Inside Tucson Business 102122

By Jimmy Magahern

Inside Tucson Business is published 26 times per year (once every other week on Fridays) plus the Book of Lists in January. Cost is $1 per single issue, $50 for 26 issues, $85 for 52 issues and $105 for 78 issues. The Book of Lists is included in annual and multi-year paid subscriptions. Back issues from within the past 12 months are $1 each. Delivery is available by U.S. Postal Service.

ADMINISTRATION

Steve T. Strickbine Publisher

Michael Hiatt Vice President

Claudine Sowards Accounting, claudine@tucsonlocalmedia.com

EDITORIAL

Christina Fuoco, Executive Editor, christina@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Katya Mendoza, Staff Reporter, kmendoza@timespublications.com

Hope Peters, Staff Reporter, kmenhpeters@timespublications.com

Karen Schaffner, Staff Reporter, kschaffner@timespublications.com

PRODUCTION

Courtney Oldham Production Manager, TucsonProduction@timespublications.com

Nathalie Proulx Graphic Designer, nproulx@timespublications.com

CIRCULATION

Aaron Kolodny Circulation Director, aaron@phoenix.org

Brian Juhl Distribution Manager, brian@timeslocalmedia.com

ADVERTISING

TLMSales@Tucsonlocalmedia.com

Kristin Chester Account Executive, kristin@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Candace Murray Account Executive, candace@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Tyler Vondrak Account Executive, tyler@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Gary Tackett Account Executive, gtackett@tucsonlocalmedia.com

NATIONAL ADVERTISING

Zac Reynolds Director of National Advertising, zac@TimesPublications.com

EDITORIAL & AD CONTENT

Inside Tucson Business expresses its opinion in the editorial. Opinions expressed in guest commentaries, perspectives, cartoons or letters to the editor are those of the author. The content and claims of any advertisement are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. Tucson Local Media assumes no responsibility for the claims or content of any advertisement. Publisher has the right to edit for size or refuse any advertisement at his or her discretion.

Hub International expands its Arizona footprint

By Ken Abramczyk Tucson Local Media

Jack Clements, and his two sons, Sean and Jim, wanted to take their Clements Agen cy, an insurance brokerage agency, to the next level.

After several discussions between Clements Agency and Hub International, the fifth largest insurance broker in the world, Hub acquired the agency and its offices in Tucson, Scottsdale and Flagstaff in June 2020.

Jack Clements reflected on the past two years and sees the benefits of the Hub International’s acquisition of the agency he founded 20 years ago. “We chose Hub because it fits our personality really well,” Clements said. Jack and his sons soon saw Hub’s willingness to assist them, sharing information and knowledge as the agency pivoted from a regional company to an international firm, with “tremendously greater resources.”

“Because Hub is the fifth largest broker in the world, it gets us in some doors we couldn’t otherwise get in being a local and regional firm,” Clements said. Today Clements is president of Hub’s Arizona operations and a member of Hub Southwest’s executive man agement team, while sons Sean and Jim are senior vice presidents. Clements man ages a portfolio of real estate, hospitality, construction, healthcare and technology accounts.

For Hub, the acquisition was all about the quality of the people at the Clements

Agency. “When we decided to come back to Arizona, we talked to a lot of firms,” said Randy Perkins, president of Hub Southwest. “We wanted someone who was very de pendable, had a lot of char acter and was well known in the community. Jack, Sean and Jim checked all the box es. The three offices gave us a wonderful platform from which we started building.

“It all starts with people. We wanted to start with the same cultural integrity and mindset that fit Hub’s personality and they fit that to a T.”

Hub Southwest has con tinued growth in Arizona, purchasing several Scotts dale-based companies.

Since its purchase of the Clements Agency in June 2020, Hub purchased Eagle American Insurance Company, a division of the Insurance Office of America, specializing in coverage for manufactured housing in the Southwest; EPG Insurance in Scottsdale, a property and casualty group, specializing in assisted living facilities; JP Griffin, an employee ben efits insurer in Scottsdale; and WealthPlan Advisors, a wealth management and retirement planning firm. Hub Southwest has over 20,000 clients in personal insurance, commercial and bonding insurance, employ ee benefits, and retirement and private wealth.

Insurance needs vary for business owners, according to Clements. “The more sophisticated a client is, the more they know what they need or want in terms of

coverage,” Clements said. He educates the client on op tions and various coverages, informing them on potential issues or claims that they may not have thought about.

Cyber insurance needs have expanded in recent years, Clements said. Poten tial clients tell Clements that their IT teams tell the com pany that they have “great controls” to protect from data breaches. These discus sions turn to the potential fallout and disastrous public relations when companies are reminded of recent data breaches in the news and the potential for claims against their companies. They start asking more questions about cyber insurance, and they quickly learn why they need it, Clements said.

Perkins said no two clients are exactly alike. Hub sells solutions, and Hub’s broad array of talent and resourc es “is kind of cool to see unfold” and how everyone works together, Perkins said. “We can deliver uniqueness and specialize in various in dustry-specific resources in a very small community. We address a small business no differently than we address a large business.”

With that wide array of resources and international reputation, the company still looks and feels very local, Clements said. “We deliver much more of a personal approach to the way we treat clients and deliver services than some of the big boys, if you will. People like doing

How to create a memorable business pitch

Delivering powerful business pitches to potential clients and investors is an important task for achieving success as a business leader. Presenting your value as a company in an engaging and memorable way in a sea of competition can be a daunt ing task. Follow these steps to engage with your audience and deliver a powerful busi ness presentation every time.

Our Cox Business and Cox Media teams utilize some of these tactics when they meet with local Southern Arizona businesses in order to share information on communica tions services, and how local businesses can deliver mes sages to their target audiences through television and digital advertising.

