Mercantile Shop, featuring items for men;

Grant Quezada, creator of the Founding Fathers Collective, enjoys a rare relaxing moment in front of a detailed painting honoring Founding Fathers of the United States. Photo by Ray Newton

N Founders Gym, a fully-equipped fitness center; N Mountain Tribe Jiu-jitsu Studio, which serves youngsters as well as adults.

Beyond that, the FFC has several levels of membership for the community. Those memberships allow people to participate in weekly and monthly events such as Daily Happy Hour from 3

to 6 p.m., live music and entertainment on weekends, brunch on Saturday and Sundays, and poker games on Sunday afternoons.

Prescott businessman Phil Schafer, who owns Tri City Men’s Health along with other businesses, said he is supportive of the membership in the FFC and Grant Quezada for several reasons.

“I chose to renew my FFC memContinued on page 27

JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

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ATHENA Nominations Being Accepted High Tea to feature Business Coach Colleen Biggs

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

being who we were born to be comes from really leaning into your voice, he Quad Cities area is preparing into who you are and what makes you to recognize and celebrate local stand out,” she said. “We know who we are in the first four years of our women leaders who excel in life. We spend the rest of our lives business, support their communities trying to dig ourselves out of what and mentor others. Nominations are others have labeled us to be.” being accepted now through Aug. Biggs grew up in Chandler and, 1, for the third annual Prescott-area like a lot of little girls, imagined that ATHENA Award, an international the life she thought she was suphonor sponsored by Quad Cities posed to live included a prince, a big Business News and Prescott Woman Disney-esque wedding and a happily Magazine. ever after. But with her parents’ diBusiness Coach Colleen Biggs is vorce, she watched her mom’s world scheduled to be the keynote speaker, fall apart. presenting “Ignite your Personal For 12-year-old Colleen and her Power” at the ATHENA High Tea mom, life was a struggle. She began celebration, where the 2022 ATHEto realize that her little girl dream NA Award recipient will be andid not exist. As an adult, she took nounced. The event is scheduled for charge of her destiny and learned 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 18, at Starting to create the life she wanted. Today, Point in the Gateway Mall. Tickets that “amazing” life is highly focused and sponsorship tables are available on improving and changing other now.

Biggs has been a business coach for women’s lives by empowering and boosting female leaders to the next 22 years, is the founder and CEO of level.

The Leap Community, an organizaBiggs is an international speaker, tion that offers summits, workshops has co-authored “The Anatomy and retreats designed to empower of Accomplishment: Your Guide women to lead, and has helped to Bigger, Better, Bolder Business launch 340 businesses.

Results,” was a contributing author to “The whole motivation behind

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“Stop Waiting: Start Living,” and has published her own book “Step Into the Spotlight to Expand Your Influence and Attract the Right Clients.”

She also has written two journals and created a year-long mastermind program for high-achieving women to focus on their businesses and increase their visibility, capacity and wealth.

“Every single person I’ve coached is different. You need the ability to get into the map of their world to understand them first – who they are, what they need, what they are looking for – to assist and empower them for greatness.” QCBN To nominate an outstanding local female leader for the Prescott-area ATHENA Award and to reserve a seat at the ATHENA High Tea, go to https://prescottathena. com.

Hear more from Colleen Biggs on Zonie Living, the “Leading Ladies” edition, at https://starworldwidenetworks.com/ episodes/leading-ladies-who-empower-inspire-and-model-excellence-business-coach-colleen-biggs-entrepreneur-april-white-and-actress-mariette-hartley-video.

Business Coach Colleen Biggs is the 2022 ATHENA High Tea keynote speaker presenting “Ignite Your Personal Power.” Courtesy photo

Nationwide Crisis Line 988

Starting July 16th 988 is more than just an easy-to-remember number—it’s a direct connection to compassionate, accessible care and support for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress – whether that is thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

Polara Health Crisis Stabilization Unit | 8655 E Eastridge Drive Prescott Valley AZ 86314 www.polarahealth.com (928) 445-5211 Polara Health is a qualifying Arizona Charitable Tax Credit Organization.

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Business Woman QCBN

of the Month

Brenda Clouston Serves Up Southern Hospitality at Colt Grill Restaurateur operates four BBQ smokehouses

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

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randmothers are famous for touching our lives in significant ways and sometimes even helping us chart a path to our dreams. For Colt Grill BBQ & Spirits owner Brenda Clouston, her Grandma Helen was the fuel that fired Clouston’s four smokehouse restaurants.

With locations in Cottonwood, Prescott, Prescott Valley and Sedona, Clouston is quick to credit her grandmother. “Grandma Helen was a ranch woman who cooked huge meals for our family, always had a beautiful garden and cared for us all,” said Clouston, who employs a staff of 200 across her restaurants.

“I was raised in a small rural town and grew up in a country lifestyle. Our meals were centered around fresh barbecued steak, ranch beans, garlic bread, biscuits and fresh veggies. Those rowdy barbecues included our family and friends, so great memories were made.”

When Clouston followed her family to Cottonwood to live, she

realized she yearned for the food she was raised on in the style that she enjoyed. “I couldn’t find a restaurant that offered barbecue, a cool bar and cozy dining room.”

Harnessing her background in hospitality interior design and her culinary recollections, Clouston whipped up Colt Grill. “I came up with the ideas for the design and many of the menu items traveling home from our residence in North Carolina. As a Southerner, I know how they like to make you feel welcomed and serve up some really good food, and that’s what I wanted to do.”

The star of the show is the giant steel smoker. Clouston uses genuine hardwood to permeate the dishes with rich smoked flavors. Almost everything is smoked, including some of the desserts.

“We start the smoker around 6 in the morning and shut it down around 8 p.m.,” said Cottonwood Colt Grill Manager Kody Garratt. “Our style is a walk-up grill. Customers enter, we hand them menus and they take a seat inside the dining room or out on the patio. People absolutely adore the

Colt Grill owner Brenda Clouston wanted to create a restaurant that reflected the country lifestyle she grew up with.

Photo by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography

menu. We have some customers that come here every day. There’s nothing like it out there.”

Entrees such as the beef brisket, smoked chicken, baby back ribs, smoked turkey sandwich and wraps,

The smokers are the stars of the restaurants. Clouston keeps them going from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Photo by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photograph

specialty salads and fish and chips are a few items on the menu, and the savory barbecue sauce bar is a paragon of flavor.

With seven flavors listed from mild to hot, Garratt says the most popular barbecue sauce is the Kansas City Blend. Others include Round the Campfire, Texas Tang, Desert Heat and Holy Habanero.

Cottonwood residents Michael and Lisa DuVernay call the veggie burgers phenomenal. “They’re made in-house and they’re really big. We’ve never eaten a whole one.”

Camp Verde resident Becky Corban took her granddaughter to Colt Grill for lunch and found her favorite restaurant. “We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the food was wonderful. I highly recommend the veggie burger and sweet potato fries.”

The popularity of Colt Grill may get another boost from Guy Fieri. “Guy’s producer called and said they might feature us in the fall,” said Clouston. “What sets us apart is that everything on our menu is made from scratch and centered around smoked meats cooked low and slow, which results in extreme flavor.”

The Colt Grill is also all about

family. Brenda’s husband, Bob, a general contractor, built the restaurants and keeps the kitchens running smoothly. “Our daughter, Amanda (Mandy), handles all the marketing, and our son, Carson, fabricated all our steel smokers.”

Clouston credits her staff as well. “We really have great employees. Restaurant work is extremely difficult, and these people work very hard.”

Grateful for the success of the restaurants, Clouston says she strives to keep prices down and give back to the communities where they do business. “We like to support local community events and try to help out as much as we can. It’s important for me to know that we are using our restaurant in a way that helps others.”

Catering for weddings and events of every size is offered at Colt Grill, with the option of pick-up, delivery and full service set up. QCBN Colt Grill restaurants are located in Old Town Cottonwood, Prescott Valley, Downtown Prescott and the Village of Oak Creek. For more information, call 928-6341140 or visit https://coltgrill.com/.

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JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

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Leadership Skills Refined in Pandemic

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n a breakout session titled “Native Women Lead: Women Innovating in Business and Beyond,” conducted during the 2022 Reservation Economic Summit (RES), Tsé Bii’ Ndzisgai Community Center (TBNCC) Director Shandiin Herrera said she developed leadership skills by showing up for her community during the pandemic.

At the time, Herrera was a Hometown Fellow with Lead for America and was working with the Navajo Nation Oljato Chapter Government.

“Right then, the pandemic started and I saw anxiety and frustration throughout my community,” she said. “I had to think outside the box to figure out how I could help my people.”

By seeking out like-minded women who were also trying to protect their communities, Herrera helped cofound the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund.

“Through the Relief Fund, we’ve raised over $18M and provided relief to families in Navajo and Hopi communities,” she said. “We thought down the road because we didn’t want our communities to remain in these vulnerable states forever. We needed to bring long-term solutions to help provide access to resources

for our people.”

One solution that she led was establishing a community center that provided educational and business resources to students and entrepreneurs in her home community of Monument Valley.

The TBNCC was launched in August 2021 and, to date, has hosted more than 1,300 visitations and 510 unique visitors. The center provides community members with access to computers, printers, Wi-Fi, shared workspace, a conference room and a library.

Herrera said she was able to effect change by investing her time and energy into rebuilding her community during the pandemic. She had to build trust with her elder community members to earn their respect.

“I tell young people that they are needed here and together we can redefine what success looks like,” she said. “I encourage folks to think about this and how we can foster leadership in our youth.”

The panel took place on Tuesday, May 24, at RES 2022, which was held at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Herrera’s co-panelists were Mille Lacs Band Chairwoman Melanie Benjamin, Cook Inlet Tribal Council

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Downtown Corridor Taking Shape p. 3 American Icon Closing its Doors p. 4

Athena Coming to Prescott p. 6 Bringing Renewable Energy to Navajo Nation p. 8

New SANA Hospi Community Medictal Fills al Needs S

By Ray Newton,

QCBN

aying everyone in the community will benefit from the opening of a state-of-the art hospital, Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli welcomed executives, administrators, healthcare professionals, elected officials, staff personnel and residents at the grand opening of SANA Behavioral Hospital during afternoon ceremonies on Dec. 9.

2020 ISSUE:

Considering Corals on Next Beach Vacation Your p.11 Community Profile: Saddling Up with Joe Marshall p.

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The parking lot was crowded as visitors toured the SANA in Prescott 15,378-squarewas based on exfoot, one-story, tensive research recently constructed about medical needs viding acute integrated in-patient medical facility, of the broader community. psychiatric and medical estimated to cost care to between $9 million adults age 65 and Pierce told the crowd and $10 million. above on Medicare, occupancy will begin that official SANA Hospital and 55 and above Administrator with additional when the AriPamela K. Pierce zona Department contractors as they introduced Kirk of Health Services add SANA to the Olsen, principal Medical Licensing provider networks. and owner of ERH unit Healthcare, a Salt hospital and licenses surveys the In an exclusive interview Lake it with Quad hospital development City-based Hospital in Geriatric as a “Specialty Cities Business News, Pierce, a highly company that Psychiatry.” manages SANA That was expected credentialed behavioral hospitals. to occur at the end health leader of December, she Olsen said the decision with more than 30 said. years of experience, to build described the 24-bed The hospital will focus on prohospital with 14 Continued on

Winfield at the Ranch Preparing for Reside nts page 39

By Ray Newton, QCBN was once the site of one luxurious apartments the wealthiest quartz of arketing itself as will exore gold tract spectacular mines in Central vistas “Prescott’s premier Arizona. south over panoramic looking Located on the eastern luxury apartment rolling hills and natural of Prescott and nestled edge community,” Winfield surroundon the at the ings toward the south side of Bullwhacker Ranch is nearing Bradshaw competition.

Hill, Mountains. the site was famous Pre-leasing is to for almost begin this The six-building 60 years – 1876 to month, with new apart1936 – as residents ment complex at Bullwhacker Mine. expected to begin 1470 Lee Records moving in Circle will house show that hundreds around March 1.

100 apartof gold ore were extractedtons of ment units, all of which Luxury may be the from germane the steep elevated views. Residentshave term for the apartments, hillsides before the here for will have almost mine closed. they are being built immediate on what access to retail shopping Now, those who rent the and

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The soon-to-be completed 100 luxury apartments Prescott will feature at Winfield at one and two-bedroom begin in March. units on a seven-acrethe Ranch on the east boundary Photo by Ray Newton of property. Occupancy is scheduled January 2020 |

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WHO’S THE

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BEST OF THE BEST?

OUR BEST OF BUSINESS WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED ON PAGE 32

INSIDE THE FEBRUARY

Director Shandiin Herrera said she was able to effect change by investing her time and energy in rebuilding her community by co-founding the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund. Courtesy photo

Willow Creek Apart Ready for Occup ments ancy A

By Ray Newton,

QCBN

rea residents who prefer apartments in the north-central area of Prescott now have that opportunity.

Willow Creek Apartments, a 160unit complex on a five-acre development located at 3137 Willow Creek Road, is accepting renters for studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom carriage house apartments. and

Owner-developer Cole Johnson told the Quad Cities house building and Business News fitness center. that the garden-style The approximate value apartments had been many years project is approaching of the total in the making. $40 million, Johnson said.

“We now have from the City of Prescott certificates Six apartment floor of occupancy. plans range Residents are moving in square footage from about 670 to in. I’m thrilled to see these new 1,188 square feet. residents in what Floor plans can be I believe are the nicest viewed at willowcreekaptsprescott. apartments of their type in the com/floorplans. community.”

Rental rates also can be viewed on the There are seven same link, Johnson buildings in the complex, one of said. They range which is the clubfrom $1,100 to $1,768 a month. Some utilities are included.

ERAU, Lowell Observatory Partner Up p. 4 Forest Health Hero Retires from Academia p.

6 Blushing Cactus Photography Showcases Quad Cities p. 8 Barrett-Jackson Gleams

2020 ISSUE:

with Car Show Tradition p. 11 Community Profile: Craig Brown Discusses Jail, Water Concerns p. 13

Currently, those interested can take advantage of the grand opening promotion, which allows the choice of a six-month rental option. Also available is an extended stay rental for a minimum of 30 days.

Johnson said all units feature a fullsize washer and dryer, stainless steel kitchen appliances, granite counter tops and spacious living areas with wood plank flooring and carpeting, Continued on

page 36

Region Celebrates Terminal Constru Airport ction

By Ray Newton, QCBN tossing of dirt to initiate during years of planning construction process. the fter years of planning, and preparation.

