fall 2013 metro

THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINESPECIAL REPORT 2013

Driving Pro-Business Initiatives

SPECIAL REPORT CORPORATE SPONSOR

Tucson Metro Chamber

THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

http://westinlapalomaresort.com

http://coxbusinessaz.com

http://www.raytheon.com

http://casinodelsol.com

http://wellsfargo.com

42 BizTucson < < < Fall 2013

By Joan Liess

Tucson Metro Chamber Driving Pro-Business Initiatives

Change Ahead

Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 43www.BizTucson.com

Tucson Metro Chamber Driving Pro-Business Initiatives

Change Ahead

Tucson is experiencing a Copernican shift. The way we view our local universe is changing dramatically. This one-time small town is energized and expanding its role in the world. The Tucson region rightly values its unique natural and cultural assets – yet recognizes its quality of lifestyle is reli-ant upon a robust local economy. A revitalized Tucson Metro Chamber is leading the way for positive economic change by focusing on the nexus of healthy, growing businesses and prosperity for all Tucso-nans. That plan is to focus, focus, focus on pro-business initiatives. A shift in the chamber’s intensity to foster a pro-business climate began when current President and CEO Mike Varney took the helm in May 2011. Like many local businesses at that time, the chamber’s status quo was tenuous. The economy was slowly recover-ing from a recession that had hurt businesses and property values, escalated unemployment and dampened consumer confidence. Not surprisingly, the chamber’s membership and rev-enue streams plummeted in the wake of those troubled waters. It was clearly time to refocus and rebuild. “Mike brought a lot of different ideas based on his ex-perience in other chambers and his own personal expe-rience,” current Board Chairman Kurt Wadlington said. “Businesses were struggling and they were looking for so-lutions. Now we have a guy with a new perspective. That’s been good for Tucson.” The chamber concluded its 2012-13 fiscal year in June – under the leadership of then Board Chairman Bruce Dusenberry – with a litany of accomplishments and an improved balance sheet. The investor curve was reversed as small businesses re-upped and the top-tier Chairman’s Circle expanded from a dozen companies to nearly 80. Clearly Tucson businesses began recognizing the value of investing in the chamber and that drove this renais-sance. The chamber is 100 percent funded by member in-vestments and special events. “We get things done” “We are putting on a full-court press to bring positive pro-business changes to Southern Arizona,” Varney said. “Companies invest in us because we demonstrated that we get things done.”

continued on page 44 >>>

BizLEADERSHIP

Cov

er P

hoto

:©iS

tock

phot

o.co

m/d

szc

44 BizTucson < < < Fall 2013 www.BizTucson.com

“I was impressed with howmuch the chamber cared

about me and my business.”– Emmett O’LearyPresident, O’Leary Construction

Just ask chamber investor Emmett O’Leary, president of O’Leary Construction, a site preparation company with 60 employees. In 2008 “I dropped out of everything because I was in survival mode,” explained O’Leary, who recently rejoined after the chamber helped him overcome some road-blocks with the City of Tucson on a permit issue. “All I heard was ‘no, no, no,’” said O’Leary, whose experi-ence mirrors that of other business owners when navigating governmental processes. “I was impressed with how much the chamber cared about me and my business.” The snafu O’Leary experienced was a systemic predica-ment, according to some business owners. The concern drove the chamber’s agenda during its last fiscal year. “Our goal is to change the local culture to say ‘yes’ to business op-portunities and then work out the fine details – rather than starting from a position of ‘no’ and making the opportunity justify itself,” said Varney. Robert Medler, VP of government affairs, points to the chamber’s creation of the Joint Business Objectives as a posi-tive step towards improving outcomes when dealing with lo-cal governments. “New York City and Portland had estab-lished a Business Bill of Rights – which inspired us to do something similar,” Medler said. Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry readily bought into the initiative. “Our document is based on give-and-take on both sides,” explained Medler, who included the development di-rectors for both the city and county in the process. “What are the basic things that need to happen to make this process work for both government and business?” Both the city and county now have poster-sized Joint Busi-ness Objectives documents on display in their development offices. “A lot of the problems were simple,” said Medler. “It’s a common-sense starting point.” Face Time With Top City, County Leaders The chamber also instituted the Interface forum offer-ing regular opportunities to speak directly with top city and county officials about public policy and doing business in Southern Arizona. The Interface sessions rotate between the city and county leadership. Rothschild met with chamber investors in Au-gust, with the next session scheduled for Nov. 21. Huckelber-ry and/or Board Chairman Ramon Valadez are scheduled Oct. 31 and again on Jan. 23. During the hour-long exchange, politicos can get direct feedback about the city’s latest policy decisions or current initiatives such as the county’s proposed aerospace and de-