1. Tell your origin story. Be a storyteller, turn your business pitch into a mem orable story. While facts and statistics support your message, be sure to include personal anecdotes to draw in your audience as well.

2. Be different. You are likely competing against other businesses for a client. Make sure you explain how you are different from competitors and what you can offer that goes beyond what the client is looking for.

3. Infuse it with enthusi asm. People are more likely to work with a business owner who genuinely cares about what they do. Always bring a positive, upbeat attitude along with you to meetings.

4. Test the technology. There’s nothing worse than stalling your presentation because you can’t get the HDMI cord to work. Arrive early to test the technology and connect to a Cox Wi-Fi hot spot, if needed, so you’re ready to start with no awk ward silences while you deal with technical difficulties.

5. Keep it simple. Making too many points in one pres

entation will confuse your audience. Keep it succinct by sticking to three key takea ways. For example, Ted Talks that are short, direct and focused are the most under stood and memorable.

6. Use imagery. Peo ple remember 55% more information if it’s combined with a visual aid. As a rule of thumb, you should include more visuals than text on each slide. You want your audience to be listening to you, not reading everything from the screen. And please, don’t read your slides to your audience, you will lose their attention.

7. Show case studies. Highlight the work you’ve done with similar clients to give your audience an idea of what to expect from you. You can include case studies and customer testimonials to showcase your success.

8. Watch the time. Be respectful of your audience’s time and be sure to end your presentation on time, or ideally early to leave room for questions.

9. Practice makes perfect. Rehearse your presentation a couple of times in front of your peers. They will be able to point out if your message comes through clear and makes sense.

10. Seek coaching. If speaking in front of an audience gives you anxiety, consider hiring a profession al coach to help you conquer this fear and strengthen your public speaking skills.

Lisa Lovallo is the Southern Arizona market vice president for Cox Com munications. A Tucson native, Lovallo serves on numerous community boards including Sun Corridor Inc., the Southern Arizona Leadership Coun cil, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Mu seum and The Arizona We Want. To learn more about Cox’s philanthropy projects, visit coxcharities.org.

Lindsay Welch joins Mosaic’s leadership team

Mosaic Quarter Development LLC — the developer of Mosaic Quarter, a sport and entertainment-focused lifestyle center that completes the development of the Kino Sports & Entertainment Complex — hired Lindsay Welch as its managing director of business development and corporation relations.

Welch is the founder and former CEO of Autus Strategies, an independent business development consulting firm. She has held executive lead ership positions at Tech Parks Arizona, Crest Insurance, Tucson Tamale Company, the American Heart and Stroke Association of Southern Arizona and Junior Achievement of Southern Arizona.

Welch will lead the company’s business development, strategic partnership, social media and marketing efforts. She will also manage existing and new relationships with municipal governments, Native American tribes, public school districts, institutes of higher education, regional chambers of commerce, professional organizations, businesses, and nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.

Welch’s connection to the community includes current board membership with the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), and previous board services on the Greater Tucson Leadership. Welch garnered recognition as a “Woman of Influence, Outstanding Entrepreneur” by Tucson Local Media, and was a recipient of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s “40 Under 40” award. Welch is also a member and supporter of Angel Charity for Children.

“I’m looking forward to bringing my business experience and professional and community relationships to Mosaic Quarter,” Welch said.

“I am thrilled to be a part of Mosaic Quarter Development leadership team, changing the regional landscape of recreational sports for Southern Arizona residents, serving as a catalyst for sports tourism and economic development.”

Riley Rasmussen honored as a Top Young Professional

Riley Rasmussen, a project director with Barker Contracting Inc., was selected as one of the 20 Top Young Professionals by Engineering News Record, Southwest Contractor. The award honors 20 individuals under 40 in each of the publica tion’s 10 regions who have shown exceptional leadership and service throughout their careers.

“Receiving this award and being part of such a distinguished group has inspired me to raise myself to a higher standard,” Rasmussen said. “I want to live up to it by being even more profes sional.” The 20 young professionals were selected from companies in Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada by independent judges from within the region. Winners are automatically entered into the national round of judging for the ENR’s Na tional Award for Top 20 under 40.

As Barker’s project director, Rasmussen guides the overall management and quality of project work done in the Arizona market

Emily Bridson is center’s new donor engagement manager

Emily Bridson was hired by Sister José Women’s Center as its donor engagement manager. She relocated to Tucson from Michigan to enjoy hik ing and new cultural opportunities.

In her new role, she will assist in raising funds to serve the nonprofit’s guests. She will also man age Sister José’s communications.

“I’ve been warmly welcomed to the Tucson com munity and I’m grateful to serve women at Sister José’s,” she said.

“I’ve seen love in action when we work with guests and at the end of the day, it inspires me. I’m hopeful because as the need continues to increase, especially with our senior citizens, the community continues to provide for the poorest of the poor.”

2022 Book of Lists AVAILABLE NOW

Lindsay Welch

Riley Rasmussen

Emily Bridson

EXPANSION

business with us because we don’t look and feel like an 800-pound gorilla.”

Hub Southwest assisted clients in northern New Mexico after the recent wildfires this summer. The company worked to find out what kind of assistance was needed there, including finding shelter and expedit ing claims, helping clients “navigate through an emo tional time in their lives,” Perkins said.

Hub also assists con sumers, who can obtain homeowners, renters and personal auto insurance through Hub as the compa ny expands in the person al line area. “We may be making more acquisitions,” Clements said.

Clements enjoys the in surance business as it allows

him to interact with people every day and address their various needs. “It makes

Coming

the day more interest ing,” Clements said. “I’ll be working with a lumber

wholesaler in the morning, and in the afternoon, I’ll be working with a government contractor that does top

secret stuff. Variety is the spice of life.”