Prescott Regional an official groundAirStating the new port Director Robin breaking for the terminal Sobotta $15 will make it possible praised the support million passenger to inshe and terminal at crease the number the city Prescott Regional of flights to Airport had Aviationreceived from Federal and from Prescott, more than 200 invited Administration she emphaguests sized it would have Regional Administrator applauding and a dramatic cheering on Mark economic McClardy and his impact on the rethe afternoon of colleagues.

Jan. 7 gional economy.

She also thanked Dignitaries from Sobotta said TransportaPrescott, economic studies tion Security Administration Prescott Valley and reveal the Chino new terminal could Assistant Valley joined state generate as and federal Director Federal Security much as $160 million officials in the ceremonial Justin Bryant for annually the for the local economy. support the TSA provided

A

Dignitaries from around Airport’s new terminal. the Quad Cities dug in during the groundbreaking Photo

by Kay Lyons

February 2020

ceremony for Prescott

Regional

| Issue 2 Volume 8

WHO’S THE

President and CEO Gloria O’Neill, and CEO of Tinhorn Consulting

Meet Your Local Banking Experts: Tony Hannigan Vice President, Commercial Banking thannigan@alliancebankofarizona.com (928) 214-3422 John Fockler Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager john.fockler@alliancebankofarizona.com (928) 214-3410

alliancebankofarizona.com One of Forbes’ Best Banks in America Year After Year

Alliance Bank of Arizona, a division of Western Alliance Bank.

Member FDIC. Western Alliance Bank ranks high on the Forbes “Best Banks in America” list year after year.

It’s not just about understanding the numbers.

It’s about a banker who understands your business.

Continued on

page 39

BEST OF THE BEST?

OUR BEST OF BUSINESS WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED ON PAGE 32

April Tinhorn. QCBN

10 Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2022

quadcitiesbusinessnews.com

Get in at the foot of the wave for RV and luxury boat storage.

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ROI is strong with building costs at one-third of mini-storage facilities.

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Participating at the Winslow J.U.M.P. event were Arizona Ranger Lieutenant Mark Rothstein, Winslow Police Department Detective Sergeant Jason Thermen, Arizona Ranger Master Sergeant Dawnna Ybarra, Winslow Police Department Lieutenant Ron Blass, Arizona Ranger Leon Schlich and Arizona Ranger Sergeant Barbara Morris. Courtesy photo

Guinness World Record Holder Encourages Kids to Jump Up

D

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

emonstrating how quick the legendary Arizona Rangers are on their feet, jump-roping Guinness World Record Holder Mark Rothstein provided an inspirational program and demonstration to Winslow youth through a J.U.M.P event (Jump Up for our Military and Police), June 19, at the Route 66 Plaza.

Rothstein claimed the world record by jumping rope for 36 hours. He delivers messages around the state about keeping fit, showing integrity and reminding children that police officers and military personnel are their friends.

The Arizona Rangers are a special brand of highly trained law enforcement volunteers who

got their start in the early 1900s. They were called in to rid the West of outlaws, bandits and gangs of bad guys who made travel dangerous for those crossing the Arizona Territory. Many of the original Arizona Rangers had fought alongside Theodore Roosevelt as members of his famous Rough Riders – the first U.S. volunteer Cavalry.

Today, Arizona Rangers continue the tradition of answering the call when they are needed – visible at parades, festivals, air shows and in schools – to help keep the order and back up law enforcement. QCBN Meet two members of the Arizona High Country Ranger Company on Zonie Living. Visit starworldwidenetworks.com.

Yavapai College Receives Finalist Award from Bellwether College Consortium

Y

avapai College (YC) was selected from among 3,300 members to receive a prestigious Bellwether Award at the annual Community Colleges Futures Assembly, cited for its “cutting-edge, trend-setting programs worthy of replication.” YC President Lisa Rhine, pictured here with Community Relations and Student Development Vice President Rodney Jenkins, said the award solidifies the commitment the college has to innovative programs that are accessible and affordable.

QCBN Photo by Ray Newton

JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

@quadcitiesbusinessnews

// LEADERSHIP TIPS FROM PRESCOTT-AREA ATHENA KEYNOTE PRESENTER COLLEEN BIGGS

Leave a Legacy through Leadership

W

By Colleen Biggs

e have all heard the phrase “Take a leap of faith,” but what does that really mean in the big scheme of life?

Does it mean that we take careless risks, or lead our lives blindly into the unknown because we have faith in the “Leap?” No, it does not! I have applied the meaning of what “leaping” means to me in the acronym L.E.A.P. In my world, L.E.A.P. means to Lead with an Enhanced Acceleration to reach your Peak Performance.

You might have caught a glimpse of the cover of the famous book, “The Big Leap.” If you haven’t, let me describe it for you. There is a small fish bowl of water and a large fish bowl of water. The goldfish has leaped from the small bowl and is in mid-air, leaping to the large bowl. This signifies what we all know to be true. If we truly want lasting growth in our lives and in our businesses, we must “Leap” with the faith we have in ourselves that we can arrive and be the true leaders we desire to be.

In the newfound “water” there are more opportunities, more abundance, more of EVERYTHING! We are our own safety nets, period!

So, why are so many individuals afraid of the Leap? The most common answer is fear. Without the desire to grow, change and become a better version of ourselves, we remain in the same “fishbowl” that we have created as our reality. We remain stuck, fearful of the outcome.

As leaders, we cannot focus on what happens to us, we must focus on what is happening for us. Look up every once in a while and reap the benefits of what is happening around you: those you can meet, those that collaborate with you, those that are looking to you for guidance and direction. Opportunities are endless. If we seek, we shall find. But, just like a goldfish, we outgrow our “bowls.”

Have you heard about the proximity principle? You are the combination of the five people you hang around the most. You most likely have the same net worth, like some of the same foods, enjoy the same activities, etc. This can keep you stuck if you are around those unwilling to grow. Leaping to the new bowl offers the opportunity for you to meet someone new, put yourself in a new crowd, develop new skills that form into new habits and take on new leadership roles in your business, career, family and community. Let’s break down L.E.A.P. so we can diminish the fear that sets in whenever we think of doing something that we have never done before.

L is for Lead The clear definition of leadership is simple: someone is following you. Now, think in your life about who that someone might be. Who is a raving fan of yours? Who are you leading now in your life? Is it someone at work, someone in your community, a friend, family member, or colleague? We are all leaders in some way. It helps to know who you lead now so you can determine who you want to lead in the future. Back in 1989, I started work-

ing for corporate America and the climb up the ladder began. As my career grew, I stepped into leadership roles without asking permission of others. I led hundreds of CEOs - in fact, it was over 300 CEOs - in building massively successful businesses, led internal employees to ask for what they wanted in their careers, to fight for themselves, led successful fundraisers and created successful programs within the company that increased employee retention and overall gratitude within the office. We have the power within us to shine our greatest value, our personal power to build up others.

E is for Enhanced To enhance means to intensify. Now that I am a successful entrepreneur, working with my clients is all about intensifying their message and purpose. Be bold and put yourself out there for others to know, like and trust! By sharing who you really are, sharing your wisdom and experience, people can relate to you, and when they can relate to you, they grow to like you, trust you and even want to work with you as an authority if you can solve their problem. I see too many times that individuals in business do not take the leadership role of themselves and create that authority. Let’s face it. No one out there has ever been you, will ever be you, so there is only one YOU! Leverage all of that, including your degrees, to your advantage by being transparent with others. I’m a 1st-degree black belt in Taekwondo and have that on my LinkedIn profile. Why, you ask? Because to me it was just as hard if not more difficult than college! I gained so many valuable lessons about breaking through mental blocks, how it feels to have a strong mind and body, and what I’m capable of. I’m not sure of one single college that teaches us those life lessons. Be the authority of you, it works. I guarantee it!

A is for Acceleration If you are like me, you may not be very patient. Now I understand that patience is a virtue. I wasn’t in line the day God handed out “patience,” but it can be practiced.

Be of the mindset to accelerate all that you can.

That must be why I enjoy cooking instead of baking. Baking requires exact measurements and A LOT of patience to watch bread rise, beat it back down, then rise again, roll it and finally cook it. When I cook, I throw ingredients in a cast iron pan (a hot one at that) and whip up something quick! This is the way I enjoy working. You can accelerate the growth of your company by creating power plays and partnerships with others. Accelerate the growth through additional learning and surrounding yourself with those individuals who fuel your success, not snuff it out! Remember earlier when I talked about who you are surrounding yourself with? Don’t be afraid to ask others for what you want, ask yourself for what you want, and, most importantly, ask God! Figure out what it is that you want in your business and go for it!

P is for Peak Performance We are never Continued on page 30

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2022

quadcitiesbusinessnews.com

// COMMUNITY PROFILE // BY RAY NEWTON, QCBN

New Chef Helps Barley Hound Survive Pandemic Tony Burris shares his love for creative culinary cuisine

restaurant into what it is today. We’re fortunate to have him as the executive chef creating our most elevated dishes.”

I had the opportunity to create a totally new and different culinary experience for diners and I think we’ve done it. But it was challenging.”

That’s how Tony Burris described accepting the role of executive chef at The Barley Hound last October.

The newly remodeled restaurant, located at 234 South Cortez, is in an eye-catching Victorian-style home with roots dating back to the early 1900s.

Burris said owner Skyler Reeves recently had spent a “substantial amount of money” remodeling both the exterior and interior. “We’ve now got not only a distinct visual appearance, but also a varied, diverse menu that we’ll be changing to fit the seasons of the year,” said Burris.

“Chef Tony has created an exceptional menu that’s reflective of his ingenuity,” said Reeves. “He’s been an integral part of building the

THE RESTAURANT NOW IS BEING MARKETED AS A GASTROPUB.

“

Burris explained, “That’s a coined phrase. It combined gastronomy, a British word that means the art of choosing, preparing and eating food from a given culture, with ‘pub’ – a term associated with popular meeting places for people who want to eat and drink in a very social public place.

That’s what we have here: a menu with items to please adventurous eaters, along with some of the more familiar items and craft beers from Arizona. Our cocktails are tailored locally, quite unique. The same is true of our menu. For instance, our oxtail soup or sous vide barbecue prime pork ribs or a Scottish egg are every bit as tasty as a ground chuck cheeseburger and fries.”

Burris and his colleagues routinely change the menu, offering items that fit the time of day and season. One

major change too, was the adding of a Sunday brunch to the regular hours.

Offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays, the brunch menu ranges from traditional bacon and eggs to Fried Green Tomato Eggs Benedict and Chorizo and Black Bean Breakfast Tacos.

Regular hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The restaurant is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

The staff has increased to meet the many changes. Four people work in the kitchen, two in dishwashing and eight at the front of the restaurant.

WHY BARLEY HOUND?

“Barley refers to one of the ingredients used to make whiskeys – and we have a great selection of them,” said Burris. “Hound refers to the dog-friendly patio, where we encourage our patrons to bring their pets. In fact, customers can actually order a dog bowl – rice and beef – and we’ll serve their dogs on a frisbee out on the patio.”

Burris was recruited by Reeves,

Executive chef Tony Burris and sous chef Eric Hernandez take great pride in the unusual meals they create at the recently remodeled The Barley Hound restaurant at 234 South Cortez. Photo by Ray Newton

a longtime friend and proprietor of the Vivili Hospitality Group (VHG), the largest restaurant group in Prescott. VHG includes The Barley Hound, Rosa’s Pizzeria, Taco Don’s,

The County Seat and La Planchada Taqueria. It also supports Hawk & Hound Catering and Events.

Burris was born in Kansas but grew Continued on page 13

JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

@quadcitiesbusinessnews

Big Enough for Three

Are you caring for a loved one?

Come and experience the benefits of socialization and extraordinary care.

J

oey Sensing of Prescott is having a great summer. Shown here with his wife, Rebecca and Sportsman’s Warehouse’s Ross Rosier, Braden Clark and Kyle Hendrickson, Sensing is standing in front of the truck he won through Sportsman’s Special Edition RAM Giveaway out of more than 375,000 entries nationwide. Sensing is an avid outdoors person and long-time customer who says he is “in the store pretty much every week.” Sportman’s celebrated Sensing’s win on Saturday morning, June 11, at the Sportman’s Warehouse in Prescott’s Frontier Village Center. A week later, Rebecca gave birth to their first child. Fortunately, the cab has a back seat! QCBN

• Sense of purpose and belonging • Decreased isolation and depression • Improved cognitive health

Photo by Kay Lyons

BARLEY HOUND continued from page 12

up in Grand Island, Nebraska. He had worked with Reeves earlier in the catering business. “I was excited to move into the remodeled Barley Hound and push people’s boundaries with new culinary experiences,” he said. “I was able to draw upon my experience as a graduate of the Scottsdale Culinary Institute in 2008 and then my professional experience at a very upscale resort in Tucson: Canyon Ranch Resort. While there, I was lucky. I learned all stations of the kitchen in this very exclusive full-service resort. It has every The recently renovated front patio of The Barley Hound appeals imaginable amenity for guests. I had a chance to experience some to pet owners, who are welcomed guests at the popular Prescott restaurant. Photo by Ray Newton exciting and exotic menus. I am bringing those concepts to the Prescott area.”

MOST DIFFICULT FOOD TO PREPARE No stranger to the region, Burris first moved Seasoned scallops because they require absolute here when he was 21. He attended Prescott attention at every step – from preparation to College and earned a degree in environmental cooking. Being especially attentive to cooking sciences. “I always remember the friendly, temperature is critical. small-town vibe of Prescott and the sense of community that was here. That’s what brought BEST ADVICE EVER RECEIVED me back.”

I’m paraphrasing Michael Jordan when he said, Now 44, Burris says his focus at The Barley “Failure is not a reason to create excuses but a Hound is to push people’s dining boundaries. reason to find ways to correct mistakes.”

“The inspiration behind our new menu is balancing the creative spins of comfort food I MUSIC I LOVE grew up with in an approachable experimenta- I’ll listen to almost anything, but my real favortion of different flavor profiles that will surprise ites are blues and rock, especially sounds from tastebuds.”

20 to 25 years ago when I could understand the words.

FAVORITE MEAL

No doubt, a well-seasoned 12- to 14-ounce ribeye steak with mashed potatoes, sautéed carrots and bell peppers, followed by vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate chip cookies.

FAVORITE LEISURE ACTIVITY

Being outside in the natural environment, especially when I have my adorable Australian shepherd Zulu with me. QCBN

The Margaret T. Morris Center

Since 1999, Northern Arizona’s only assisted living community specializing solely in memory care.

928-445-6633

Locally Managed Nonprofit

The Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center

Since 1982, supporting those with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other illnesses, who are still living at home.

928-775-3563

Serving the Quad City Area for 30 Years

AdultCareServices.org

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2022

quadcitiesbusinessnews.com

// BUSINESS CENTS // BY BONNIE STEVENS

Making a Great Commotion

M

iss Anna Durkee made history when, acting on a tip, she purchased gold mining property near Oatman in 1914. Two years later, the Wichita Daily Eagle reported that it was for “an insignificant sum.” The headline read, “Tip Gave Her a Fortune.”