continued from page 43

BizLEADERSHIP

Bruce Dusenberry

Chuck Huckelberry

Mike Varney


fense corridor and its proposed bond package. “You get an hour of direct face-to-face time with this re-gion’s senior political leaders,” Medler said. If capacity attendance is a measure of success, investors clearly value the productive meeting of minds at these fo-rums. The chamber encourages openness, transparency and robust discussion.

Advancing Pro-business Initiatives The chamber recently commissioned a comprehensive study conducted by Smith & Dale, a local nonprofit consult-ing firm, to evaluate its effectiveness and set its agenda based on the priorities of investors. “Businesses place a very high value on the chamber being their voice in the halls of government,” said Wadlington, who added that more than 100 business people were interviewed as part of this commissioned study.

Wadlington said the findings were “a third-party, environ-mental scan to get insight on things we are doing that are valu-able – and things that weren’t as important so we shouldn’t spend valuable time on those.” Key to advancing pro-business initiatives via the ballot box is the Southern Arizona Business Political Action Commit-tee, the political action arm of the chamber. The chamber formed its political action committee in 1978 and was certi-fied as a Super-PAC in 2012 as its means to en dorse candi-dates and support or oppose issues. “Just the creation of that PAC sends a powerful message that not only are we paying attention, but in terms of financ-es, we’re armed and ready,” Varney said. During the 2012 election cycle, 94 percent of candidates supported by SAZ-PAC won their elections. With the blessing of Varney and SAZPAC’s board, Medler formalized and expanded the candidate evaluation process in 2011 by creating the candidate evaluation committee com-prised of chamber investors equally identified as Republicans, Democrats and Independents. The committee also mirrors the blend of ages, gender, ethnicity and industry sectors of chamber investors. “If you take out that one person who is a really strong R and his or her score, and one person who’s a really strong D and his or her score, everyone else is almost always within the first standard of deviation,” Medler explained. “They’re all pretty close when it comes to the business issues – and that’s

“Our goal is to change the local culture to say ‘yes’

to business opportunities and then work out the fine details –

rather than starting from a position of ‘no’ and making

the opportunity justify itself.”– Mike VarneyPresident & CEO, Tucson Metro Chamber


http://business.comcast.com


what matters as a chamber.” Medler invites all viable local and state candidates to partici-pate in the chamber’s vetting pro-cess – which includes submitting a written questionnaire or track record (for incumbents), engag-ing in a scheduled interview con-ducted by the candidate evalu-ation committee and providing empirical information about his or her campaign. After evaluating the data, the committee submits its recom-mendations to SAZPAC’s board which reviews the collected infor-mation and considers the com-mittee’s endorsements in earnest when making its final decisions. Medler admitted, “It took a few years to get the process just right – but it’s working well now.”

Focus on Workforce Pro-business public policy is effective stimulus for business growth. Equally as important is a workforce fit to convert growth into tangible, quality-of-life ben-efits for both businesses and our community. The workforce challenges of tomorrow are already upon us. As a result of a dwindling pool of skilled workers, 3.5 million cur-rent job openings are not being filled by U.S. companies, accord-ing to a new study published by the Apollo Group, parent compa-ny of the University of Phoenix. Compounding this problem, one of the most educated segments of our workforce – the baby-boom generation – is reaching retire-ment age. Thanks to the University of Arizona, Tucson can call dibs on high-end college graduates and advanced-degree talent. The UA is the major source of engineers for Raytheon Missile Systems, the region’s largest private em-ployer. Conversely, Tucson was the sixth-poorest of the nation’s top 500 metropolitan areas in 2011 with a poverty rate of 20.4 per-cent, according to U.S. Census Bureau data – despite the fact that quality jobs in aerospace, mining, manufacturing and other trade professions went unfilled.