Clements is active in the Tucson community, as a

member of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council and board member of the Metropolitan Pima Alliance, a member of the Tucson Conquistadors, which spon sors the PGA Tour Event, and a member of the Cen turions, a major fund-raiser for Tucson Medical Center and several youth-oriented charities. The proceeds from the PGA Tour Event are all donated to underprivileged, youth-oriented groups.

Over the last three years Hub International also has donated $1.2 million to San Miguel High School to assist below-poverty children through a state tax credit program.

“It’s all fun,” Clem ents said of his and Hub’s charity work, “but it also is rewarding to give back to the community that is giving us our livelihood.” ITB

(Hub International/Submitted)

Hub International acquired Jack Clements’ Clements Agency and its offices in Tucson, Scottsdale and Flagstaff in June 2020.

(Hub International/Submitted) Randy Perkins is president of Hub Southwest.

CHAMBER CHATTER

HEATHER WUELPERN

Copper Cactus Awards celebrate business success

Because a typical workday can sometimes feel like you are living in a bubble and always keeping your nose to the grindstone, it is impor tant to take advantage of opportunities to break out of your daily routine.

The Copper Cactus Awards, presented by Wells Fargo, were just that and more. The Roaring ’20s attire complemented the décor, music, and The Charleston dance break. And most important, we were honored to recognize businesses and nonprofits that work hard every day to make a positive impact on our community.

Three finalist videos are shown for each category and subcategory. Watching those videos and learning about what those compa

nies have been working on over the last year always impresses and inspires. Each year when the judges score the finalists, they comment about how they wish each company could get an award because all of them are doing such remarkable things.

Not only do guests become familiar with the notable strides the companies have made, but those companies also get their name out to a room full of the “who’s who” of Southern Arizona business leaders. Addition ally, the finalists and winners also get their company names listed on the tucson chamber.org website and in the special sections of local publications. Complimenta ry marketing simply cannot be beaten.

More companies should strive to capture this rec ognition each year. Follow Tucson Metro Chamber on social media to stay abreast of next year’s Copper Cactus Awards or continue to visit our website at tucsoncham ber.org

And the 2022 Copper Cactus Awards winners are...

Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Best Place to Work

With three to 50 em ployees: Health Informa tion Management Systems (HiMS)

With 51 to 200 employ ees: Snell & Wilmer

CopperPoint’s Small Business Leader of the Year

Amanda Powers: Benev

olent Sports Tucson DBA

FC Tucson

Cox Business’ Business Growth

Paradigm Laboratories

DPR Construction’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion

The Drawing Studio

Nextrio’s Innovation

With three to 50 employ ees: University of Arizona

Center for Innovation

With 51 to 300 employ ees: Paragon Space Devel opment Corporation

Shirley Wilka Perseverance Award

Vanessa Bechtol: Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance Inc.

Tech Parks Arizona’s Start Up of the Year

Sonoran Stitch Factory

Tucson Electric Power’s Social Impact

With revenue up to $500,000: Amphi Foundation

With revenue between $500,001 and $2 million: Tu Nidito Children and Family Services

With revenue between $2 million to $5 million: Community Investment Corporation

(Tucson Metro Chamber/Submitted)

Startup of the Year winner Sonoran Stitch Factory.

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS TUCSON METRO CHAMBER

(Tucson Metro Chamber/Submitted)

Copper Cactus Awards guests during The Charleston Dance Break.

(Tucson Metro Chamber/Submitted)

3 tips for choosing your health benefits for 2023

By Heather Kane, CEO UnitedHealthcare Arizona and George Young, CEO, Medicare & Retirement, UnitedHealthcare Arizona

Amid higher inflation, you may be looking at ways to adjust your lifestyle and spending habits. But when it comes to health care, it’s important to keep your well-being and budget in mind.

Annual or open enrollment season is here – a time when more than 7,308,500 people in Arizona and millions of Americans across the country will have the opportunity to select or switch their health insur ance plan for the coming year. Open enrollment is a good chance to review how often you’re using health services and decide whether you’ll stick with the plan you’ve got or switch to another being offered. It’s also an opportunity to assess your overall care costs to en sure you’re choosing a plan that will work best for next year’s budget.

For people with coverage from their employer, open enrollment typically happens for two weeks sometime between September and December. Medicare mem bers can enroll or make changes to coverage from Oct. 15-Dec. 7. Most selections made will take effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

Here are three tips to help in choosing a health plan through work, the Exchange Marketplace or Medi care:

• Check your prescription benefits. Knowing how to get the most out of your prescription benefits may help you manage costs. For example, check into discounts and lower-cost alternatives, includ ing generics, which may be available. You may also be able to fill your prescriptions at a participating network pharmacy or with home delivery by mail — two more money-saving options.

• Check for mental health coverage. In addition to in-person mental health care, you may have access to a large virtual network of therapists and psychi atrists. Some health insurers also offer advocacy services to help you find the right type of behav ioral health care. Medicare members: Some plans offer virtual mental health care with a $0 copay, including UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage.

• Look into wellness programs. Many health plans offer incentives that reward you for taking health ier actions, such as completing a health survey, ex ercising or avoiding nicotine. Medicare members: Many Medicare Advantage plans also offer gym memberships and wellness programs for members at no additional cost.

For more helpful articles and videos about open en rollment, visit uhcopenenrollment.com.

TGA brings sports classes to students

By Tom Leyde Tucson Local Media

A Tucson couple is the newest owner of TGA Premier Sports, a franchise business that brings sports programs to students in Pima County.