Miss Anna, who had become one of the world’s foremost women mine owners, was not flattered by the attention. In fact, she seemed annoyed.

“I can’t see why a woman cannot run a gold mine just as well as a man,” she told the reporter. “If a man were successful in his investments as I have been, nothing would be thought of it, but because I am a woman there is a great commotion over it.”

That’s right, Miss Anna! Some of us will continue to make a great commotion over your success because, for one reason, the right for women to own property in the United States was an evolving process that continued even into the 20th Century!

We can thank Mother Road Brewing Company for digging up this gold nugget about Miss Anna and naming a brew in her honor. Mother Road’s Director of Arizona Craft Beer Steph-

anie Henderson says every year since 2015, “the Women’s Collaboration Brew showcases the amazing women who work in Arizona’s craft beer industry while supporting community organizations.”

Staying true to Mother Road’s pioneering theme, the folks at the brewery featured Miss Anna and her story with the Women’s Collaboration craft beer called “Great Commotion” in 2021.

Proceeds from Great Commotion benefited women’s shelters across the state, including Prescott Area Women’s Shelter and Northland Family Help Center. And that’s a legacy worth touting, Miss Anna!

I’ve been thinking about the character of this gold-mining pioneer woman while reading “What Will They Say About You When You are Gone?” Author Rabbi Daniel Cohen encourages readers to live inspired, celebrate the gift of every moment and make courageous choices that reflect core values.

“The word ‘courage’ derives from the Latin root cor, which means ‘heart,’” he writes. “A courageous choice is based on inner principles and not external pressure. A coura-

geous choice emerges from a steadfast commitment to our values.”

I’m guessing Miss Anna was courageous, full of heart and too busy with the challenges of running mines to wonder what anyone else was thinking about her, especially not a newspaper a great distance away or one operating more than a century later. But that’s the thing about having the courage to take actions rooted in our hearts, in our inner principles.

We should be intentional with our choices, because others might be noticing and talking about us when we’re gone, maybe even 100 years from now!

As Rabbi Cohen points out, “Oftentimes the route to building character and influence hinges on our choices – both large and small – that Arizona’s Mother Road Brewing Company served up a Great Commotion under this we make every day.” label last year, with proceeds benefiting women’s shelters across the state.

Cheers to Miss Anna for making Courtesy photo courageous choices, to the Wichita Daily Eagle for recognizing her work and to Mother Road Brewing Comactions from Stephanie Henstarworldwidenetworks.com pany for honoring and building on derson and tips for reverse her success. QCBN engineering your life from Bonnie Stevens is a public

Visit Zonie Living to hear more about Mother Road Brewing Company’s impactful

Rabbi Daniel Cohen. Find Zonie Living: Business, Adventure and Leadership at www.

relations consultant. She can be reached at bonnie.stevens@ gmail.com.

Two Great Places to Stay in Prescott!

Our

Season

Bringing Outstanding Musical Performances to Prescott

Listen with Your Heart

Offering spacious mini-suites with kitchenettes, heated indoor pool and FREE breakfast.

Maestro Peter Bay

Season 2022-2023

Spacious suites with fully equipped kitchens.

Evening social events and FREE breakfast makes us a premier lodging choice.

928.776.0998

200 East Sheldon Street marriott.com/PRCSH facebook: springhillprescott

Art by Susanne@susanneclark.com

Residence Inn is conveniently located between Prescott and Prescott Valley, across from the Trader Joe’s Marketplace.

Begins August 21, Maestro Peter Bay conducting

Concert Details and Season Tickets Available Now Announcing The Nutcracker in collaboration with the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet Presented by the James Family Trust

Photo by Hank Gans

Springhill Suites is located in historic downtown Prescott, an easy walk to Whiskey Row, local restaurants and nightlife.

928.775.2232

3599 Lee Circle, Prescott marriott.com/PRCRI facebook: residenceinnprescott

Visit AZPhil.org for best seating and prices today.

JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

@quadcitiesbusinessnews

YRMG Cardiologist Lives Life with Heart

M

By Bridget O’Gara

any people have important childhood experiences that steer them toward their life’s work. Few, however, can point to an event as significant as testifying before the United Nations at 11 years old. That experience motivated Olufunso Odunukan, MD, MPH, FACC, FSCAI – an interventional cardiologist who recently joined Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group (YRMG) – to pursue a career in medicine.

“At the time, there was a big famine in Ethiopia,” says Dr. Odunukan, who was born and raised in the African country of Nigeria, approximately 2,000 miles west of Ethiopia.

“That early exposure to advocacy and children’s health issues inspired me. I resolved to become a pediatrician. I did become a doctor, but as life would have it, I became intrigued by other subjects, one of them being cardiology.”

THE INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY REVOLUTION

Dr. Odunukan’s passion for cardiology was sparked during an internal medicine internship at the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education in Rochester, Minnesota. There, he grew to appreciate how important the heart is to organs throughout the body. Inspired by this, Dr. Odunukan took his education to another level during two interventional cardiology fellowships at the prestigious Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California.

Dr. Odunukan’s medical education coincided with groundbreaking advancements that expanded non-surgical – or minimally invasive – treatment options for people with valvular heart disease, such as aortic stenosis, mitral valve regurgitation and more. These interventional cardiology procedures reduce the need for open heart surgeries, shorten hospital stays and return people to their lives quickly.

“Basically, we’ve found ways to close holes and repair tight or leaky heart valves without even opening the heart,” says Dr. Odunukan.

“This has given the frail elderly – many who are not strong enough for open heart surgery – a second chance at life. And that is so inspiring to me.”

A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION

Dr. Odunukan’s avid curiosity has motivated him to seek new experiences throughout his medical education. He participated in two global health exchange programs: one

in Finland and another in the Philippines.

During his fellowships, Dr. Odunukan became intrigued with how interventional cardiology was practiced in areas with few resources. This led him to spend a month working – and learning – in the Cath Lab of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the leading healthcare institution in New Delhi, India.

“In the U.S.,” Dr. Odunukan says, “I’ve lived in 10 states in 15 years.”

Many of these moves were related to Dr. Odunukan’s interventional cardiology training. However, he also pursued opportunities to practice cardiology in rural South Dakota, Georgia and West Virginia.

FOR THE SAKE OF PATIENTS

Dr. Odunukan’s experiences have made him an expert at caring for patients across the cardiology spectrum.

“It’s incredibly gratifying to save someone’s life by removing a blood clot that’s blocking their heart and then to place a stent that will keep their blood flowing,” he says. “There’s also great joy in helping someone manage their risk factors – like hypertension and diabetes – to optimize their quality of life.”

EMBRACING A NEW COMMUNITY

As you would expect of someone who has thrived in a variety of locations, Dr. Odunukan has wasted no time getting involved in his new community. He recently hiked the Tonto Rim Trail in the Grand Canyon with a group from Yavapai College.

“The Quad Cities area is known for its excellent climate and outdoor activities,” Dr. Odunukan says. “There are lots of opportunities for a good work-life balance.”

GETTING IN TOUCH

Dr. Odunukan is located on the campus of Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) West in the new Outpatient Services Building West at 1001 Willow Creek Road, Suite 2200, in Prescott. To schedule an appointment, call YRMG Cardiology at (928) 445-6025. QCBN Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in healthcare.

She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2022

quadcitiesbusinessnews.com

James Family Trust Sponsors Nutcracker Christmas Celebration

A

By Sandy Farrell

rizona Philharmonic (AZ Phil) announced the upcoming seven-concert 2022-2023 season at an event in May, and were delighted when two of the guests, Ron and Laura James, surprised the gathering with the announcement of their sponsorship of “A Nutcracker Christmas Celebration,” a firsttime collaboration with the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet (MFAB) Alumni.

“When Ron told me about it, I said, ‘We have to do it!’” exclaimed Laura James. In addition to the two public performances Dec. 17 and 18 at the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center, the James Family Trust sponsorship will also fund a performance Dec. 16 for the community’s schoolchildren. Season tickets are now available at AZPhil.org for the best seating and prices.

“We are thrilled to collaborate on this iconic Christmas performance with the MFAB Alumni and the Yavapai Youth Choirs, and plan to expand to the full Nutcracker performance in the future as the academy grows in its new Prescott home,” added AZ Phil Executive Director Henry Flurry.

CONCERT SEASON LINEUP

The AZ Phil season begins Aug. 21 with Maestro Peter Bay returning to Prescott to open Arizona Philharmonic’s fifth season conducting a full orchestra in a joyful program entitled “Dancing from Tonga to Vienna.” Pianist and Steinway Artist Thomas Pandolphi will join the performance. Sept. 25 will see the return of the Sonoran Winds Quintet, comprised of Arizona Philharmonic’s five principal woodwind players, for another captivating concert.

“Classic Wines in New Bottles” will be presented on Oct. 16,

by Maestro Peter Bay, a concert of music inspired by composers and genres from earlier eras. Violinist Katie McLin solos in J.S. Bach’s “Violin Concerto No. 2.” AZ Phil also honors the people of Ukraine with Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk’s “Melody,” a beautiful work embraced as a spiritual anthem for the nation.

NEW TO PRESCOTT: A NUTCRACKER CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

In collaboration with the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet, AZ Phil is delighted to bring a full orchestra to the stage conducted

by British conductor Alexander

Henry Flurry (left) announces the James Family Trust sponsorship of “A Nutcracker Christmas Celebration” at the Arizona Philharmonic 2022-2023 Season Announcement event, with Laura and Ron James. Courtesy Photo

Walker to present “A Nutcracker Christmas Celebration,” Dec. 17 and 18, for a memorable evening of festive holiday dance and music. International alumni of the Academy dance to Tchaikovsky’s iconic “Nutcracker Suite” and Frederick Ashton’s “Les Patineurs,” a winter ballet set to the music of Giacomo Meyerbeer. Under the direction of Arlene Hardy, The Yavapai Youth Choirs complement these performances with their angelic

voices accompanying the orchestra in the ballet and in Christmas music.

“We are delighted for the James Family Trust sponsorship to bring this unique artistic collaboration to the stage this year and anticipate expanding it in future years to a full Nutcracker production,” said Flurry.

Jan. 8, 2023, sees the return of Prescott-native and internationally-acclaimed Steinway artist James D’León, as he once again joins

the Arizona Philharmonic String Quartet for another stunning piano quintet concert. Violinist Katie McLin, other principal string players of Arizona Philharmonic, and D’León present Haydn’s classical “Piano Trio No. 39 in G major,” Robert Schumann’s luscious “Piano Quintet,” and Paul Schoenfield’s jazzy and sensuous “Cafe Music.”

Feb. 5 brings the percussion quartet, manos, to the stage, featuring AZ Phil’s principal percussionist Eddie Solomon now joining AZ Phil timpanist Maria Flurry and Tucson Symphony Orchestra percussionists Homero Cerón and Fred Morgan.

From delicate to bold to unabashedly fun, manos delights the ears and fills the soul with percussion’s wealth of musical possibilities.

The 2022-2023 season concludes April 2, with Dr. Joshua Harper’s elite chorus Quartz Ensemble performing “Elijah.” In their third appearance with Arizona Philharmonic, Quartz Ensemble returns to present a Joachim Linckelmann chamber orchestra arrangement of Felix Mendelssohn’s masterpiece, “Elijah.”

Once again, the stunning clarity of a 12-voice professional choir shines with the lighter orchestration that Linckelmann crafts.

Continued on page 27

JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

@quadcitiesbusinessnews

17

Healthy Cells Improve Productivity

By Jessica Dickinson and Anita Farrelly

A

re long hours, tight deadlines and stressful situations sucking the life out of you? Do you wish you could double your productivity, but don’t have the energy to get started?

Did you know symptoms of stress like fatigue, brain fog, headaches, muscle tension, insomnia, lack of sex drive, upset stomachs, irritability and frequent illnesses can all lead to health issues such as heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure and much more?

Imagine a perfect day where you are lying in a hammock, totally relaxed, smelling fresh green grass with a light breeze on your face. This physical state is what your body craves but then all of a sudden, stress enters and the hammock experience turns into a craziness. There are little irritants zipping around messing with your Zen, as you swat at them, causing your nervous systems to get reactive, anxious, frazzled and annoyed. These irritants are called ‘free radicals’ and when we have an imbalance in them in our bodies, we are in a state of oxidative stress. This leads to cell and tissue damage. The fix? Bug spray, in

the form of IV antioxidants, otherwise known as IV vitamin therapy.

IV therapy is an infusion of different vitamins and minerals directly into your bloodstream. The intravenous route is the fastest way to deliver these vital fluids, electrolytes and vitamins into the body to restore optimum hydration and support the immune system. IV fluids are absorbed directly into the bloodstream with more than 90% efficiency compared with approximately 40% to 50% or less with oral intake.

Your body needs essential vitamins and nutrients so you can function at your peak performance. You might be wondering, why would I volunteer to put a needle in my arm to get vitamins? Because we are what we absorb.

WHY WOULD WE NOT ABSORB PROPERLY?

Digestive disorders affect 35% to 70% of people at some point in their lives.

They can be caused by stress, age, infections, as well as social, psychological or chronic conditions. Regardless of the cause, this distress affects how and what we absorb from the foods we are eating.

And when you are not absorbing nutrients from food and supple-

ments, your immune system, energy, performance, productivity and mood are negatively impacted.

Benefits of some essential IV vitamins include: N Vitamin B helps to support the regulation of your mood and energy levels. It is crucial in maintaining both emotional and mental health.

N Vitamin C boosts immunity and can help to manage anxiety symptoms.

N Magnesium, known as the “relaxation” mineral, aids in mental and physical relaxation and is also effective at reducing anxiety and depression symptoms.

N Zinc is a necessary component in producing serotonin, which helps your body combat anxiety and regulate mood.

N Glutathione, the “master antioxidant,” is an indispensable molecule that helps flush out toxins. It’s been linked to longevity (also known as anti-aging), and can help protect us from diseases.

N And finally, and maybe most importantly, water. Dehydration can cause symptoms of depression, so just simply hydrating can aid the brain in regulating mood and increasing energy levels.

IV therapy quickly delivers vitamins and minerals into the bloodstream. Courtesy photo

IV hydration has been traditionally offered in the emergency room or hospital setting to rehydrate or replenish the sick patient. However, in the last several years, it has become a remedy for preventative health and holistic wellness, which offers relief for a variety of concerns, including stress, gastrointestinal malabsorption disorders, migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, depression and/ or the occasional overindulgence.