“Businesses place a very

high value on the chamber beingtheir voice inthe halls of

government.”– Kurt WadlingtonBoard Chairman


Business on the Ballot Hot Topics in 2014• City of Tucson budget and oversight

of Proposition 409 road bonds

• Statewide offices including governor and legislators

• Proposed Interstate 11 project to complete a north-south three-country international trade corridor

• Permitting and construction of the Rosemont Copper mine project

Continuing Efforts• Union Pacific rail yard project – sup-

porting a multi-modal transportation hub on the Pima-Pinal county line

• Ending Highway User Revenue Fund sweeps and other funding sweeps

• Supporting F-35 Joint Strike Fighter basing at the 162nd Air National Guard and attracting other new De-partment of Defense programming

• Advancing tax policies that encour-age job creation and capital invest-ment, including the film tax credit

• Focusing on education issues includ-ing results measurements, education finance policy and reinstating fund-ing for four-year Joint Technical Edu-cation District programming known as JTED

• Supporting downtown improvement projects

• Supporting policies that encourage increased trade with Mexico

• Adopting immigration policy based on the S.A.N.E. framework

• Reforming the initiative process to in-crease transparency, prevent abuses and further limitations on the legisla-ture’s ability to set state budgets

For more information visit www.tucsonchamber.org



BizLEADERSHIPState of Education Luncheon – Guy Gunther, VP & GM, CenturyLink with scholarship recipient Sarah Hefferan

http://www.tucsonchamber.org

http://alliancebankofarizona.com


The chamber intends to be an active partner in efforts to cross this chasm. “We’ve reached a critical point. We have to move ahead,” said Gregg Johnson, campus direc-tor for the University of Phoenix in Tucson, who was tapped to head a new chamber committee charged with addressing workforce readi-ness and education – including strategies to reduce the high school dropout rate. “How do we put people into the careers they want – and more im-portantly – match them to the ca-reers of the future?” Johnson said. That’s the big question here and nationwide. “We have the educa-tional resources but we don’t always have the trade development that we need.” The Joint Technical Educa-tion District is one key to develop-ing this segment of the workforce for the future. “We want to keep the triangle of business, education and govern-

ment working together to make sure this happens.”

Build Partnerships Pima Community College is poised to step up its role in voca-tional education. PCC Chancellor Lee Lambert, who took office on July 1, is a proven innovator in that arena and is certain to be an influ-ential voice in the chamber’s efforts. Lambert is a founding member and current board chair of the Na-tional Coalition of Certification Centers, known as NC3, a corpo-rately supported organization that emphasizes increasing the compe-tencies of the workforce in three key sectors – transportation, energy and aviation.

“We’re going to bring PCC into the NC3 network,” said Lambert who explained the two entities will work together with industry to develop curriculum and faculty currency, while building an assess-ment instrument to validate that the training programs for Pima stu-dents meet the needs of industry. “Together, that’s the key. That’s a big change,” Lambert emphasized, referencing the rarity of educators

Chamber’s MissionThe mission of the Tucson Metro Chamber is to promote a strong local economy resulting in business growth, ample employment and improved quality of life for all citizens.

Chamber’sMantraWhen business is good, life is good.

Chamber’sCore FundamentalsPromote a strong local economy Because when business is good, life is good…and jobs are plentiful.

Provide opportunities to build relationships To help businesses open new channels of opportunity.

Deliver programs to help businesses grow To help business survive and thrive.

Represent and advocate on behalf of business Because what happens in government often impacts business.

Enhance commerce through community steweardship So that quality of life improves and our community has more to offer.

