Gilbert Chamber hosts series of events through June and July
Throughout the year the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce offers a variety of luncheons and meetings for its members and the community. Events are held throughout the town.
The chamber office is at 119 N. Gilbert Rd., Suite 101. For more information about events or to register, call (480) 892-0056 or visit www.gilbertaz.com.
Chamber Chat—Morning
Presented by Plumbing Medic
7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, at Seville Golf and Country Club, 6683 S. Clubhouse Dr., Gilbert. This breakfast is an informal way to share conversation and meet with other professionals. No admission is charged. Individuals are responsible for the cost of their own meal. Breakfast buffet is $10 and includes beverage and tax. Additional gratuity requested. Reservations required.
Small Business Workshop—Live, Work, Life Balance
Presented by Digital Intelligence Agency 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 12, at Cooper Crossing Executive Suites. Business Academy connects ideas with
a plan for action. Each workshop will focus on a topic or opportunity that will challenge participants’ thinking, help them to evaluate their goals, set their priorities and take their business to the next level. Chamber member admission is $15; general admission is $40.
Business Awards Luncheon
Presented by American Furniture Warehouse
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, at Doubletree by Hilton Phoenix-Gilbert, San Tan Elegante Resort & Conference Center, 1800 S. SanTan Village Pkwy., Gilbert. Join the chamber in honoring outstanding businesses and individuals nominated in the following categories: Business of the Year (Large), Business of the Year (Mid-sized), Business of the Year (Small), Employer of Choice, Family Business of the Year, and Volunteer of the Year. Member admission is $35; general admission is $50. Reserved table for eight is $280. Sponsored table for eight is $350
Digital Marketing: Putting It Together With Sales/Marketing Automation
3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, June 18, at
Cooper Crossing Executive Suites. Join the chamber for this digital marketing workshop as it focuses on pulling it all together with sales and marketing automation. Member admission is $20; general admission is $50. Business Academy student admission is $12 with code.
Mastermind Workshop—The Exit Strategy. Create Your Succession and/or Contingency Plan
Presented by Cooper Crossing Executive Suites
10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 26, at Cooper Crossing Executive Suites. The unexpected happens, as does retirement; what does it mean for businesses? Member admission is $15; general admission is $40. BA student: Free with PROMO code.
Congressional Good Government Luncheon
11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, at Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse, 1600 E. Lakeside Dr.
An event of SRP’s Good Government series, this luncheon will bring together the business community with Rep. Matt Salmon for a discussion on the latest issues affecting business in Washington, D.C. Member admission is $20; general admission is $35.
Toll Brothers unveils upgraded features at Dorada Estates
Luxury home builder Toll Brothers has initiated higher standards in two professionally furnished and stylized model homes at Dorada Estates at the border of Gilbert and Queen Creek.
Six single-family home designs that reach up to a sprawling 6,668 square feet are nestled on sites nearing 1/2 acre. The properties encourage indoor/ outdoor living amid scenic and private settings.
Priced from the lower $500,000s, Dorada Estates’ single- and two-story view home designs adapt to modern lifestyles with three to five bedrooms and up to four-and-one-half baths with the versatility of four-car garages in all plans. Optional casitas and basements are also available on select plans, while all homes at Dorada Estates are Energy Star Version 3 certified for valued conservation and cost savings.
Encircled by a serene, country setting with many homes capturing views of the San Tan Mountains, Dorada Estates is just minutes from the conveniences of SanTan Village in Gilbert and major employment centers. Parents and children will enjoy a central park with playground, a ramada, walking paths, and a half basketball court providing an inviting place for kids to play, to enjoy outdoor family time and engage in year-round fitness. Students will enroll in the Chandler Unified School District and benefit from its commitment to academic excellence.
Dorada Estates’ sales office is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays, at East Ocotillo and South Recker roads. For sales information, call (480) 314-6777 or visit www.tollbrothers.com.
Carrington College official named to board
Craig Jacob, the senior director of operations and interim executive director of Carrington’s Phoenix campuses, has been appointed to a two-year term on the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education.
The board is charged with the licensing and regulation for 260 private postsecondary educational institutions in Arizona, as well as administration of the Student Tuition Recovery Fund.
A Gilbert resident, Jacob oversees operations at Carrington campuses
in Arizona, Nevada and California. He serves as the vice chairman of Junior Achievement of Arizona and is also on the board of trustees for the Future Business Leaders of America’s Arizona chapter.