A quick 45-minute IV vitamin infusion, administered by a registered nurse under the direction of a medical director, can keep you happy, healthy and ready to take on the stressors of your day-to-day life.

And…happy cells enhance your productivity. QCBN Jessica Dickinson, RN, BSN and Anita Farrelly, RN, BSN, MBA/ HCM are the owners of Aboost Wellness.

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Addressing Home Maintenance Besides Cleaning

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By Lucy Leyva

hether you live in your home full time, half of the year, or own a vacation rental, there are home maintenance tasks that need to be periodically done to keep things running smoothly and to keep your home beautiful and safe. Sometimes these things get overlooked. Some of the reasons might be that you’re not at the home full time or that the time just slips away. Another reason might be difficulty reaching the high stuff. Many of us are not as agile as we used to be and just don’t want to climb on roofs and get on tall ladders. Let’s think about some of these tasks that need to be done.

The outside of your home is where you will be spending much of your time as the weather continues to warm up. Landscaping, clearing of weeds and excess plants, trimming of trees, and clearing out any junk piled up and collected during the year will improve your home’s curb appeal.

It will also be safer, as we are in fire season.

Clear the gutters and downspouts

of debris and leaves that have collected throughout the year. Clogged gutters can cause a back up and the water running over the facia can cause rot in the wood.

Windows! How else to enjoy the outdoors while inside than to have beautiful, sparkling-clean windows?

Make sure that the window cleaning includes cleaning out the tracks and cleaning the screens. Screens deteriorate over time and often need to be re-screened, but at least a good cleaning will make them look nice and let clean fresh air come into the home. Check all the seals and make sure that they are in good condition.

Look up high. Other interior maintenance tasks would include cleaning those high, out-of-reach fans, light fixtures and pot shelves. How about those air filters? Sometimes they are easily accessible and sometimes they are in the ceilings. Many of the homes here have very high ceilings and a regular six or even eight-foot ladder just doesn’t work. This makes these tasks difficult for many.

It’s very important to test

all your emergency systems including fire and smoke alarms, as well as carbon monoxide detectors. Replace batteries and make sure all systems are clean, charged and in working order. Fire, carbon monoxide and gas detection alarms should be tested often and new batteries installed each year. They are easy to forget, but essential for your family’s safety.

Hire professionals who are bonded and insured and businesses that are locally owned. They can make sure the jobs are done correctly, safely and with the right equipment, saving you from getting up on those roofs and high ladders.

Prescott Maid to Order would like to announce our new sister company Prescott Property Maintenance to assist you in the tasks in this article. We wish you all a happy, safe and healthy summer! QCBN Lucy Leyva is the owner of Prescott Property Maintenance LLC and Prescott Maid to Order LLC.

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Mentors are experienced entrepreneurs, corporate managers, and executives with a diverse set of industries and specialties who volunteer their experience and knowledge to help small business professionals start, develop, and grow businesses. They have assisted more than 29,000 small business in 2021 through free confidential mentoring and low-cost workshops.

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Yavapai College Passes Budget Without Tax Increase

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By Ray Newton, QCBN

rediting the District Governing Board and the administrative team, faculty and staff with exceptional fiscal efficiency, creativity and prudent management, Yavapai College (YC) President Lisa Rhine announced that the 2022-2023 budget was passed at the May 17 meeting.

“The Governing Board, led by Debbie McCasland, approved a $91.9 million budget. Once again, we did not have a tax increase. In fact, our budget this year was 1.7% lower than last year,” she said.

It’s the fourth consecutive year that no tax increase has been requested.

Rhine and Rodney Jenkins, YC vice president of community relations and student development, told Quad Cities Business News one reason for such success in budget management is because the college continues to grow in enrollment. It also reallocated existing resources to make programs and services more accessible throughout the entire college community with two campuses and four centers.

“We’re one of the few community colleges in the nation that is growing in enrollment,” said Rhine. “We think that’s because we focus on giving students access to practical programs that lead to good-paying jobs in meaningful careers here in Yavapai County. For example, our nursing and health sciences program is viewed as one of the best in the state. So are construction, applied and career technology curricula. Because of efforts through our business and management program, often in cooperation with our Regional Economic Center (REC), we’ve been able to develop really strong partnerships and internships with the business community for our students.”

The community college had a 58% increase in graduating students over the past three years.

“We’ve also increased our female enrollment to the point that now, more than 60% of our students are women,” said Jenkins. QCBN

JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

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How Viruses May Cause Hearing Loss

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By Karon Lynn, Au.D.

earing loss, including its causes, has been a topic of study since before the birth of audiology as a profession just after WWII. Hearing loss has been documented in Egyptian literature as early as 1550 B.C. An ancient medical journal describes a remedy for “ear that hears badly,” which included injecting olive oil, red lead, ant eggs and bat wings, among other substances into the ears! In Ancient Greece, there are mentions of hearing loss as early as the 10th century. Today, we understand more of what causes hearing loss and have come a long way in treating it.

WHY DO SOME VIRUSES CAUSE HEARING LOSS?

Viral infections can impact the auditory nerve, the blood vessels in the ear or

other parts of the body that contribute to hearing well. Each virus has its own path of destruction. Some viruses lay dormant until the body is not able to ward it off any longer because of other health issues. A virus can cause increased susceptibility to bacterial or fungal infection, which may cause hearing loss. As with most viral damage to our bodies, note the use of the words “may” and “can” when reading about viruses.

WHAT KIND OF HEARING LOSS CAN BE CAUSED BY A VIRUS?

The majority of viruses cause sensorineural hearing loss. This means that the hearing nerve or hearing organ are compromised. However, conductive and mixed hearing loss can also occur. This means that the mechanical pathway of hearing is compromised.

These hearing losses can range from mild to profound and can be in both

// These hearing losses can range from mild to profound and can be in both ears or only one. I have always found that unilateral hearing loss (hearing loss in one ear) from an invasion of a virus to be odd. //

ears or only one. I have always found that unilateral hearing loss (hearing loss in one ear) from an invasion of a virus to be odd. You would think that if a virus gets into your system that affects hearing, it would damage both ears, but that is not the case.

Some hearing loss from viruses can be mitigated by antiviral therapy. We do not understand enough about the viral process to provide a definite outcome to a person suffering with a virus.

There are so many variables, including an obvious one: how healthy the individual is. Is the body able to fight off the invasion and how successfully can it stay on top of it? Viruses are sneaky and may hang out for a bit before triggering the immune system.

CONGENITAL HEARING LOSS

There are viruses transmitted from a mother to her baby during pregnancy or during the birth process. The viruses known to cause congenital hearing loss are CMV, Rubella, HIV, HSV1 and HSV2. Many times, the newborn will have normal hearing but slowly acquire a hearing loss that will be evident around six to 12 months.

Rubella or German measles is thought to cause 32% of deafness.

Rubella is a viral infection that causes a skin rash and joint pain that is usually

mild in the person. However, it can be detrimental to an unborn baby if a pregnant woman contracts this virus.

Rubella causes direct damage to the hearing organ (cochlea) in an unborn baby. There is a vaccination for Rubella with 97% effectiveness at preventing the virus. I have seen many children with hearing loss from Rubella. When I first started practicing audiology, I saw more cases, but now because of the increased use of the vaccine, the numbers have been reduced significantly.

CMV (cytomegalovirus) causes inflammation in the cochlea in the unborn baby. This virus primarily hangs out in small children and goes home to the rest of the family members, including a pregnant mom. There is no vaccine for this virus.

THE USE OF VACCINES IN THE MITIGATION OF DISEASES

I have seen first-hand the devastation caused by viral and bacterial diseases.

Telling a parent that their beautiful child will have a permeant hearing loss is the most difficult part of my job. Discussing a sudden hearing loss secondary to a virus in a child or adult is extremely difficult. I documented a progressive hearing loss in a 5-year-old many years

ago. We never figured out what was causing it and were helpless while we watched her lose her hearing.

There are vaccines for viruses such as Polio, measles and mumps, which used to infect more than 90% of susceptible children. The chicken pox and shingles virus caused by Varicella-Zoster is another cause for hearing loss in some people. Meningitis can be viral or bacterial; both strains are big culprits of hearing impairment and other permeant physical dysfunction. There are new vaccinations available for some of the meningitis variants.

I always recommend vaccinations to people on the fence about taking them.

Scientifically, they are studied and documented to reduce or eliminate the targeted virus (have you seen a person with the physical deformities of Polio recently?). We have to keep up with the mutations, but that is a small price to pay for our health and lifestyle. QCBN Trinity Hearing Center is located at 1330 N. Rim Dr., Suite B in Flagstaff. For more information, visit TrinityHearing.net.

Karon Lynn, Au.D., is a doctor of audiology with 30 years of experience working with hearing impaired individuals. She may be reached at 928-522-0500 or at audio@trinityhearing.net.

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Workforce Development Solutions for Yavapai County

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By Teri Drew

rizona Town Hall recently partnered with the Yavapai County Workforce Development Board to convene and facilitate a discussion with employers and workforce development professionals about labor market challenges within the county and beyond. A significant portion of the discussion revolved around data that outlines worldwide demographic trends such as the approaching “sansdemic,” which means “without people.”

N The sudden mass exodus of Baby Boomers (workforce past). Whereas pre-pandemic, two million Baby Boomers were retiring annually, in 2020, more than three million retired.

N Worldwide, Baby Boomers did not replace themselves in equal numbers (the current and future workforce).

N Baby Boomers are the wealthiest generation in the history of the world and their children reap the benefits, including the option to work less than their parents.

N Millennial men are opting out of work or working less than past generations.

N The opioid epidemic has impacted labor force participation.

N Local data trends identified in recent surveys completed by Yavapai County employers and job seekers/ incumbent workers highlighted the following: N For employers, the single biggest issue identified was “not enough applicants.”

N For employees and job seekers, the single biggest issue identified was “pay and benefits.”

According to a May 23 Politico article by Eleanor Mueller, there were two job openings for every worker seeking employment in March.

Economists cite one reason for the mismatch as being a failure to effectively prepare workers for indemand roles. Many of the deficiencies are in sectors particularly crucial to a healthy supply chain, such as trucking and manufacturing.

Mueller notes that the United States lags behind other wealthy nations in spending on training workers: Here is how the U.S. ranks in spending on training unemployed workers as a percent of GDP, 2019: N France – 0.26% N Germany – 0.18%

N N N N

Italy – 0.13% Canada – 0.06% U.S. – 0.03% Japan – 0.01%

In the same article, Andy Van Kleunen, CEO of the non-profit National Skills Coalition, said, “We have let our workforce strategy atrophy, because we thought it was just going to be the engineers – the graduate-degree holders – that were going to solve our competitiveness posture. We need to be investing in folks at all layers of our workforce…”

U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh stated, “Just because the job training piece of Build Back Better hasn’t passed, doesn’t mean we don’t continue to do our job, we get creative.”

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, 74% of hiring managers reported in 2020 that there is a skills gap in the current labor market. Labor Economist Rachel Greszler at the Heritage Foundation is quoted as saying, “It’s not just that there aren’t enough workers, it’s that the workers that they do have don’t have the skills that they need to fill these positions. And a lot of that has to do with [how] the U.S. is not

teaching people the things that they need to go out into the workforce.”

Automation became more prominent in business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the need to reskill four in 10 workers.

Very much like what Labor Secretary Walsh said, in Yavapai County, we pride ourselves on having a solution-based, Kaizen mindset – continuous improvement. The way we used to do things has lost its effectiveness in a rapidly accelerating movement toward business realignment and labor re-skilling to meet current needs.

Here is where our best resources for skills training step in – the Business Assistance Center, located at 221 N. Marina Street in Prescott and operated by the Northern Arizona Council of Governments Economic and Workforce Development Division (NACOG EWD), is partnering with Yavapai College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) of Northern Arizona to provide training for entrepreneurs and small businesses to start, develop and grow their businesses through strategic growth and operations

planning and financial management, as well as job training grants, customized training, labor recruitment and development, proctoring, certification/licensing funding, labor market information and more.

We are fortunate in Yavapai County to have multiple resources such as these. It’s time to leave our silos and come together to serve, solve and sustain our economy and secure our place in workforce development innovation and success. QCBN

Teri Drew is the executive director for the Yavapai County Workforce Development Board.

AARP Seeks Andrus Award Nominees for Volunteer Impact

Prescott Bark Wins Moonshot Competition

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he AARP Arizona State Office is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Arizona Andrus Award for Community Service, which honors 50+ Arizonans who are sharing their experience, talent and skills to enrich the lives of their community members.

“AARP Arizona is excited to shine a light on 50+ Arizonans who are using what they’ve learned in life to make a difference in the lives around them,” said AARP AZ State Director Dana Marie Kennedy.

Nominations will be evaluated by the AARP Arizona State Office based on how the volunteer’s work has improved the community, reflected AARP’s vision and mission, and inspired other volunteers. The award recipient will be announced in early fall.

AARP Arizona Andrus Award for Community Service nominees must meet the following eligibility requirements: N Nominee must be 50 years or older.

N The achievements, accomplishments or service on which the nomination is based must have been performed on a volunteer basis, without pay. Volunteers receiving small stipends to cover

the costs associated with the volunteer activity are eligible.

N The achievements, accomplishments or service on which the nomination is based must reflect AARP’s vision and purpose.

N The achievements, accomplishments or service on which the nomination is based must be replicable and provide inspiration for others to volunteer.

N Partisan political achievements, accomplishments or service may not be considered.

N Couples or partners who perform service together are also eligible; however, teams are not eligible.

N Previous Andrus Award recipients are not eligible.

N Volunteers serving on the Andrus Award selection committee are not eligible.

N AARP staff members are not eligible.

N This is not a posthumous award.

The application deadline is July 15, 2022. QCBN For more information, contact Brenda Holt at bholt@aarp.org or 602-262-5162.

For a nomination form visit www.aarp.org/ AndrusAward.

By Ray Newton, QCBN

fter two rigorous competitions – one for the Quad Cities area, the other at state level – Prescott husband and wife team Mike and Elaine O’Connor won the 2021 AZ Pioneer Pitch Tour award in The 2nd Annual Shoemaker Awards, an event that celebrates entrepreneurship.

The O’Connors received a $10,000 check because of their innovative presentation of a plan to found Prescott Bark. The money was gifted by Arizona Public Service through Moonshot at NACET. They received the award during formal ceremonies June 17, at Little America in Flagstaff.

They were selected from among seven entrepreneurial efforts from throughout the state in a Shark Tankstyle competition designed to support innovative businesses that can foster jobs, provide a useful service and add to the economy in positive ways.

Elaine O’Connor told Quad Cities Business News that she will use the award as part of the goal of acquiring property and facilities to house between 80 to 120 dogs for boarding daycare, professional grooming and other premium dog care services. Prescott Bark also will have access to qualified veterinary services.