Ryan and Alicia Dunn have extensive backgrounds in sports. They took over the business from the pre vious owners in June.

TGA stands for Ten nis/Golf/Athletics. The franchise is overseen by Youth Athletics United. The program brings sports

programs to kids after school and at sports camps. Programs include golf, cheerleading, flag football, lacrosse, floor hockey, ten nis, volleyball and ultimate Frisbee. Most of the pro grams serve elementary and middle school students.

Fees paid by school dis tricts and parents support the TGA franchise. Stu dents sign up for activi ties on the TGA website.

Coaches show up at the schools and camps with the sports equipment needed.

It works out well for parents, the Dunns said,

because they don’t have to provide the equipment and don’t have to drop off their children and pick them up at multiple sites.

“We come to you. We come to your school,” Ryan Dunn said. “You don’t have to take kids to practice. It’s just a nice way to intro duce kids to some of these sports. If they really enjoy it, parents can go on and buy equipment.”

Sports classes run for six to eight weeks. Sports camps are offered during school breaks.

TGA is in 77 markets across 23 states and Wash ington, D.C. It promotes the physical, educational, social and character-build ing elements of the sports offered.

In 2021, TGA joined the Youth Athletes United Family of Brands to advance the mission of positively impacting 1 million kids annually through sports.

TGA, which started out at Golf for Kids, has been offering its programs in Pima County for 10 years. The franchise was owned twice before the Dunns acquired it.

Premier Sports/Submitted)

The Dunns have been involved in sports most of their lives. Alicia, who grew up in California, works part time as a dental hygienist. She was a pro fessional softball player who was an alternate on the 2008 Olympic Softball Team. In 2006, she and

The Dunn family, from left, Garrett,

Dunn, Ryan Dunn, and Ensley Dunn,

Dunns

owners

Premier Sports.

her University of Arizona teammates won the Nation al Softball Championship.

Ryan was born in Florida and grew up in North Car olina. He has a bachelor’s degree in business admin istration and a master’s de gree in sports management from Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina.

He worked in his col lege’s athletic department while going to school and

later was hired by the University of Arizona’s athletic department in its public relations division.

Ryan worked for a short time in public relations for Pima County and then for a private-sector logistics company.

He said he had always been interested in own ing his own company. “It (TGA) really piqued my interest,” he said. “I did my own research and really

became interested in it.”

The Dunns, who have two children (a boy, 2, and a girl, 4), work out of their home.

“We’re able to split it (the business) up to what our strength areas are,” Alicia said. She works on sched uling, the company website and training coaches. Ryan works on sales, adminis tration, reaching out to schools and even teaching some classes himself.

“We pull in a lot of different things from the curriculum,” Alicia said. “It’s not just going out and hitting the ball around.”

At tennis classes, for instance, students learn about the physics of the sport, its origins, the rules and scoring.

“We had nothing like this when I was in school,” Ali cia said. “It’s a really good program.” ITB

Cielos

pleased to welcome back Executive Chef Miguel Angel Heredia.

A native of Tucson, Arizona, Miguel’s first memories were of watching his mother make wedding cakes. He quickly fell in love with cooking and started helping his mother in the kitchen. If Miguel is not in the kitchen, you can find him in nature hiking, camping, and enjoying the great outdoors. He believes in nature and keeping it simple, letting the beautiful and fresh product speak for itself.

Chef Miguel’s experience includes 20 years in the industry. He graduated from culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute, where he was top of his class. Miguel’s deep appreciation and passion for making great food began to develop. He was exposed to a variety of different cuisines, including French, Asian, and Southwest cooking. His love for food is driven by making outstand ing meals that bring family and friends together and create emotional connections.

(TGA Premier Sports/Submitted)

TGA student members take a golf lesson.

(TGA Premier Sports/Submitted)

TGA members play floor hockey.

(TGA Premier Sports/Submitted)

Flag football is one of many activities offered by TGA Premier Sports.

Tucson’s IMS is metal made easy

By Tom Leyde

Local Media

It’s a Mecca for metal heads, but not the hard rock variety.

Industrial Metal Supply Company has more varie ties of metal in more varie ties of sizes and shapes than most people can imagine.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in Tucson, the company, at 3757 E. Columbia Street, is an interesting place to visit, even if metal isn’t on your agenda.

There’s aluminum, steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, silicon bronze, bear ing bronze, zinc and lead. And each one is available in a plethora of forms. IMS also offers specialty metals.

Among them are cast iron, expanded sheet met al, threaded rod, ingot and shot, painted sheet metal, strut channel, tread plate, tool steel and U-edging.

“It’s your one-stop shop. It really is,” store manager

Lonnie Johnson said.

IMS doesn’t do any fabricating, but it does offer cutting, bending and welding.

“If you’re trying to do a project, we have every part you need,” Johnson added.

IMS opened its Tucson store in 2012, the sixth of seven stores. Others are in

Phoenix, Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles, Or ange County and San Jose, California. The company was founded 75 years ago as a scrap metal company by the father of current owner Neil Sherman.

IMS Tucson has grown rapidly in a decade. It’s started with a 28,000

square foot facility and 12 employees. It now employs 19 people and has 45,000 square feet of space.

Johnson has been work ing in metal for 17 years. “I love it. It’s a great com pany,” he said. “We really care about safety. ... It’s all about the employees first.”

Besides those working at the store, in both retail and metal work, IMS has sales and customer represent atives. “We have so many repeat customers,” Johnson said. “We pride ourselves on really clean products.”

IMS customers include Tucson-area industries as well as DIYers, artists and hobbyists. One of the favorite areas of the store for hobbyists and artists, Johnson said, is the rem nant area, where they can purchase metal pieces by the pound at a discount. “Lots of artists come in here,” he said.