Jacob has 20 years of experience in the education industry and has been with Carrington and DeVry Education Group since 2009. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in finance from ASU and his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix.
Gilbert chamber announces annual business award finalists
The Gilbert Chamber of Commerce announced the names of the business and individuals nominated by their peers for recognition at the ninth annual Business Awards. The recipients in each of the six categories to be announced at a luncheon event in June.
The 2015 annual Business Award nominees are as follows:
Large Business of the Year: APS and Orbital ATK
Ryan Morton, Ground Zero Restoration; and Eric Reber, Speedpro Imaging
Mid-Sized Business of the Year: Flancer’s Café and Higher Grounds Roastery & Café
Small Business of the Year: Digital Intelligence Agency, Employee Benefit Exchange Corp. and Strong Tower Insurance
Employer of Choice: APS and John’s Refrigeration
Family Business of the Year: JB Water Distillers and VIP Airsoft Arena
Volunteer of the Year: Jasmine Holmes, The Digital Intelligence Agency; Elaine Kessler, Elaine Kessler Photography;
The Annual Business Awards Luncheon will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Phoenix-Gilbert & San Tan Elegante Conference Center in Gilbert. General admission is $50; chamber member admission is $35. Add $10 per person when registering after 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 10. For more information or to register for attendance, visit www.gilbertaz.com.
The Gilbert Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit, membership-based organization with more than 650 members ranging from home-based businesses to large corporations and representing more than 52,000 employees. The chamber proactively serves as a business advocate to strengthen the business climate in Gilbert. To learn more about or join the chamber, call (480) 892-0056 or visit www.gilbertaz.com.
Collins Comfort Masters: Keeping customers comfortable for 30 years
BY ALISON STANTON
Since Collins Comfort Masters opened for business in 1985, the family-owned, full-service HVAC company has strived to live up to its name by keeping its customers as comfortable as possible.
From air conditioners that conk out in July to heaters that need repair on a cold winter’s day, Collins Comfort Masters is ready, willing and able to help, according to Mark Mariano, director of marketing and advertising.
“We are heating, air conditioning and plumbing contractors, and we can handle anything and everything related to those fields,” Mariano said.
“We try to keep the home as comfortable at possible for our customers and like our name says, we are the masters of comfort.”
Unlike some other HVAC companies that may install a unit and then close their doors, Mariano said his customers can rest assured that Collins Comfort Masters will be around for years to come.
“We install systems, and then we’ll be around to maintain and service it,” Mariano said. “We’re not just selling a box or a service; we are selling peace of mind.”
One thing that helps to make Collins Comfort Masters stand out from the competition, Mariano said, is that the company has been hired as contractors for some local big-box stores.
“They are very strict and stringent about who they will allow to go into their customers’ homes, and the companies that they hire need to show that they are competent,” he said.
A LIFESTYLE FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
With their A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, the company’s wide range of accreditations, certified and highly trained technicians and more, Mariano said Collins Comfort Masters delivers on its promise of outstanding service.
“Customers want to know that the technicians who are going into their homes are reliable. Ours must pass background checks and drug checks,” Mariano said, adding that the employees will also put on booties and cover the carpet near the front door.
“They often leave the home cleaner than the way they found it,” he said. Because the owners of the company understand that HVAC and plumbing emergencies can take place at the least convenient times, Mariano said they offer service 24/7, including on weekends and holidays.
“We have a manager on call every day
of the week,” he said.
Another popular feature of Collins Comfort Masters, Mariano said, is its referral program, which rewards people who help bring in new customers.
“We will literally write our customers a check,” he said.
Mariano, who has worked with the company for 10 years, said he especially enjoys the family environment at Collins Comfort Masters.
“We have a lot of fun. We know how to play, but we definitely know how to work, too,” he said.
“I’ve had a lot of opportunity to grow and advance within the company, I love the way I’m never bored, and I never say ‘I don’t want to go to work.’”
Collins Comfort Masters is located at 1455 W. Scott Ave., in Gilbert. For more information, call (480) 890-2665 or visit www.collinscomfort.com.
Premier Kitchen and Bath handles everything from floor to ceiling
BY ALISON STANTON
In the 20 years that Premier Kitchen and Bath has been in business, the owners and designers have seen many trends come and go.
One thing that has remained consistent for the past two decades, said Kitchen and Bath Designer Kym Davis, is the company’s dedication to its customers.