Prescott Bark also will have a “Bark Bus” to pick up and deliver dogs. Ultimately, pet-sitting also will be part of what the company will do, says O’Connor.

Initially, staff size will include at least 20 full-time and part-time employees.

The O’Connors moved to Prescott two years ago from Houston. Mike is from Texas, while Elaine is a native of Ireland. They conceived of Prescott Bark when they could not find facilities within the immediate area that could care for their two dogs without a long-standing reservation.

“I talked to city officials about the need for premium dog facilities. They suggested we work with the Small Business Development Center at Yavapai College. We did. That led to our being counseled professionally – at no cost – about developing a business plan to create Prescott Bark,” Elaine explained. She said Prescott Bark was chosen in March as the best of 13 projects locally to compete in the state competition in Flagstaff.

She estimated the cost for Prescott Bark will exceed $1 million. “We anticipate we’re at least six to eight months away from opening and that’s if we don’t have any complications or unexpected delays.”

The award program was organized by Moonshot, a 22-year-old non-profit Flagstaff-based business innovation center and incubator designed to help entrepreneurs create businesses. The program attracted applicants from throughout Arizona. QCBN For more information about Prescott Bark, call 617-827-7282

JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

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Exploring the Perfect Ground Cover for Desert Landscapes

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VINCA

By Ken Lain

round cover plants are beneficial in so many ways. The foliage provides visual interest across hills, between boulders and down slopes. They also reduce yard maintenance by fighting erosion and suppressing weeds.

Here is the definitive list for local groundcovers grown in the brutal sun or dense shade. Many offer an evergreen solution to bare landscape plots.

CREEPING JUNIPER

Juniperus horizontalis performs best in full (six or more hours) of sun.

Creeping junipers resist drought once established. Not only are they low-maintenance shrubs, but they also save work by holding back the soil on erosion-prone hillsides, thanks to their sturdy root systems.

CREEPING PHLOX

This plant has needle-like foliage that makes it drought-hardy in sunny gardens but is most valued for its thick mat of flowers. Red, pink, white, blue, rose, lavender, even purple are all possible flower colors for this early-spring bloomer. Plants spread over time. If the excess is unwanted in the original garden area, divide them and spread

the wealth to another plot in the yard.

CREEPING ROSEMARY

Imagine growing Rosemary that tumbles over a wall or spreads across a dry rock lawn. This tough little gem is the perfect plant for garden walls, pots, banks or a dry, sunny patch of ground in the garden. It is a superb ground cover for hot, dry locations. Its habit is low and mounds just 12 inches tall, and spreads vigorously. Deep blue flowers arise in great masses that are both deer and pest-resistant.

COTONEASTER

This plant is ideally suited to flow over embankments and raised beds. It’s an outstanding ground cover with dense foot-tall branches covered with shiny evergreen leaves. The foliage is tinged in purple through autumn, which enhances the profusion of cranberry-type

berries. Give this low water user plenty of room because she spreads over six feet wide by one foot tall. Cotoneaster is good on banks and used to cover large open areas of rock in hot sunny locations. Plant with confidence, this cute evergreen rarely gets bugs, while rabbits, deer and other vermin don’t like the taste.

ENGLISH IVY

English Ivy is the only evergreen vine that stays green in shady gardens.

Large, lustrous foliage stays waxed green through winter, forming a lush blanketing ground cover under large shrubs and trees. It quickly climbs walls, pillars, arbors and fences without support. One of the best uses is dangling from the edges of hanging pots and baskets or cascading off the edges of tall urns planted with upright fillers.

It’s also anim Moonshadow Euonymus,

Euonymus fortunei, is a broadleaf evergreen shrub with trademark bright variegated leaves. The bicolored pattern can be thought of as an inside-out version of the more popular Euonymus fortunei Emerald ’n Gold. The green is in the middle of the leaf and the brighter color is on the edges. The best colors are in full sun and grow knee-high by four-feet wide.

SEDUM

Angelina Stonecrop has several varieties from which to choose. The entire group of plants is considered “succulents.” One of the most widely grown upright sedums is Autumn Joy, growing to 18 inches. To grow something different, try Chocolate Drop for its deliciously dark leaves.

Most sedums resist drought.

Are We Experiencing a Housing Market Shift?

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By Nick Malouff

he rising tide of inflation and interest rates are beginning to take their toll on home buyers’ and sellers’ sentiment.

Fannie Mae spoke to us in May when it reported a third consecutive month of record-low homebuyer sentiment, divulging in its latest National Housing Survey that fewer than one in five Americans think now is a good time to buy a home. A disheartening 17% of the 1,000 Americans polled by Fannie Mae last month believed it was a good time to buy. Times, they are a-changing.

Although homebuyer sentiment is down, there may be hope on the horizon, given the effort by the feds to hike interest rates and curb inflation.

Although the prospects of a housing bubble have been widely dismissed, a consensus has begun to form in which a mild recession later this year or in 2023 may bolster housing.

Among 114 experts polled earlier this month at Zillow, three out of four expect the economy to contract for multiple quarters as the Federal Reserve takes bigger steps to curb inflation.

While it’s unclear how a recession would affect the real estate industry, at least a few have suggested that, historically, such a turn would be less damaging to housing than the economy at large.

“Although the Great Recession was triggered by a housing crash, it’s an outlier in the grand history of recessions, which have often strengthened investment in housing due to its relative stability as an asset,” said Zillow economist Nicole Bachaud in Zillow’s report on the survey.

Meanwhile, although home prices are still rising, sellers are losing some of their advantage and, in some cases, are reducing their asking prices.

That doesn’t mean prices are dropping, but it does suggest

price growth will slow down and a more balanced market may return. What’s more, incentives and concessions are appearing like a sudden cloudburst, giving homebuyers the occasional upper-hand in some markets.

In other words, the market is shifting somewhat to favor buyers a little more, but no one is talking about a market collapse right now. Despite the downward pressure on housing prices because of higher interest rates, the fact remains that we simply have not built enough homes fast enough in the last decade to serve the needs of the nation - and that problem won’t likely vanish anytime soon. QCBN Nick Malouff is the CEO and co-owner of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty ,with offices in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Cottonwood and Sedona. To reach Nick or a highly qualified agent, please call 928443-8800.

Benjamin & Susan Filer, Owners/Health & Wellness Coaches High Protein, Healthy Meal Replacement, Smoothies, Snacks, Supplements Weight Loss Health & Wellness Coaching 212 W Gurley St., Prescott, AZ 86301 ben@benfiler.com www.truenorthnutritionaz.com Open M-F 8-4pm, Sat & Sun 9-3pm

This plant is most often seen with blue flowers; the Alba cultivar of Vinca minor offers white blooms. Because this flowering vine can take dry shade, it’s a problem solver. Many plants don’t like such conditions. It is super easy to grow and is javelina-, rabbit- and deerresistant.

Virginia Creeper is an Arizona native vine specially selected to dress up those miles of stockade fence. A mountain vine with rich green foliage turns fire engine red through October with blue fruit accents. When spaced at eight-foot intervals, this fast-growing vine covers a boring fence within a season. Plant red walls of beauty that are absolutely deer and javelina proof.

Until next month, I’ll be helping gardeners here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Road in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Vines. com

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2022

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pet news

Coming Soon: Yoga Stretches and Puppy Cuddles

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By Betsey Bruner, QCBN

nationwide trend in classes for personal health presents puppy yoga classes that offer a win-win combination of yoga exercise and pure puppy cuddles, all in a stress-free environment.

Using animals such as bunnies and goats to interact with practitioners during yoga is not new, but inviting puppies into yoga class is a particularly innovative and fun idea, causing many laughs when puppies are coupled with the well-known “downward dog” pose in yoga.

The first puppy yoga classes in the Prescott area will debut toward the end of August when Quad-City Puppy Yoga classes will be offered to the public.

The classes are sponsored by Calizona Labs, a breeder in Yavapai County for 21 years that will be supplying all the purebred Labrador puppies for the yoga classes. The breeding business has specialized in providing animals to special needs families and veterans with PTSD, but has recently broadened its market.

“We’ve opened it up in the last few years to all families, not just special needs families,” said Trish DeHamer, who operates Calizona Labs with her husband and their children at their sixacre property in Chino Valley.

According to the Calizona Labs website, “The Labrador is even-tempered, easily trained and well behaved around young children and the elderly.”

Yoga instructors at Quad-City Puppy Yoga classes will be local, mostly from Prescott, and will include some teachers from the Breathe Play Love Yoga Collective, which is located in Prescott and other studio and outdoor locations in Yavapai County.

“We are so excited to bring this to the Quad Cities area!” said Candace Lea, a yoga instructor and director of marketing at the collective who will be teaching at the puppy yoga classes.

Classes will be offered in three consecutive weeks, with each class lasting 90 minutes. The cost is $50 per person, per class. There will also be free puppy play classes on Mondays for veterans and special needs families.

“We’re telling people that this is about the experience of it, enjoying

Candace Lea is one of the instructors leading Puppy Yoga. Courtesy photo

that atmosphere,” DeHamer explained.

“Our classes are much longer, with 45 minutes of yoga with puppies in the room, and 45 minutes just playing with the puppies.”

Puppies in the yoga classes will be about 5 weeks old. The three-week window with the yoga classes will synchronize with the 5- to 8-week age range that is the most appropriate period for socialization to begin for puppies, she added.

Current plans call for eight yoga participants with eight puppies in each class, she said.

Timing of the upcoming classes will depend on when litters are born and when they reach the right age of 5 weeks to join yoga practitioners.

“We typically have litters several times a year, which will allow us to maintain a pretty regular yoga class schedule with short lulls when we don’t have puppies or are waiting for them to be of appropriate age for yoga,” DeHamer explained.

There are currently 29 puppies at Calizona Labs, with “seven breeding girls” in reproductive cycles. “We breed all colors of lab – black, yellow, choc-

olate, charcoal, brindle, silver, red fox and champagne – all DNA tested and purebred,” she added.

DeHamer said they are advising yoga teachers to “Just be flexible to what happens during class. Puppies walk around and do their puppy thing.

Some people might be happy to just do their routine; other people might want to just play with the puppies.”

Experiences with puppy yoga classes across the country have documented many mental health benefits. The mood often becomes more relaxing ,with the antics of puppies adding an unpredictable element as they frolic from mat to mat with practitioners and even pull off their socks. Puppies also play together as they learn important social skills.

“There is a great deal of evidence showing therapy with dogs is very beneficial,” DeHamer said. “It is actually super beneficial to the puppies as well as the people who take the class.”

Lea agreed that pairing puppies and yoga is a win-win for all participants.

“It’s good for the puppies because it helps them to be socialized and get used to being held and cuddled,” she said.

“It’s good for people because it helps us to give love to animals and to open our hearts to animals.”

Lea said several of her fellow yoga teachers from the collective will be part of the diverse group of teachers conducting the puppy yoga sessions. “We started the collective one year ago,” said Lea, who has lived in Prescott for eight years. “We just had our second annual Yoga & Health Fair. We’re all about helping the non-profits in the area raise money.”

The fair featured meditation, qi gong, freestyle yoga slow, moon salutations, live music and sound healing.

Lea said the yoga festival raised about $2,500 for Adult Care Services, the management company for Margaret T. Morris Assisted Living Center, as well as the Susan J. Rheem Adult Care Program. QCBN For information about Breathe Play Love Yoga, visit the collective website at www. breatheplayloveyoga.com. For more information and the class schedule for upcoming Quad-City Puppy Yoga classes, email Calizonalabs@gmail.com or visit Calizona Labs on Facebook.

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JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2022

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Protecting Your Pet from Heatstroke

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By Loree Walden

ummer in Arizona is very hot, and heat can be a pet killer. As temperatures rise, it’s important to take extra safeguards to keep our four-legged family members safe.

At 77 degrees outside, the temperature of the pavement is 125 degrees, and at 87 degrees, the temperature of the pavement is a whopping 143 degrees! An egg can fry at 131 degrees in just five minutes, so imagine how your dog’s paws feel walking on the hot ground.

Before you take Fido for a walk, press the back of your hand firmly on the pavement and hold it there for 7 seconds…if it’s too hot for you, it’s

way too hot for them. Yes, sometimes they have to go out and you don’t have a choice; in that case, bring water so you can wet down their feet or body to cool them off. Try to walk your dogs earlier in the day or later in the evening when it’s a little cooler. If you see signs your dog’s paws are getting burned, carry them home if possible. Get cool compresses on their paws immediately along with cool towels on their body and call your veterinarian. A dog’s body is much closer to the ground than ours, which makes them more vulnerable to heat coming from the ground and overheating faster.

Heatstroke is one of the most common illnesses for canines and one of the most lethal. It’s essential to learn

// Heatstroke is one of the most common illnesses for canines and one of the most lethal. It’s essential to learn the signs of heatstroke and how to treat it. Symptoms include raised body temperature, heavy panting, unstable walking, thick saliva or frothing, stiff posture, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, collapsing and shock. //

the signs of heatstroke and how to treat it. Symptoms include raised body temperature, heavy panting, unstable walking, thick saliva or frothing, stiff posture, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, collapsing and shock.

There are several websites, including the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation, with more information on signs to watch for and how to provide help. The dangers of heatstroke include seizures, coma, organ failure and even death. If your dog is showing any of the heat-related symptoms, get them inside, soak a towel in cool water and cover them with it. If they are thirsty, let them drink room temperature water (not cold, as you want to avoid sending them into shock) and call your veterinarian or animal hospital to let them know you’re coming.

Any hot environment can cause heatstroke in dogs, but the most common cause is a careless action by a pet owner, such as leaving a dog in a car or not providing water and shade to pets outdoors. Do not leave your dog in the car under any circumstances.

Just think about how hot it is when you get in your car to go somewhere before you start it. It’s miserable! If it’s 75 degrees outside, it takes less than 10 minutes to reach 100 degrees inside

the car! If it’s 85 outside, it only takes about seven minutes to hit 100! Even having the windows all the way down isn’t enough. If you’re going to take your dog somewhere with you, make sure dogs are allowed so you don’t have to leave them in the car where the possibility of heatstroke - or worse can happen. I know many of us think, “I’m just running in for a second,” but sometimes you get in a store and there’s a long line or some other delay and by the time you get back to your car, it could be too late.

Some dogs are more prone to developing heat exhaustion, especially dogs who are older, overweight, or breeds that have more of a flat face, like pugs and bulldogs.

And let’s not forget about our furry feline friends who can suffer from heat related problems, too. Their body temperature is around 102 degrees Fahrenheit, but this doesn’t mean they’ll be safe or comfortable in a warm house. Cats can’t sweat like we do, so your feline friend needs to release heat constantly by lying on cool surfaces, panting and drinking cold water.

