BUSINESS

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Business diversity conference in Scottsdale

PROGRESS NEWS STAFF

Starting a business takes more than a good idea and hard work.

It takes knowledge on how to gain access to capital and an understanding of business principles to be successful.

“It’s not what you don’t know that will hurt you, it’s what you don’t know you don’t know,” said Dr. Velma Trayham, CEO of Thinkzilla, a diversity, equity and inclusion (consultant agency.

And often minorities do not have access to that information, Trayham said.

It took Trayham six years of starting companies and failing before learning some key lessons but Thinkzilla now has of�ices in Houston, Atlanta, Miami and Scottsdale.

Likewise, creating an environment of diversity and inclusion in a business takes more than knowing a few buzz words.

That is what the 2022 United Diversity Business Summit is for.

The program will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Center, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale.

The theme for the free program is “Enhancing the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem through Diversity, Community and Innovation.”

For more information or to register: UnitedDiversityBusinessSummit.com.

There will be two program tracks. Track 1 is designed for public and private companies seeking to increase diversity outcomes.

Track 2 incorporates business development programs to attract and grow the minority small business community.

Workshop topics will include using disruption to advance business strategy, entrepreneurship 101, supplier diversity, inclusive decision-making, and recognizing and overcoming �inancial challenges.

The program will include break-out sessions and training workshops covering various topics and industries with the aim of moving 100 or more companies forward and expanding fast-growing diverse small businesses across the Valley.

The lineup of speakers includes: Mayor David Ortega, Trayham, Scottsdale Diversity Director Jackie Johnson, Scottsdale Economic Development Director Rob Millar, Art Hamilton Group founder Art Hamilton and Danny Seiden, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Other speakers include Cloves Campbell, co-publisher of the Arizona Informant; Eric Standifer, president and CEO of Blaylock Van; Ashlee Atkins, president of Greater Phoenix Urban League Young Professionals; Mark Stanton, president and CEO of the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce; and Keasha Beach, executive director of BASE Arizona.

“We are very excited about how the event is coming together and the compelling speakers and content we will be bringing together on September 14,” Trayham said.

“We are grateful to our sponsors – particularly Salt River Project, Blaylock Van, Country Financial and the ASU Of�ice of Economic Development – for making this event possible. We are looking forward to advancing the discussion of diversity in business and creating invaluable connections for corporations and entrepreneurs in our community.”

Joining Hamilton and Johnson as cosponsors is Cameron Robb, senior development consultant at APS.

Velma Trayham

Scottdale Recovery Center names 3 to new posts

PROGRESS NEWS STAFF

Scottsdale Recovery Center, an inpatient and outpatient drug rehabilitation, addiction and medical detox facility, has appointed three people to new leadership roles to expand the organization’s therapeutic and development potential.

The new positions and people who are holding them are Andrea Dermott, director of business development; Jennifer Govan,w clinical director, and Aymet Demara, associate clinical director.

Dermott joined Scottsdale Recovery Center in January 2019 as a lab technician, then became an administrative asstruggle of addiction,” Scottsdale Recovery Center said in a release. She holds a bachelor of business administration from Northern Arizona University.”

Govan is a licensed independent substance abuse counselor with a master of arts in organizational management and a master of science in professional counseling.

Demara is a licensed associate substance abuse therapist with experience at a children’s behavioral health clinic and a substance abuse treatment center,.

Since 2009, Scottsdale Recovery Center has helped people deal with active alcohol, opioid, cocaine, and other addictions.

Information: scottsdalerecovery.com.

Scottsdale Recovery Clinic’s new leadership team includes, from left: Andrea Dermott, Jennifer Govan and Aymet Demara. (Special to the Progress)