Among the services IMS offers customers are cut to size, hi-def plasma cutting,

tube laser services, water jet cutting and metal shearing and sawing service. A recent ly purchased industrial shear machine can cut through metal as thick as 6 inches like butter, Johnson said.

If you are building a metal fence, check out the fence, gate and rail section. Here you will find:

• Wrought iron parts and accessories.

• Holleandar SpeedRail.

• Aluminum slip-on fit tings.

• Stainless steel railing components.

• Weld-on railing compo nents.

• Tube and pipe gate open ers.

• V-groove wheels.

• Gate hinges.

• Anchors.

• Fasteners.

• Guide rollers.

For home décor there are a wide variety of laser-cut

ornamental items in the shape of suns, moons, fish, cowboys, cowgirls, motor cycles, trees and animals, including horses. IMS has metal shooting targets as well.

The retail area of the store carries welding equip ment, safety equipment, tools, paints and patinas for coloring metals.

Customers can pickup their metal orders or have them delivered. IMS also will store metal for custom ers in its warehouse until they are ready to use it.

“If it’s made of metal, we like to think that we carry it,” Johnson said. ITB

Industrial Metal Supply Co.

E. Columbia

(Tom Leyde/Contributor)

Lonnie Johnson, store manager at Industrial Metal Supply Co. in Tucson, holds laser-cut metal décor items at the store at 3757 E. Columbia Street.

(Tom Leyde/Contributor)

Cesar Mendez, warehouse lead at Industrial Metal Supply, uses a machine to punch holes in a piece of steel.

(Tom Leyde/Contributor)

Financial adviser Karlsberg wins national award

By Tom Leyde Tucson Local Media

Local financial adviser Dan Karlsberg of Freedom Trail Wealth at Dove Mountain was named to the Financial Services Institute’s 2022 Ad vocacy Circle of Excellence. He was honored for his commitment to FSI’s advo cacy mission and ensuring Main Street Americans’ access to affordable, professional financial advice. He was one of only 15 financial advisers nationwide to receive the honor and the only one in Arizona.

“I am honored to be recog nized among the FSI Circle of Excellence members,” Karlsberg said.

“FSI’s mission of educating lawmakers and regulators on how independent financial advisers, such as myself, help clients to secure their financial futures is essential. Working together, we can help Americans achieve their financial dreams. There are over 300,000 independent financial advisers in the Unit ed States and to be one out of 300,000 (to receive the award) is pretty awesome.”

FSI works on Capitol Hill to create a healthier, more business-friendly regulatory environment for the member independent financial servic es firms and independent fi nancial advisers who provide affordable, unbiased advice to Americans. FSI members earn engagement points for meeting with legislators and regulators, hosting congres sional events and responding to calls to action.

“The steadfast commit ment of our members is essential to ensuring Main

interned in college with the NHL’s Hartford Whalers, their last year in Hartford, before moving to Carolina to become the Hurricanes.

don’t know how to speak the language.’ You’d be a great financial adviser.’

(Dan Karlsberg/Submitted)

Dan Karlsberg’s resume includes stints with the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets (Pelicans) and Orlando Magic, MLB’s Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers and the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. From left, are his daughter, Aubrey; his wife, Annette; Karlsberg; his daughter, Dalanna, and son, Brody.

Street Americans continue to have access to the affordable, professional financial advice that can help them achieve their financial goals,” said Dale E. Brown, FSI president and chief executive officer.

“We are proud to count Dan Karlsberg among our members, and we are very pleased to recognize him for his exceptional contribu tions to our work on behalf of our industry and Main Street American investors. Dan Karlsberg truly makes a difference in our profession, and we are grateful for their dedication and example.”

Dan Karlsberg’s office is at 12120 N. Dove Mountain Road, Suite 182, in Mara na. The 44-year-old started Freedom Trail Wealth at Dove Mountain in 2017. His company offers a full-service solution-based financial planning practice, specializ ing in working with pre- and post-retirees on retirement strategies, legacy planning, and long-term financial

plans.

Before becoming a finan cial adviser, Karlsberg worked in the sports industry for over 15 years. Having grown up in Boston area and gone to col lege in Hartford, Connecti cut, he headed south for his first job as general manager for the minor league baseball team, Durham Americans, who played at the Durham Athletic Park in North Carolina. That was the same stadium featured in the 1988 movie “Bull Durham.”

From there, Karlsberg went on to work for several Major League franchises, where he served in various capacities, including vice president of sales, sales man ager, and account executive.

Among the teams he worked for were the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) and Orlando Magic, MLB’s Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers and the NHL’s Tampa Bay Light ning and Florida Panthers. He also very proud to have

But the constant moving, long hours, as well as meeting his wife, and starting a young family led Karlsberg to look for another career locally. He asked some of his closest friends on their opinions about what be a good fit for him. Several suggested that he should look at a career in the financial services field, where a few of them worked, and suggested he do the same.

One of his friends, Karlsberg recalled, gave him the best piece of advice. “He told me at my initial hesita tion, ‘Dan, you already know how to do the job you just

Karlsberg took the advice and went to work for Edward Jones Investments in Orlando Florida where he was located at the time. There, he learned the language, passed the tests and began his new career. In 2015, he moved from Florida to Tucson with his wife An nette and his three children, Aubrey, Dalanna, and Brody. His wife was born here in Tucson but grew up in Flor ida. Her family goes back 3 generations having grown up in Oracle, San Manuel, and Mammoth area. Some of her family members had moved back to retire after 40 years while some had been here the whole time.

Karlsberg stayed with Ed ward Jones for two more years then went independent. He’s now in his 10th year.

His company helps people set up their accounts with Fidelity Investments through a partnership with his firm.