Make sure your cat is comfortable by doing a few things around the house: N Water evaporates faster in

the summer, so keep bowls of cold water throughout your home.

N Close the curtains to limit the amount of sun and heat that comes in. Not only will your kitty enjoy the shade, but you won’t be hit with a blast of heat when you get home.

You can also keep a fan running in a couple of spots to keep your cat cooler during the day and circulate.

I have mine set on a timer so they aren’t running all day, and it does help.

N If you notice excessive panting, a rapid heart rate, sunken eyes, or little to no urine in your cat’s litter box, your pet may be dehydrated and/or suffering from heat exhaustion. Be sure to watch for heat exhaustion in cats with flat faces, if they are obese, have heart or lung issues, or are elderly.

Taking extra safety measures during hotter months and knowing what steps to take if your pets develop heat-related problems could ultimately be life saving to your furry family member!

QCBN

Loree Walden is the marketing manager at Yavapai Humane Society.

Member FDIC

JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

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Getting Healthy Together

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By Benjamin Filer

ow that Summer is here, it is a great time to shed those extra COVID pounds or attack those tough areas of your body and clear that brain fog. Losing a few pounds can have a considerable impact on mind clarity. Feeling low-energy or sluggish?

My name is Coach Jammin and my wife, Susan, and I own True North Nutrition, the Prescott area’s only healthy smoothie bar.

We help people lose weight or put on healthy muscle mass with our healthy high-protein meal replacement smoothies. Our delicious smoothies are plant-based, low-fruit sugar and are diabetic-friendly, keto-friendly, vegan-friendly and pregnancy-friendly!

We’ve been open three months and have already helped a large group of people get on their body transformation journey. Before I was a health and wellness coach, I was a big guy myself and now have lost more than 100 pounds! It is so rewarding, answering the call to coach folks wanting to better themselves after being helped myself. We have

operated another smoothie club in Scottsdale called The Nutrition Spot for three years now and are excited to bring our weight loss expertise to the Prescott area.

True North is open seven days a week and is located at 212 W. Gurley in Prescott. Even if you feel like you’re in good shape, please come visit us and try the best healthy smoothie in town. Also tell your family and friends about our weight loss programs, which are complimentary if you use our shakes. We can be reached at 928-515-3458 or you can email me at ben@benfiler.com. QCBN True North Nutrition is located in downtown Prescott at 212 W. Gurley. We are open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. We offer healthy, high-protein, meal-replacement, yummy smoothies, snacks and supplements. Call us at 928515-3458 or email True North Nutrition at ben@benfiler.com. Prescott now has a healthy smoothie bar with experienced health and wellness coaches ready to help you with personalizing your health tune-up. Contact us for your confidential health assessment.

// MAYOR’S ADDRESS // BY PHIL GOODE

Keeping Up with Public Safety Services as We Grow

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e all know that Prescott is a highly desirable community in which to live and work. This is, in part, due to the high quality of core public services that the city provides to ensure the safety of our residents. However, community growth has impacted our ability to provide these public safety services. One of the issues we have been discussing at council is how to fund and plan for future public safety locations. I have met with Fire Chief Holger Durre and Police Chief Amy Bonney about several issues including fire codes, ambulance response times and enforcement priorities, to name a few. Both the fire department and the police department have been experiencing a significant increase in calls for service in the past several years.

The last time we built a new fire station was in 1995, and the city has seen a significant amount of growth in our community since then.

To close this gap, the proposed FY 23 city budget contains funding to meet response time objectives, not only through new stations. In a community as geographically diverse

as ours, more than just new stations is needed to be effective and fiscally responsible. To do so, the budget proposes implementing new technology to efficiently dispatch units, be more effective at handling lower priority calls and partner with the community to lower the risks we all face. This includes finding business-friendly but effective fire codes, encouraging and facilitating aggressive wildfire mitigation and leveraging public-private partnerships in emergency medical services more efficiently.

New fire stations and personnel are needed, but by also focusing our budget on initiatives that increase the efficiency of current and future resources, we can reduce the overall cost of catching up to the growth we have all experienced. Over the long term, this will ensure that the investments of taxpayer dollars are applied in the most efficient and responsible manner and will focus the city on meeting response time objectives that reduce the occurrence of negative outcomes.

Living safely in our beau-

tiful city comes with a lot of responsibility for all of us. The city must do its part to effectively invest the tax dollars provided by our citizens and to implement wise initiatives that respect those investments. However, I urge citizens to also do their part.

One way citizens can do so is by ensuring their properties are ready for wildfire and by supporting our public safety personnel. Yavapai Firewise provides resources for property owners to create defensible space around their property. Other ways you can be ready for emergencies is to check your smoke detectors, and if you are a business owner, to make sure you are up to date on all of the safety regulations impacting your industry.

As your mayor, I am responsible for ensuring that our policies are effective, available and responsive. As a citizen, I urge you to also do your part to keep Prescott as vibrant, beautiful and safe as ever.

QCBN

Phil Goode is the mayor of Prescott.

You’re Invited!

Honoring Prescott Area Women Leaders

3RD ANNUAL PRESCOTT AREA ATHENA AWARDS Join us for: Prescott Area ATHENA High Tea, an afternoon of Inspiration, Celebration, and Networking • September 18, 2022, 3-5pm • Starting Point (Gateway Mall) • Keynote Speaker: Colleen Biggs The Athena program celebrates women who achieve excellence in their profession, provide service to their community and help others, particularly women, become the best they can be.

Nominations are being accepted now through August 1 at PRESCOTTATHENA.com/nominations Tickets are $60 per person/$500 for a table of eight Hosted by: Sponsored by:

woman

Prescott

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HOME | HEALTH | BEAUTY | BUSINESS | LOCAL ISSUES

Get your Tickets at PRESCOTTATHENA.COM

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2022

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Adult Day Center Celebrates Four Decades of Care

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By Candace Lea

he Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center (SJRC) celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. A boots-on-the-ground organization, SJRC is on the front line supporting family caregivers by offering the needed respite, education, resources and support through its medical/ social model, Arizona Department of Health Services-licensed, adult day health program.

In acknowledging the spirit of caregiving on behalf of their late founding Executive Director Susan J. Rheem, Adult Care Services is proud to announce that the SJRC has been awarded the David Besst Award from the Arizona Caregiver Coalition. The award honors the awardees but also David Besst, who untiringly worked to establish resources and respite for family caregivers. Laura Dreibelbis, the director of the Susan J. Rheem Center, along with Yvonne Napolitano, executive director of Adult Care Services, were presented with the award on March 3, at the Family Caregiver Day at the capitol.

This amazing day center has been the only adult day health program in Northern Arizona supporting caregivers for many of the past 40

years. SJRC has been an affordable care option for families to stay together longer instead of premature placement in nursing homes, assisted living facilities or having to rely on in-home care. SJRC has been recognized as a leader across the United States because of its ability to maintain solid adult day programming in a rural area, whereas most adult day health programs are only successful in larger cities.

The center, located in Prescott Valley, serves its participants from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. It is unique in the fact that it has six buses that transport participants from Paulden, Cordes Lakes, Prescott and all the towns in between. The center was built with safety for its participants in mind and is a secure building.

Although the Susan J. Rheem Center specializes in serving those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementias, it does offer services to those 18 years of age and older with an array of illnesses and disabilities. Taking pride in the care they give to each and every person they serve, the center has a full-time in-house chef that prepares a nutritious

breakfast, lunch and a snack each day. Being a medical/social model of care, there are two full-time nurses and several life enrichment specialists who create a wonderful program that includes exercise and socialization.

The nurses monitor health conditions and conduct care meetings with family members and case managers.

The Susan J. Rheem Center is connected with Arizona Long Term Care, Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) and the Veterans Administration to help those participants who qualify with the cost of services. QCBN If you are interested in learning more about this day program, please visit their website at www.adultcareservices.org or call for a tour: 928-775-3563.

Candace Lea, MBA, is the community liaison for Adult Care Services.

Yvonne Napolitano is the executive director of Adult Care Services. Laura Dreibelbis is the director of the Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center. Courtesy Photo

SMALL BUSINESS continued from page 3

Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce presents:

“Playing Together, Winning Together”

Annual Banquet and Community Excellence Awards Program Friday, June 15 - Findlay Toyota Center 6 p.m. - Social Hour 7 p.m. - Dinner prepared by Chef Jim Cabral 8 p.m. - Awards presentation and Introduction of the 2022-2023 Board of Directors $70 includes social hour appetizers RSVP-online pvchamber.org or call 928-772-8857

Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce; Catalysts for business and community growth, Conveners of leaders and influencers, Champions for economic success.

For more information or for membership connections visit

pvchamber.org or call 928-772-8857

The SBDC team has resources to support businesses in every stage, including relationships with area lenders to provide access to the capital needed for growth.

Elinski said SBDC works closely with clients that participated in their Small Business Makeover Program in 2020.

“These clients continue to utilize SBDC consulting services and meet with analysts on a regular basis. They have both seen increases in their sales, production and employee count since their work with SBDC started,” she said.

Insurgent Brewing Co. in Chino Valley won the Small Business Makeover about three years ago. Owner Rob Valenzuela said the business started with SBDC four years ago when the organization helped them with accounting. Then came the Small Business Makeover Award.

“I thought they were going to send a check, but it was much better than that. They brought in designers and experts. We painted signs so we could be seen from the street,” he said.

Valenzuela said they continue to meet with SBDC once a month.

“They were instrumental in our growth. We are doing much better with them. They are easy to work with. That’s what they do. They make businesses grow. I’m grateful that we can get together and make things happen,” he said.

One new business was able to access capital with SBDC support to purchase a bus that supports their home-based, winery tour guide company. They are now fully operational and securing reservations in advance, targeting area RV resorts and in-state travelers.

SBDC also worked with a well-established manufacturer in the Verde Valley that received a state grant for employee retention. Elinski said

the company has increased its workforce, sales and production above 2021 numbers.

A long-time client was recognized as the SBDC’s 2021 Success Award winner. Bryan and Lema Nowicki of Farm a GoGo Food Truck and Café based in Cornville have not only survived the pandemic, but have thrived through it.

“We assisted with their application, which was approved. As a result, their business has grown exponentially. They have expanded their services and their menu, expanded their food production with a greenhouse, paid down debt, and become a destination farm-to-table experience in the Verde Valley,” she said.

Elinski says the SBDC’s work is important because clients often approach their team with unexpected challenges and frustrations, needs or questions, or validation of their next steps toward growth.

“Clients may also arrive with a simple business idea and no real thought on how to bring it to fruition. The real work of our team is not to judge the idea or judge their situation. The work is to listen and help the client truly understand what options they have, what decisions need to be made, and what are the best next steps to moving them forward. We want each client to leave the conversation feeling like they know what they need to do next, that they have a support team they can rely on for future questions or issues, and a cheering section for when they make progress.”

Elinski says she is making it a priority to reach more rural areas that will ensure all of the county’s business communities have access to services and educational opportunities. QCBN For more information, call 928-717-7232.

JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

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The Future is Here in Smart Home Automation

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By Jon and Jamie Aten

or those of us who remember growing up with the cartoon “The Jetsons” and envying all their cool home products, smart home automation makes this futuristic vision of an ultra-convenient home a reality. A smart home automation system will monitor and control home features like alarm systems, lighting, heating and cooling, home theaters, multi-room audio and appliances. Today, connecting all the technology in your home is not only possible but simple.

Even for folks who aren’t very tech savvy, an iPad-style navigation system can be set up that puts all your home controls on one place. Wouldn’t it be nice to have just one remote to manage all your technology? Smart home automation lets you integrate your home’s systems and easily program repetitive tasks – like having your blinds automatically open at a certain time each day. Many people are turning to smart home automation because it enables you to have one system that controls all your media. Having a smart home can allow you to check

your home’s interior – and even lock exterior doors – when you’re away.

Another attractive feature of this single-control system is that it enables all of your current technology brands – from Alexa to ROKU – to work together. One system can speak to all the products throughout your home. This can be done with voice commands, too. Voice interaction with your smart home becomes natural and effortless.

What are the drawbacks of smart home automation? Like most new technology today, setup is best done by a professional who can troubleshoot any issues that arise. New software updates can also occur from time to time. There is equipment to purchase, like the central hub that is usually tucked away in a closet, and sometimes there are monthly service fees. Finally, there is often a slight learning curve as you get to know your smarter home. For most people, however, the many convenient features of smart home automation make it worthwhile. After all, it wasn’t that long ago when we didn’t have ice makers in our refrigerators.

Smart home automation is here to help and make everyday tasks easier.

Maybe it’s time to make your home smart? QCBN

Jon and Jamie Aten are the owners of All West Fire & Security. All West Fire & Security, a family-owned business, has been keeping Arizonans safe in Prescott for nearly 30 years. They’ve designed and installed thousands of fire protection and security systems for industrial, commercial, residential and special hazard clients.

They work closely with architects and contractors to ensure your new construction or remodeling project meets all safety code requirements. All West Fire & Security are experts in smart home automation, stateof-the-art fire suppression systems, inspections, sprinklers, fire alarms, fire extinguishers, monitoring, intrusion alarms, security cameras, badge access systems, backflow certifications, and more.

VETS continued from page 6

bership this year because there is so much bang for the buck. As a businessman in Prescott, having a place to go and meet with prospective clients and vendors is a big deal to me. The staff at FFC is incredibly professional and kind, always making an effort to get to know members.”

Schafer and his family have lived in Prescott since 2011 (except for the year they were away for his additional professional experiences). He continued, “I spend the majority of my perks on my team members. All of our corporate parties are at Founding Fathers. The connections I’ve made through FFC have deeply benefitted me personally and professionally. What Grant and Jesse have created is incredible and I am proud to be part of it.”

Quezada and his colleagues just spent several million dollars acquiring property east of FFC and a large building west of FFC. They’ll spend several million more remodeling the smaller of the two into a wine bar and event center and the larger structure into a major showplace, he said. “We’re developing plans for the larger five-story building currently. We plan to start on it in 2023-24. But our mission will remain the same – creating opportunities for veterans and encouraging the entrepreneur spirit.” QCBN For more information about FFC, visit www.foundindfatherscollective.com or call 928 5411556.

PHILHARMONIC continued from page 16

TICKET INFORMATION

Season tickets can be purchased for all seven events at a 25% discount, as well as discounts on five and three concert packages. Visit AZPhil.org for all ticketing and concert information. QCBN Arizona Philharmonic (AZ Phil) is celebrating its fifth season in Prescott in 2022-2023 as Prescott’s regional professional orchestra, presenting large and small concerts that engage and inspire listeners. Based in Prescott, AZ Phil draws musicians from across Arizona and is committed to offering transformative music, while nurturing community participation and supporting the needs and growth of the Prescott area performing arts scene. Recognized in 2021 by the Prescott Chamber of Commerce for Excellence in Arts and Culture, Arizona Philharmonic is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Ticket information, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities can be found at AZPhil.org or on Facebook.