“We handle every aspect of kitchen and bathroom projects and do everything from floor to ceiling,” Davis said.
This includes installing cabinets, countertops and tile back splashes, painting, drywall, remodeling showers and more.
“One hundred percent of our work is residential, and our business is almost 100 percent remodeling,” Davis said.
Although the team’s focus is on kitchens and baths, Davis said it can also work on other interior remodeling projects like flooring and fireplaces.
One of the things that helps to set Premier Kitchen and Bath apart, Davis said, is the company handles a majority of its work, instead of offering it to subcontractors.
“We order the products, we procure the products and we install the products,” Davis said.
From plumbers and electricians to kitchen counter installers and tile experts, Davis said customers do not have to worry about unfamiliar and possibly inexperienced people coming into their homes.
“Doing the work ourselves allows us to control who’s in the home, when they are in the home and ensure the quality of the work,” Davis said.
While most of their projects take place in the Valley, Davis said they occasionally travel outside of the area to towns like Heber, Show Low and Prescott—usually to work with previous customers who have moved.
When customers arrive at the Mesa showroom, Davis said he or another one of the designers will ask about their home, lifestyle and budget.
After creating a plan that is tailor made for the clients and their needs, Davis said they get busy ordering the needed products.
“Most everything with our customers happens in our showroom, and we walk them through the initials stages of the project,” he said.
Davis said that tile that looks like wood is popular with customers right now, as are quartz countertops.
“Porcelain tiles have also overtaken natural stones in popularity; they look as real as natural stone but without the maintenance,” he said.
Thanks to LED lights, lighting options have expanded.
Davis, who has worked in the industry for 34 years, said the ever-changing trends are one of the main things he enjoys about his work.
“The best part is that it’s always different. Also, since every homeowner has different priorities, it’s fun to meet and work with them.”
Premier Kitchen and Bath is located at 4856 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 108 in Mesa. For more information, call (480) 969-4700 or visit www.premierkitchenandbath.com.
Realtor gives back to ‘heroes’
Larry Phelps is a Realtor with Realty One Group in Gilbert, and is now one of the Maricopa County-area affiliates for Homes for Heroes.
Phelps said he is excited to bring this program to local heroes, including military (active and retired), police officers, firefighters, health care workers and educators.
“Homes for Heroes is a small way for me to give back to my community and more specifically the heroes who work for me and my family each and every day,” Phelps said.
hero. Nationally, the Homes for Heroes Program has given back over $9 million since 2009 to our nation’s military, police, firefighters, educators and health care workers.”
“I am dedicated to helping our heroes receive the maximum benefit available to them when buying or selling a home.”
As part of the program, Phelps donates 25 percent of his commission to the hero home buyer or seller.
“It’s all about them. I want to make it as easy as possible,” Phelps said. “It’s my way of saying ‘thank you.’ We’re talking about thousands of dollars going back to every
Homes for Heroes, is celebrating its 13th year of bringing savings to everyday heroes. Inspired by the tragic events of 9/11 and the hometown heroes who serve and protect their communities and their country, a partnership of Realtors, mortgage lenders, title companies, and other affiliated service providers created Homes for Heroes. The sole purpose of this collaboration of real estate professionals is to offer heroes savings when buying or selling a home. The program has more than 1,500 affiliates in 48 states. For more information about the national program, visit www.homesforheroes.com. Phelps can be contacted at powerhouse.phelps@ gmail.com.
Doing Business
Owner: Ron Tutt
How long in business: Since 2006
Specialty: The locally owned and family-operated business is an independent appliance repair firm. It offers in-home
appliance repair. The company services all major manufacturers’ appliances and offers same-day service in most cases. It is BBB accredited and a member of the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays; closed Sundays
Address: Based in Gilbert
Phone: (480) 539-9500
Email: info@iarepairaz.com, www.iarepairaz.com
The Gilbert Sun News would like to welcome new area businesses or existing ones that may be new to our readers.
Submit information about your business for a “Doing Business” mini-business profile in an upcoming issue of our publication, which is distributed to 25,000 homes, racks and boxes the fifth of each month.
Please include all of the following items: Name of business, name of owner(s), how long the business has existed, unique features, hours of operation, address, telephone number, website and email address. Also include an at least 300 dpi photo of the business owner or logo.
Email this information to info@gilbertsunnews.com or visit www. gilbertsunnews.com and click on the “Doing Business” form at the top of the page to submit.