“A lot of people here have their 401ks with Fidelity,” Karlsberg said. “So when they retire or change jobs, it leads to an easy transition to estab lishing an IRA as well as other investments accounts with us.

With one phone call, we can take care of most situations with Fidelity.”

ITB

Freedom Trail Wealth

520-612-7781

freedomtrailwealth.com

MULTIFAMILY

Tucson wine industry continues fermenting

By Jimmy Magahern

Tucson Local Media

If you ever needed proof that, as F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, “the very rich, they are different from you and me,” you need look no further than the current state of the premium wine industry.

While most of us have been fretting over the rising price of gas and groceries in 2022, sales of high-end wines have actually grown to their highest level over the last five years, according to the latest industry report by Santa Clara, California, based Silicon Valley Bank, which specializes in the premium wine industry. SVB’s benchmark report states that since 2020, purchase growth by dollar value has exceeded growth in volume, with consumers “spending more money on better bottles and moving away from wine under $11.”

“Everything under $11 isn’t doing very well, which is dragging down overall figures for the industry. But the high-end wineries are doing just fine,” said Rob McMillan, founder of SVB’s wine division.

“What we’re looking at right now is a more difficult economy, but the first ones to get impacted in a difficult economy are the people that are lower on the wage scale,” McMillan said, matter-of-factly. “And they tend to be more beer drinkers than wine drink ers — that’s just normal. So right now, they may be making fewer visits to the restaurants, and making fewer purchases of wine.”

Vineyard with a view of Agua Caliente Mountains along the I-10 in Tucson.

For the very rich, how ever, the pandemic and resulting economic fallout has mostly curtailed only their visits abroad, which has actually been a boon to regional wineries.

“They didn’t have any place to spend their money during the lockdown, so their discretionary income just piled up,” McMillan said.

“Last I checked, the top 10% managed to save roughly $2 trillion during the lockdown. So, when the winery tasting rooms start

ed reopening in 2021, that made it an exceptional year for the premium, high-end wineries. This year has still been good — just maybe a little less awesome, let’s say.”

What that all means for southern Arizona wineries varies, depending on which socioeconomic market they serve and also, crucially, how they serve it.

Lori Dutt Reynolds runs Sonoita Vineyards in Elgin, a winery started by her grandfather, Dr. Gordon Dutt, a soil scientist at the

University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture whose research in the 1970s set the stage for growing grapes and making wine here. Widely recognized today as the “father of the Arizona wine industry,” Dutt, who passed away in September 2021 at the age of 91, pushed to get the Sonoita region approved as Arizona’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA) and opened the state’s first tast ing room. Today, a small staff still bottles, labels and caps each varietal by hand

in small batches of less than 2,000 bottles per vintage.

“It’s been really slow,” Reynolds said. “Like, every now and then, we’ll get a busy weekend. But it’s not like it was before COVID.”

Reynolds blamed the slowdown on the slow-to-recover economy and rising gas prices, which has limited their custom ers’ incentive to make the roughly one-hour trek from Downtown Tucson for a bottle or two of sparkling dry rosé.

Most of Sonoita’s wines

sell for between $14 and $30, with their high est-priced red port going for around $64, placing their potential consumers somewhere in that strained nether land between blue-collar beer drinkers and premium wine con noisseurs.

“I would absolutely, 100%, say that wine is a ne cessity to life,” said Reyn olds, who still has fond memories of being carried

(Submitted photo)

on her grandfather’s shoul ders through the family farmland as a child. “But right now, most people are thinking, ‘Where can we pinch our pennies?’ And as my grandpa always told me, ‘We’re the fluff of society.’ This is where people who have extra slush funds come to have fun, take that beautiful drive and pick up something special for themselves. But really, you can go down to your local grocery store and get wine.” Ironically, selling through local grocery stores has turned out to be what’s keeping Sonoita afloat. Reynolds’ grandfather was also instrumental in getting state legislation passed to al low farms to ship their wines directly to customers with

out having to go through distributors, long predat ing Internet sales, which would flourish during the pandemic: SVB’s research says that Internet sales have nearly doubled since 2020. But many regional wineries are still limited to selling within their state lines, due to tax restrictions.

“You have to report and pay taxes to every single state you sell in,” Reynolds said. “That’s just one more hat to wear when you run a small winery.” Shipping costs have also escalated.

“For our Tucson custom ers, it’s actually been less expensive to drive down here and pick up than have it shipped. But now it’s expensive to drive, too.”

Sonoita’s recently struck partnerships with Safeway/ Albertsons and Total Wine stores have kept it in the

black. “Last time I was in the Phoenix area, I drove around to 15 different Safeways, and our Arizona Sunset and Buddy D’s (a red blend that Reynolds says gives the drinker “this lovely cherry nose followed by a spicy finish, just like Granddad himself!”) are on the shelf. So that’s great.”

For Kent Callaghan of Callaghan Vineyards in Elgin, the biggest concerns have been environmental. In southern Arizona, high winds, an early frost and monsoons can make the re gion an often-challenging place to grow grapes.

“Hail is our biggest prob lem,” said Callaghan, who’s found the region’s arid, windy and sunbaked cli mate best suited for making Mediterranean varieties like his vineyards’ Bordeaux, Graciano, Mourvèdres

and Grenache blends. “We had some hail this year, but fortunately it wasn’t as devastating as in 2010 and 2020. Our crop is back on the road to recovery, and we’ve just started to invest in hail nets. So hopefully, we’ll be good.”

Supply chain slowdowns have impacted winemakers, too. “For a while there, getting bottles was a prob lem, along with some other basic stuff,” Callaghan says. “Like, we use screw caps, and our previous supplier was on an eight-month back order. But it hasn’t been too crazy for us. After 30 years in business, you start learning to buy things well before you need them.”