Eating Lighter in the Summertime

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By Debbie Maranville

o you naturally shift your mindset to lighter and cooler meals during the summertime?

During the heat of the summer, our bodies are geared to receive lighter meals. In turn, this allows us the energy needed to move through a hot day. Hiking, gardening, outside chores and sharing backyard get-togethers are shifting to lighter, cooler and refreshing foods and beverages.

When it is hot outside, give your body a break by replacing your meat dishes with delectable vegetables. Meat is heavy and will make you drowsy, as it takes a while for it to digest. According to the Mayo Clinic, it takes six to eight hours for food to pass through the stomach and through the small intestine. Digestibility refers to how much of a food can be broken down into fundamental nutrients used by the body. It regularly takes up to 72 hours to digest red meat.

“That’s because fats are more difficult for the body to break down and require a more elaborate process than other nutrients,” said Dr. Pamela Peeke in HuffPost. “Because of this, your body sends more energy to the source of digestion, leaving you feeling zapped.”

If you do eat meat from the grill, avoid using heavy sauces that are cream-based or barbecue sauces that are

full of sugar. Alternatively, you can grill a veggie burger and have it with stir-fried vegetables for a healthier option.

Our catering company sees a big shift in the menus chosen by our clients for weddings, showers, open houses and special events. There are more entrees and appetizers made with fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs and grilled meats.

Recently, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disease in which my body makes antibodies that attack the cells in my thyroid. Some of my symptoms have been tiredness, weight gain, muscle weakness and difficulty concentrating. My doctor, Dr. Rebecca Chatfield at the Mobile Health Doc, looked deep into my eyes and said I should eliminate gluten and dairy immediately. Of course, I was stunned; however, after several weeks of changing my diet, especially during the warmer months, I have started to feel so much better.

I love to cook! Recently, I have played around with my creativity and foods that I love. I wanted to share this Zucchini Pizza recipe with you. It’s light, full of veggies and can be eaten cold. I have even served it to children and they loved it. Perfect for summer meals or any season, actually.

May your summer be cool and refreshing!

QCBN

Debbie Maranville is co-owner of Goods from the Garden, Catering & Events.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Zucchini Crust Pizza INGREDIENTS:

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N 2 cups shredded zucchini (1 to 1-1/2 medium), squeezed dry N 1/2 cup egg substitute or 2 large eggs, lightly beaten N 1/4 cup Gluten free flour N 1/4 teaspoon salt N 2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast N 2 cups shredded Daiya Mozzarella cheese, divided N 1/2 cup grated Vegan Parmesan cheese, divided N 2 small tomatoes, halved and sliced N 2 cloves fresh garlic

minced N 1/2 cup chopped red onion N 1/2 cup julienned red or green bell pepper N 1 teaspoon dried oregano N 1/2 teaspoon dried basil N Chopped fresh basil and arugula for garnish.

N Drizzle of Olive Oil 1. Preheat oven to 450°. In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients; stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.

Transfer to a 12-in. pizza pan

or pizza stone, lightly coated with cooking spray; spread to an 11-in. circle.

2. Bake until golden brown, 13-16 minutes.

Reduce oven setting to 400°.

Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese; top with tomatoes, onion, pepper, herbs and remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until edge is golden brown and cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes.

Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and arugula. Drizzle olive oil over pizza. QCBN

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Reimagining Crisis with the Mental Health Lifeline

By Deanna Eder

people matter” and that hope and help are happening every day. The new phone number is also intended to n July 16, 9-8-8 will officially be an alternative to dialing 9-1-1 in a become America’s mental mental health emergency, in which law health crisis hotline number. enforcement would be dispatched to It’s meant to serve as an immediate your home. People who are in a mental resource for people experiencing mental health emergencies like suicide health crisis deserve a mental health response, not a criminal justice response. ideation, addiction, depression, panic Too often, people fear reaching attacks and more. Considering the out for help because they either don’t fact that more than 12 million people wish to be a burden to someone had serious thoughts of suicide and one in 20 adults experienced a serious else, or they fear the stigma of being identified as suicidal. As this system mental illness in 2020, it’s clearly a is both easy-to-use and confidential, much-needed outlet. counselors are able to engage people in “9-8-8 will be a tremendous ways that enable them to feel safe and resource for people in crisis and their confident about moving forward. To families. But 9-8-8 also provides us be able to connect to someone trained with a once-in-a-generation opwho offers comfort in chaos can be all portunity to reimagine the way our communities respond to mental health it takes.

The hope with 9-8-8 is that those and suicide crises,” said National Alliance on Mental Illness CEO Daniel who are in a mental health crisis will be able to be receive fast and safe help.

H. Gillison Jr. The new nationwide Here’s everything you need to know crisis lifeline will raise visibility and about using 9-8-8: advocate for meaningful change to ensure everyone in crisis gets the help they need.

WHO ARE YOU DIALING WHEN The direct three-digit line to trained YOU CALL 9-8-8? counselors will open the door for As of July 16, when you dial 9-8-8 millions of Americans to seek the help from anywhere in the country, on they need, while sending the message the other end of the phone, you will to the country that “you matter, real first hear a greeting message and then

O

you’ll be directed to a crisis counselor at a local call center based on your area code. If for some reason the call center does not have capacity to take your call, you will be directed to the national backup center.

Each center is independently operated, but most centers employ a mix of staff and volunteers. All centers train all of their call takers with an average of 90 hours of training.

Solari and La Frontera Empact Suicide Prevention Center in Tempe were selected as the state contractors to manage Arizona’s new 9-8-8 suicide prevention crisis line service in Arizona. Solari will be handling the crisis hotline and mobile crisis dispatch for Central and Northern Arizona with the assistance of other community mental health providers in those regions. Solari already manages the 2-1-1 state resource hotline system.

WILL SOMEONE BE DISPATCHED TO YOUR HOME OR CURRENT LOCATION?

If needed. The goal is that people who call 9-8-8 get the help that they need and, in most cases, that means the situation can be de-escalated over the phone. Crisis counselors will also connect callers with follow-up services and

resources. A 2019 analysis of the crisis system in Tucson showed that 80% of crisis-line calls were resolved without dispatching a mobile crisis team, law enforcement or emergency medical services. If in-person help is needed, then a mobile crisis unit would be called in.

Those working on mobile crisis teams are behavioral health professionals (e.g. social workers, peer specialists and family peer advocates). Eventually, the goal is to be nationally equipped to dispatch specially trained responders to all crisis locations when needed.

DOES IT COST ANYTHING TO CALL 9-8-8?

No, it will never cost a person to call the lifeline. The 9-8-8 Crisis and Suicide Lifeline resource is funded through federal, state and local funds.

QCBN

Deanna Eder is the director of marketing and communications for Polara Health polarahealth.com 928-445-5211.

Polara Health Crisis Stabilization Unit 8655 E. Eastridge Drive Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

How to Create a Budget for Success

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By Steven Calabrese

s we continue building our financial plan, this month, we will go deeper into building a budget for success.

Creating a budget for your financial success is the most important element in wealth building. Always start with the foundation. When you build a house, the most essential and critical element is the foundation.

Building upon a solid financial foundation will enable you to create good habits to build wealth.

When you set out to build wealth, the foundation is your budget. Without a budget, you are just spending with no goal in mind. Buy this, buy that, and when the money is out, you complain that you do not have enough money. Or, is it because you just spend until you drop?

Many say they do not know how to do a budget. I say, “Really?” A budget is not difficult and if you want to be successful in finances and build wealth, you need to learn.

PERSONAL BUDGET BASICS

How much do you make? That’s a simple question, but I am astounded as to how many folks don’t know.

If you are working for someone collecting a paycheck, then you likely have a pay stub. Begin there. Do you look at it?

If you are running your own business, it is a bit more complicated.

You will need to know what you are bringing in from sales of goods or services and what you are spending for materials, labor, rent and any other business expenses. The difference will be your net income. This is what you have available.

If you are retired, then you are collecting social security and perhaps drawing down on your retirement savings.

PAY THE TAX MAN

Unfortunately, the government wants its money and they take it off the top. Social security tax 6.2%; Medicare tax 1.45%, both matched by your employer. Federal and state tax is next. Always have a goal to pay just what you owe. If you are getting a refund, then you are overpaying your taxes and not taking home all your spendable income.

For retired folks, it will be just income tax.

Here is a tax calculator from the IRS. Give it a try. It is accurate, but make sure you get the information correct: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-withholding-calculator.

Or, consult a tax expert.

WHAT ELSE IS REDUCING YOUR TAKE-HOME? Most of us are purchasing health

insurance, perhaps life insurance and disability, contributing to an HSA (Health Saving Account), 401k, 403b or some other deductions.

Are you maximizing your contributions to your 401k? The goal is between 10-15% to be able to create a comfortable retirement. Are you getting the match from your employer?

Free money!

Get the most out of these deductions. Don’t just buy some of these because you can. Are you getting a good return on your dollars?

Make the adjustments to maximize your take-home.

BEGIN BUILDING THE FOUR WALLS

The four walls are the essentials. If you do nothing more, these are absolute. What are the four walls?

The four walls are food, shelter, clothing and transportation. With these essentials in place, you can then build out the remainder of your budget. When you have food and your stomach is full, there is one less thing to be concerned about.

Shelter is important, as having a roof over your head keeps you out of the cold. Make sure you can pay the rent or mortgage. Keep the lights on and have heat, a nice meal and a warm place to sleep. What more do you need?

Transportation and clothing are

important so that you can go to work to continue to earn an income.

These items should not exceed about 45% of your total budget.

Housing at about 15%, utilities 5%, food 10%, transportation 10% and clothing 5%.

These are the needs and must come first. Based on this, we can then build the rest of your budget. Everything from here is a want and you can live without it.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

The essentials are covered. What else could we need? How about debt?

Do you have debt, like credit cards, student loans, car loans or leases, personal loans and payday loans?

The average car payment is about $640 per month. Do you have one of these? Student loan payment is $460, how about this? The average minimum credit card payment is $110, adding up quickly. Hopefully, you don’t have all of these, but if you do, that totals $1,210 per month, or $14,520 per year.

Not having much fun? What could you do with an extra $1,210 per month? Build wealth!

WHAT ABOUT THE FUN STUFF? If you survived the four walls and the debt payments, what is left can be

spent on recreation and other items you want to enjoy life.

How about eating out, going to the movies or perhaps Christmas and birthday gifts? Get your hair done, maybe your nails. Like to take a vacation? How about cable TV, Internet, cell phones or subscriptions?

What about giving to your favorite charity, buying a new computer, getting a coffee at your favorite coffee place?

You get the idea.

Keep at It Putting together your first budget is the most difficult. It may take a few months to get it fine-tuned. Don’t give up. You will get it down. It takes an average of three months. Adjust it each month and get it fine-tuned.

What do you think? Will you do it?

What do you have to lose? What you are doing now may not be working.

You work hard for your money, make sure it stays your money!

Thanks for reading. I hope you found this helpful. QCBN Steven Calabrese, CPA, is the CFO of Polara Health. He also is the owner/operator of a website known as thebiweeklyadvisor.com, where topics such as budgeting, investing, paying off debt and goal setting are discussed.

JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

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Practicing Efficient Water Use

W

elcome to “At Home with Tom and Sandy.” As I always like to say, “Sit back, relax and enjoy.”

Tom and I hope you enjoy our column this month.

Tom: Hi Sandy! This month, we are having our conversation more than 1,500 miles apart. I am safely ensconced in Vermillion, South Dakota.

Sandy: South Dakota – how and why?

Tom: Kids and grandkids. I’m spending the entire month just being a small part of their lives.

Sandy: Tom, that is so cool. Enjoy and have fun, but we have a column to write! I was hoping we could talk about water conservation this month.

There is a lot of continued discussion about water being one of the effective tools we as a community can participate in.

Tom: What a great topic. Now, mind you, here in Eastern South Dakota, we are east of the 100th meridian, so water usage does not carry the same sense of urgency as it does in Arizona.

Sandy: I get it. Don’t they utilize the same codes as we do regarding water-saving devices?

Tom: Some, yes. Not all, though.

By way of example, in Prescott, xeriscape landscaping is encouraged.

Here, everyone has a green lawn. The ubiquitous sound of lawnmowers is a given.

Sandy: Ahhh, and the smell of freshly-mowed grass. Well, let’s stick to our area for now. The xeriscape you mentioned is a very real way our read-

ers can contribute to water conservation. Desert landscaping using colored rock in lieu of grass, and low water-use plants really can help keeping water usage low.

Tom: True, and having the plants watered on a timed drip system also helps keep unnecessary water use down.

Sandy: At this time of year, it is critical that we pay close attention to our outdoor activities. That might even include washing your car. Car washes typically recapture all the water used to clean the car.

Tom: They do. Some folks still do not want to spend the extra money though.

Sandy: I get that. Some day, the cost of water might be greater than the car wash, though.

Tom: LOL, you are onto something there!

Sandy: Another outdoor activity I see that makes me wonder if any of the conservation word is getting out there, are people who wash down their driveways, patios and walkways instead of using a broom.

Tom: Yeah, that really makes me wonder as well.

Sandy: Indoor water usage also can contribute to savings. If you have an energy and water efficient dishwasher, that often uses less water than filling the sink and hand washing and rinsing the dishes.

Tom: With a quick scrape into the compost bin and a very quick rinse, you can stack them in the dishwasher to run when you have a full load.

Sandy: For me, that takes a week, unless I have company.

// Now more than ever, everyone should be practicing wise and efficient use of water through conservation. We have heard of the hippie generation lifestyle, the 70s, the frugal lifestyle, the low-stress lifestyle, the low-maintenance lifestyle, the lifestyle of the rich and famous, the vegan lifestyle, the minimalist lifestyle and now we had all better jump on board and practice a low water-use lifestyle. //

Tom: The plumbing and building codes have recognized the need to conserve water. Prescriptive use of certain water-saving fixtures has really helped our water use decline.

Sandy: These codes have been around for quite a while and have gotten tighter over the years. Toilets are down to 1.2 gallons per use or less.

That is down from the old five-gallon flush types. And that is just for starters. And Tom, I will say I am doing my part – I recently purchased two Toto toilets and they are 1.2 gallons per flush and super cool.

Tom: Faucets, washing machines and, as you mentioned, dishwashers are all saving increasingly more water.

These are good additions to the conservation arsenal.

Sandy: Even with all these savings, we are not at the Safe Yield goal - the water we use from the aquifer equals the water we recharge. That is why Prescott and Prescott Valley are looking to the Big Chino to replenish the Little Chino aquifer.

Tom: That would be the goal. I believe an agreement with SRP has been reached regarding any impact to the Verde River system. If I am incor-

rect, I am sure we will hear about this, though. Will Rogers was right when he said, “Out here in the West, liquor is for drinking, water is for fighting.”

Sandy: Now, more than ever, everyone should be practicing wise and efficient use of water through conservation. We have heard of the hippie generation lifestyle, the 70s, the frugal lifestyle, the low-stress lifestyle, the low-maintenance lifestyle, the lifestyle of the rich and famous, the vegan lifestyle, the minimalist lifestyle and now we had all better jump on board and practice a low water-use lifestyle.

Tom: You are right, Sandy. This is a lifestyle and a way everyone can help ensure a long-term, sustainable water supply. Reducing your water use helps meet future needs, results in cost savings, decreases energy use and helps preserve the environment.

Sandy: Tom, did you know the City of Prescott has a rebate program for practicing a low water-use lifestyle?

This is a way everyone can help ensure a long-term, sufficient water supply.

Tom: Kudos to the city! Efficient water use helps meet current and future needs, results in cost savings, decreases energy use and helps pre-

serve the environment.

Sandy: To help customers who live in the City of Prescott, the city offers resident and business rebates through the Water Conservation Incentive Program. For more information, call the water resource project manager at 928-777-1645.

Tom: Let’s all do our part to be water smart!

Sandy: Tom, I like how that sounds. I am going to say it again!

Let’s all do our part to be water smart!

Thanks for stopping in to read At Home With Tom and Sandy. QCBN Tom Reilly, Architect, Renovations, 928445-8506 renovationsaz.com Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association, 928-7780040 Remember to tune in to YCCA’s Hammer Time every Saturday and Sunday morning 7 a.m. on KQNA 1130 AM/99.9 FM/95.5FM or the web kqna.com. Listen to Sandy and Mike talk about the construction industry and meet your local community partners.

Hammer Time is a great way to start your weekend.

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ESPIRE continued from page 1

BIGGS continued from page 11

Jim’s brother, Randy, a contractor, said the basketball court is unique.

“When we found out the University of Southern California in Los Angeles was replacing its Trojan basketball court, I took a chance and bid on it and got it for $10,000. We brought it to Espire. That’s what you see when you step into the basketball area.”

“We’ve got a café and refreshment bar with juice, smoothies, organic products and healthy snacks,” said Kavanaugh. “In 2023, we’ll have a large boutique-style hotel with more than 110 rooms and suites and a swimming pool. Guests will have access to all the options Jim mentioned.

We think a family can come here for a complete vacation that will satisfy everyone.”

“Even before Espire had opened, more than 300 people had signed up for memberships,” said Travers.

Four levels of membership include Founder, Player, Player + Fitness, and Fitness. Individual and family memberships are available, including day passes.

Thomas says he is relieved that his vision is now a reality. “When we first thought of developing Espire, we had several locations under consideration - north Prescott, Prescott Valley and so on. But when the Sears site became available, we knew it was what we wanted. I was able to negotiate and buy that Sears property for $3.6

done learning or expanding our minds to greater possibilities. If you believe that is true, it is! Every year we need to be focusing on learning, taking inventory of what worked in the past and what is no longer serving us. This is what I do quarterly in my business. I compare where we are at the moment with our goals. Are we ahead or behind the timeline we set for the business in the beginning? And how can we accelerate that growth? Generally, if I’m not operating at my peak potential and my team is not operating at their peak performance, then it’s nearly impossible to reach such heights. How do you know you are operating at your peak performance? You are performing better than you were last year, better than last month, and even better than yesterday. You are crushing it and loving every second of it!

I want to meet you and will be speaking at the Athena Awards in Prescott on Sept. 18. Connect with me on social media, LinkedIn or even track me down on my website. QCBN

With 14 indoor pickleball courts and five outdoor courts being built, Espire founder Jim Thomas believes the sports complex can help Prescott become the finest pickleball destination in the nation. Photo by Ray Newton

million. That was luck for us. Because the location is next to all the other mall retail shops, it will be convenient for locals as well as visitors. And parking is abundant in the surrounding area.”

Like many businesses being built at this time, Espire has faced construction, remodeling and supply chain challenges. Thomas said it cost another $3 million to complete the project. “But, we did it. We’re

open. No matter if you are coming for a personal visit, a tournament, a clinic, a camp, family recreation or just to make new friends and enjoy the terrific Prescott hospitality, you are welcome. We want people to take advantage to the core of what the first three letters of Espire mean: Eat, Stay and Play.” QCBN

For additional information on how you can schedule a 30-minute strategy call with Colleen Biggs, visit her website at https://colleenbiggs.net/ and schedule that call here https://calendly.com/ colleenbiggs/30min and visit her online community https:// colleenbiggs.net/community/ to find more ways that you can increase your leadership through visibility https://colleenbiggs. net/freebies/ Nominations are being accepted now for the 2022 Prescott-Area ATHENA Award. Find nomination form and ticket information for the ATHENA High Tea event, Sunday, Sept. 18, at prescottathena.com.

To hear more from Colleen Biggs, find her on Zonie Living, “Leading Ladies Who Inspire, Empower and Model Excellence,” at starworldwidenetworks.com.

For more information, call 928 533-1535 or visit espiresports.com

Phone 602-909-3910 Fax 928-226-0303 The Courtyard Building | 115 E. Goodwin Street - Suite D, Prescott, AZ 86303 troy@quadcitiesbusinessnews.com Web quadcitiesbusinessnews.com Founder: Troy Bix

Join our Newsletter!

Subscribe to the Quad Cities Business News monthly e-Newsletter to receive highlights on the latest developments in business, education and health care Go to www.QuadCitiesBusinessNews.com to subscribe today!

Publisher Amy Bix | 602-909-3910 Amy@quadcitiesbusinessnews.com Advertising Manager Ann Herrington | 928-420-4407 Ann@quadcitiesbusinessnews.com Editor Bonnie Stevens | 928-380-4349 bonnie.stevens@gmail.com Copy Editor Carolyn Wendell | cwendell@gmail.com Design & Production Rob Ghosh Design | rob@robghosh.com Web Content Editor news@quadcitiesbusinessnews.com

Contributing Writers Bonnie Stevens Stan Bindell Sue Marceau Ray Newton V. Ronnie Tierney Betsey Bruner Contributing Photographers Kay Lyons, Bonnie Stevens, Ray Newton, Sue Marceau, Stacey Wittig, Veronica Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography The Quad Cities Business News is a publication of Quad Cities Business News, LLC and distributed free each month to residents of Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and Dewey-Humboldt. Reproduction of any portion of the publication is strictly prohibited without expressed permission. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisements submitted to the newspaper and is not responsible for the claims of its advertisers.

JULY 2022 // Quad Cities Business News

@quadcitiesbusinessnews LOGGING continued from page 4

TRUE COURSE continued from page 1

construction for various other clients.

Watts builds the training devices from components that are produced nationally and internationally. Some come from Europe, others from Asia. Computers come from various sources, so recent supply chain issues have been discouraging, Watts says.

TWO IMMERSIVE TRAINING DEVICES

TCS manufactures two distinct simulator platforms. Both are about the size of a large rectangular table with a large screen at the front. One ITD is focused on simulation for flying a Cessna 172, one of the most popular planes in the nation used for student pilot training. However, work is underway to create other prototypes, among them the Cirrus aircraft out of Duluth, Minnesota.

The other ITD is what True Course Simulations calls “the fighter.” It is for aircraft that have a side or center “stick” rather than a yoke. Cost for the Cessna simulator is around $35,000. For the fighter unit, the price is about $38,000. Smith says the fighter is a lot of fun to fly in simulation and it promotes STEM education and aviation.

All ITDs have motion and movement built into the platform - up and down, sideways, and front to rear. The virtual reality helmets that the students wear are said to have extraordinary fidelity, realism and high-impact graphics and sound appropriate to the terrain over which the aircraft is being flown.

Smith says the majority of business is dedicated to the curriculum side with virtual reality videos, diagrams, development of tests and instructional diagrams. The curriculum, including 73 missions in virtual reality, costs $495. “What’s great about the missions is that students can repeat them over

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and over and over, until they are mastered. Just think of the cost savings in that, as opposed to taking lessons in a real airplane.”

Several schools, institutions and flight training programs have been in touch with TCS about building units for them, too, said Smith.

TCS TO BE SHOWCASED AT WORLD’S LARGEST AIRSHOW

Brett Watts said he and his Prescott colleagues were delighted when they were invited to partner with Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) at the world’s largest airshow – Air Venture, scheduled July 22-25 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

AOPA is the largest aviation lobby group in America.

TCS will be shipping two ITDs to Oshkosh, where they will be positioned centrally in the AOPA exhibit area. “Aviation people, especially those training pilots, from throughout the nation will have a chance to see firsthand what our simulators can do,” said Watts. “We’ll have exposure unlike any we’ve ever had before. We’ll especially focus on promoting our business relationships.”

TCS executives say their greatest challenge is making the aviation industry aware of a product that can help solve the international pilot shortage by providing more affordable ways to train pilots.

“We hope we can create enough awareness of our ITDs to get them into every career and technical education program at high schools and colleges across the country,” Smith said. “Once students complete our program, they’ll be ready to move into actual experiences in an aircraft.”

QCBN

one to shortcut anything, they just wanted to do an excellent job. They’d do it the right way, they did everything well, and they made money doing it.”

“Ken has a salt-of-the-earth character and Ribelin had a huge impact on Northern Arizona,” said Vastco Owner Ed Van Beek, a former member of the Forest Service road crew and wildland firefighter who has a long history with Ken that started in 1982. “What a wonderful land stewardship example they set in logging and maintaining and developing bridges and culverts.”

The two businesses, Vastco, a traffic interchange and bridge building company, and Ribelin, worked together on the I-40/I-17 interchange in the early 2000s. “The Ribelin family was a big part of that project. They were very conscientious about tree removal and fitting the valuable trees and overall environment into the project so we could overlay the interchange in the ponderosa pine forest. We cut some trees and were able to mill them into benches along the urban trail [FUTS]. It was a wonderful example of taking a transportation development project and giving back while being conscientious, quick, clean and efficient. The Ribelins are outstanding people and the impact on the community has been nothing but positive in a very traditional industry.”

“I spent time with Kenny looking at his operations and talking with him about forest restoration treatments with minimal damage to the soil, maximum benefit to the residual stand. When he left a site, it was in good condition and on a good path for forest health,” said Covington, retired founder of the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University and Emeritus Regents’ Professor of Forestry.

A DWINDLING INDUSTRY

Southwest Forest Industries became acquired by Stone Container Corp. in 1987, which closed the Flagstaff mill in 1993 and the mill in Eager and the pulp mill in Snowflake in 1998. “We’ve been existing without any mill since then by taking wood wherever we could sell it. It’s a daunting task. There’s just no market for it. We’ve been a pretty small company for the last 20 years with the industry going away,” said Ken. Since the mid ‘90s, Ribelin has been the main operator clearing land for subdivisions and golf courses in Flagstaff. In 2009, Ribelin Logging’s parent company, High Desert Investment Co., opened a firewood plant in Winslow. High Desert Forest Products operated from the former Coca-Cola facility there. “We worked about 30 people out of that plant to utilize the small wood off our jobs and ran it for about 10 years,” he said.

Ribelin had planned to be part of the forest thinning solution through 4FRI, delivering logs from small diameter trees to an Oriented Strand Board plant planned for Winslow. The OSB operation never happened and the group that the Ribelin’s were part of didn’t win the Forest Service bid for the 10-year thinning contract. The company’s last contract on the Coconino National Forest was at Chimney Springs working with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in 2017.

“They were the best loggers I ever worked with,” said Flagstaff Fire Department Forest Health Supervisor Neil Chapman, who was the TNC forest program manager at the time. “Their commitment to excellence showed in how they would implement projects and close out projects. I learned so much from them. Ken and the crew were just fantastic. They really paid attention to the right trees to remove and the right trees to leave in the woods. They did a wonderful job with the way the site looked when they were wrapping up and with rehabilitating roads.”

A CHANGE ON THE LANDSCAPE

Ribelin had become frustrated with a lack of Forest Service timber sales in recent decades and the number of appeals filed on those that have been offered for bid. Those in the industry say the business has become more difficult since its heyday in Flagstaff in the ‘70s and ‘80s. The cost of doing business has increased, while the labor force has decreased. “Finding people who can do the work in this backbreaking industry is tough, and contracts are getting more complicated and difficult to administer,” said Van Beek.

“When we started in Arizona, our contract with the Forest Service that spells out all the conditions of the sale was a quarter-of-an-inch thick. Now, they are two-and-a-half inches thick and there is nothing in there that makes it better for the logger,” said Ken. At 70 years old this month, Ribelin is disappointed about the jobs that don’t exist now and the family business that won’t be handed down to the next generation. “It’s pretty sad when it could have been a really thriving industry.”

He is also concerned about devastating wildfires that he says will keep threatening Flagstaff and other communities. “That whole area where the Tunnel Fire burned, that was marked to be logged. Too many people don’t understand the need to thin the woods. The small trees are choking out the forest.

I’m not sure I can stand to watch what little is being done here.”

Of the Ribelin family involved in the business, company Chairman George Ribelin is 94. He and his wife, Vice President Joann, live in Cottonwood. Ken’s brother, Allen, is chief financial officer, living in Queen Creek. Little sister Joni Boardman, a former director, is in Clarkdale. Cousin Tim, a foreman, lives in Camp Verde. George’s brother Larry is in Flagstaff. His brother, Butch, passed away in 2020.

“We are losing generations of experience and loggers who do such high quality and important work protecting our communities and our watersheds,” said Chapman.

“This marks a sea change on the landscape,” said Van Beek. “There was so much talent working in the Coconino National Forest in the ‘70s and ‘80s. The Ribelins affected the whole Forest Service culture. Their work was part of the identity of Flagstaff. It’s bittersweet as we look back in respect for the past and try to understand how we see the future.”

“I hate to see the Ribelins go,” said Covington. “They’ve been important to Flagstaff since the ‘70s.

I think it’s going to be difficult to find companies willing to take on the risk of bidding on contracts without some kind of guarantee of the work. Still, I’m hopeful that we can restore forest areas to more open conditions and naturally functioning ecosystems. The Tunnel Fire burned very hot and the wind speed was high. I do not see that changing. There are still tens of thousands of acres left to burn under high severity conditions in Arizona.”

As a logger, Ken was always in the woods, from daylight to nightfall. In retirement, he doesn’t see that changing, except now he’ll be camping and hunting. “That was the most enjoyable part of being a logger, being in the forest.” QCBN

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