An even bigger im mediate concern for all southern Arizona wineries, Callaghan said, is a ballot initiative that could restrict

water usage in the Willcox Groundwater Basin where most of the vineyards have their grapevines. At press time, voters in both Gra ham and Cochise counties are considering Proposi tion 420, which would turn the basin into an “Active Management Area,” in ef fect freezing the drilling of new wells unless approved by a state-managed panel. Callaghan and other members of the Arizona Wine Growers Association are against it, citing that while the basin is home to more than a dozen vine yards, grape-growing uses less than half of the water that crops like hay and corn demand, and limiting well-drilling there would only hurt the economic activity the vineyards bring into rural communities. Other winegrowers, like

Joan Dahmer, co-owner of Aridus Wines in Willcox, are in favor of establishing the state-managed panel, claiming that it’s the big corporations from outside states that are “raping the aquifer” and need to be reined in. Callaghan remained skeptical that the pan el would only limit big corporate harvesters. “If it passes, it will obvious ly throw a huge wrench into any kind of growth for Arizona winemaking, because Willcox is the main engine for grape-growing in Arizona right now,” he said. “There are other ways of handling the water issue other than going to the most drastic measure that you can put into effect. It’s like taking a sledgeham mer to it when you need a tuning fork.” ITB

Annual

Nest in the Desert fills a home décor niche

By Tom Leyde

Robyn Halperin and Ivana Savu love home decor, so much so that they have opened a new store in Oro Valley’s Plaza Escondida, along Oracle Road.

The business is called Nest in the Desert, and it features moderate ly priced quality items, including furniture, art, candles, lighting, mir rors, rugs, pillows and gift items.

The store, at 7954 N. Oracle Road near Trader Joe’s, formerly housed a dance academy. It opened its doors on Aug. 22. Halperin and Savu, who

are business partners, de cided to start the business because they could not find anything like it in the Tucson area.

“I think people are go ing to appreciate what we are doing,” Savu said.

The partners met 11 years ago when they were neighbors in Peoria. Halp erin had a similar store in that city and Savu worked for her. But after running the store for five years, Halperin sold it when her husband, Scott, retired.

The couple was plan ning on traveling and do ing what people do when retired. But retirement, they discovered, wasn’t all it was said to be and both decided to return to work.

Meanwhile, Savu’s daughter, Andrea, was attending the UA. Savu of ten visited her. “We went out shopping and Tucson didn’t have anything like this (Nest in the Desert),” Savu said.

“We thought it was a great place to open,” Halperin said.

The partners made a trip to Oro Valley and found a 2,400-squarefoot store site and a home to buy in the same day. The two still have homes in Peoria and use the Oro Valley home to live in while they alternate working at the store. They are also in the process of remodeling the dwelling.

Halperin is a native of Kent, Ohio, and moved to Arizona 15 years ago. She and her husband have a blended family, that includes twin boys.

Savu is a native of the former Yugoslavia. She met her husband in college there and the two married. They lived in New York for five years before relocating to Ari zona 18 years ago. She was doing home staging when she met Halperin, and they became best friends.

Halperin was doing home interior designing when the two met and she wanted to open a home décor store. Savu sup ported her in that effort, but at that time did not want to be a business partner. She had her own business and children to raise.

“I’ve always been about home,” Halperin said. “Functionality and home go hand in hand. ... We kind of create an esthetic that works for the store.” Nest in the Desert

features furniture by Rowe/Robin Bruce. Made in Virginia, the compa ny offers 300 different fabrics.

“We can customize anything,” Halperin said. “We sell everything off the floor.”

But Nest in the Desert also can order items for customers. “We do a lot of ordering,” Halperin said. “One lady bought a cabinet, and another lady liked it so we ordered it.

... We have no beds or bedding, but we can get them anything.”

The women have big plans for the store. They want to have holiday open houses and other events. They also plan to have events at their Oro Valley home once it is remod eled, such as teaching floral arranging, table set tings and interior design.

“We really want to embrace the commu nity,” Savu said. “We really want to be involved in the community and give something back to the community. ... The most important thing,” she said, “is we have the support of our husbands.

... Even the kids are helping. I enjoy that it is something where we can all get together and work together.” ITB

Nest in the Desert 7954 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley 520-297-8299 nestinthedesert.com

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday

Tucson Local Media

(Nest in the Desert/Submitted)

Ivana Savu, left, and Robyn Halperin, in their new home décor store, Nest in the Desert, in Oro Valley. The two opened the store in August.

Luxury child care center to open second location

By Katya Mendoza

Tucson Local Media

Drop-off child care center, Timeless Play, is preparing to open a sec ond location at the Oro Valley Marketplace early next year.

Nannies from the award-winning Trusting Connections placement agency and sitter service are behind Timeless Play, which provides parents and caregivers flexible child care services by the hour.

Co-founder Rosalind Prather, said families are having a hard time finding nannies and inflation on top of the pandemic has hit the child care industry hard.

“I genuinely think there’s a crisis right now,” Prather said. “We’re far past the point of de mand.”

Referencing the pandemic, Prather said that parents have had to quit their jobs due to an inability to find child care and many day cares and preschools have about year-long waitlists.

“People (who) pre viously wouldn’t have considered having a pri vate nanny because they wanted to go the day care route are now doing just that because they simply can’t get in and they have to pay a really high price,” Prather said.

Nanny placement on average, Prather said, can take about six to eight weeks. Parents-to-be find themselves looking for child care options before their baby is born.

“We work with all dif ferent kinds of families and they’re just looking for safe, reliable care,” Prather said.

Prather and her business partner and co-founder, Caroline Wesnitzer, were 24 years old when they launched Trusting Connections in 2011, when Prather became pregnant with her first child. “It happened simultaneously,” she said.

The two were professional nannies in college and have been best friends since 1997. Trusting Connections has been successful. In May 2015, they opened a second location in South lake, Texas, and in April 2018, a third location in Phoenix, and in March 2021, came Timeless Play, the drop-off play experi

ence for children ages 1 to 12.

This year, Trusting Connections on track to be a $2 million business.

“Less than 5% of busi nesses that generate half a million a year in sales,” Prather said. “Less than 5% of those are owned by women.

“We have a unique model, most agencies just refer candidates to fami lies and have that place ment model. We have an entire sitter service, about 150 employees, and those centers are employed by our agency (Trusting Connections) to provide temporary part-time care for our (clients).

Timeless Play allows parents to drop off their children for up to four hours during business hours. From there, “play

experts,” offer quality attention to children in small groups.

“Kids have really forgotten how to play,” Prather said.

Timeless Play takes an alternative approach toward playtime, sans bat teries. From old-school wooden toys to board games and puzzles, “play experts” interact with children using “nutri ent-rich” activities.

“We want to be the place that parents think about when they are in their desperate moments and really need a break, because we believe that parenting should come with a tribe,” Prather said.

Trusting Connections

and Timeless Play aims to serve as “sanity savers,” according to their social media, placing parents’ mental health at the fore front.

The new Oro Valley Marketplace location will have space for 26 kids, compared to the Campbell and River location, which hosts 17. They expect to begin hiring later this fall, interested applicants should keep a lookout on their website.

“We’re looking for peo ple who are kids at heart, who are creative, who are fun, imaginative and just really have a passion for being with kids,” Prather said. ITB

Timeless Play takes an alternative approach to playtime.(Submitted)

Lea Márquez Peterson receives national honor

By Hope Peters Tucson Local Media

The former Tucson His panic Chamber of Commerce president, Lea Márquez Peterson, was named the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Hispanic Businesswoman of the Year at its national conference in Phoenix on Oct. 4.

“At U.S. Hispanic Cham ber, they were recognizing my leadership with the Tucson Hispanic Chamber,” Márquez Peterson said.

“I was the president for about nine years and during that time we grew dramat ically and provided a lot of different resources for the small businesses that we represented.”

The Arizona Corporation Commission chairwoman, Márquez Peterson of the Márquez Peterson Group LLC was honored for demonstrating her profes sional value while strength ening the social fabric of her community, adding to the leadership pipeline for a more diverse country.

“It was so surprising to me,” she said. “What an hon or to get a national award.” The Tucson resident is used to blazing trails. She’s

the first Latina to serve in a statewide office in Arizona, and she’s the only com missioner who is not from Maricopa County.

“I am the first Latina to serve in a statewide seat in the history of Arizona, which was shocking,” Márquez Pe terson said. “I had to double check. There was Gov. (Raúl Héctor) Castro, he was the first Latino and Jaime Molera but another Latino. So, I am the first Latina.”

Márquez Peterson is a longtime entrepreneur who served as the president/ CEO of the Tucson Hispan ic Chamber of Commerce from 2009 to November 2018. During her tenure, the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce was recognized by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as the Hispan ic Chamber of the Year in 2013.

Before that, she was the executive director of Greater Tucson Leadership from 2005 to 2009. During that same time, she owned and operated a business broker age firm. She helmed six gas stations/convenience stores with 50 employees in the Tucson area from 1998 to 2005.

Márquez Peterson was

appointed to the Arizona Ju dicial Council, which advises the Arizona Supreme Court and the Arizona Finance Authority, the state’s bonding authority.

Currently, she chairs the board of directors of Ca rondelet’s St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s hospitals in Tucson and is the former chair of the Pima Association of Gov ernments’ Economic Vitality Committee.

She is a board member of Pima County Workforce Investment Board and is the past president of the Na tional Association of Women Business Owners in Tucson. She also chairs the board of the national Small Business Development Council for the U.S Small Business Admin istration.

Márquez Peterson was elected to the Arizona Cor poration Commission in No vember 2020. She was sworn in Jan. 4, 2021, and elected by her fellow commissioners as chair.

Prior to November 2020, Márquez Peterson was ap pointed to the commission by Gov. Doug Ducey in May 2019. Her first term will end in 2025. She will be eligible to run for a second term in 2024.

She said she is planning — for now — to run for a second term.

“I have been told by the attorneys that I can run for one more term because we only get two terms,” she said. “I did get appointed by the governor to end Andy Tobin’s term because he was taken to an ADOA (Arizona Depart ment of Administration) position. They told me it was short enough that it didn’t qualify for my second term.”

The Arizona Corporation Commission does more than incorporate businesses.

“There are five of us (on the commission) that are elected statewide, and we regulate the utility industry, private and investor-owned, so in our community that is Tucson Electric, Southwest Gas,” Márquez Peterson explained.

“We manage railroad and pipeline safety; and incor porate every business in the

state. So, a lot of my small business that I represented at the chamber reached out for help; and we license secu rities and go after securities fraud. It is very diverse.”

The commission deter mines what rates utilities can charge. On an average year, it tackles 40 to 50 rate cases.

“Nobody likes a rate increase,” she said. “But we want to make sure when you flip the switch your electricity goes on.”

(Lea Márquez Peterson/Courtesy)

Lea Márquez Peterson of the Márquez Peterson Group LLC was named Hispanic Businesswoman of the Year by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 4.

Southern Arizona Breweries

Southern Arizona Wineries

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1 Flying Leap Vineyards

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2 Rune Wines

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