Increase public awarenessof member businesses So that investor companies stand out in a crowded and competitive marketplace.

Provide symbols of credibility Because consumers really do prefer to do business with investors of the Tucson Metro Chamber.

Source: Tucson Metro Chamber



BizLEADERSHIP

“New York City and Portland

had establisheda Business Bill of Rights – whichinspired us todo somethingsimilar.”– Robert Medler

VP of Government AffairsTucson Metro Chamber

Robert Medler

“We need investments to the region that are not

tied to state and federal dollars.”– Lee Lambert

ChancellorPima Community College

Lee Lambert

http://aaalandscape.com


and industries collaborating as full partners. “It’s not, ‘My way as the college; we’re going to do it and trust us.’ It’s a reciprocal relationship.” Companies like Snap-on and Trane are hands-on in the NC3 program. “As we strengthen our relations with these multi-nationals, the hope is that it’s going to strengthen the small businesses here that sell and service their products,” said Lambert. “Pima’s role is to make sure that we’re produc-ing high-quality workers for those businesses.” Lambert also intends to participate in economic recruitment endeavors. “We need investments to the region that are not tied to state and federal dollars,” he said. “If the community of Tucson wants to attract a large scale manufacturer, for example, PCC can be a big part of the supply chain.” The Pima County Joint Technical Education District is also pivotal for training the new work-force. JTED works with business and industry to not only teach the technical skills for students to succeed in college and careers, but also work-place – or soft skills – so students know how to interact with coworkers and supervisors profes-sionally. At a recent Arizona Technology Coun-cil meeting, high-tech firms said those skills are paramount. Pima County JTED offers career and techni-cal-education programs to more than 13,000 stu-dents each year at 34 high schools and nine cen-tral campus locations. Its Business and Industry Advisories represent 25 program areas, provid-ing curriculum and equipment guidance as well as internships and job shadowing experiences for students.

Investors, Revenues Up Tucson Metro Chamber chose the tagline, “Growing Businesses. Building Communities.” The theme is not an idle platitude. It’s the orga-nization’s marching orders from its investors. Lori Banzhaf, VP of business development said the number of investors hovers around 1,400 businesses which employ more than 110,000 in Tucson and Pima County. That’s a 7 percent increase from the recession-ary fallout – with 75 percent of those designated as small businesses with 25 or fewer full-time employees. Better yet, revenues grew by almost 20 percent, in part because investments in the Chairman’s Circle increased nearly seven fold. Banzhaf, who came onboard in the fall of 2011, is also charged with planning and operat-ing chamber events – a key component of inves-tor retention. “We created a strategic layout of events aligned with our goals that deliver high value to our investors,” she said.

Annual EventsCopper Cactus Awards September 27Awards dinner event to celebrate the accomplishments and innovation of Southern Arizona’s small businesses

Copper Cactus Awards Best Practice ShowcaseOctober 17 Relaxed happy-hour event featuring knowledge-sharing presentations by the 13 Copper Cactus Award winners

State of the State LuncheonJanuary 14, 2014Gov. Jan Brewer’s legislative address details the issues affecting South-ern Arizona and the state

State of the City LuncheonFebruary 26, 2014Mayor Jonathan Rothschild outlines the goals, planned policies and ob-jectives for the City of Tucson for 2014

University of Arizona Athletics Luncheon September 2014UA coaches share updates and plans for Wildcat athletic programs

Recurring EventsKnowledge Transfer Series September through May Local experts mentor investors on sales, marketing, digital media and social media and other aspects of business operations

Chamber XChangeMonthlyInvestor businesses host other investors and guests to XChange contacts, XChange business, XChange ideas and XChange knowledge

InterfaceQuarterlyInterface is a series of discussions with Mayor Rothschild and County Administrator Huckelberry and/or County Board Chairman Valadez that provides business owners and executives with opportunities to speak directly to these high level public officials about public policy and doing business in Southern Arizona

Inte

llige

nce

Gath

erin

gs

Chamber Event Calendar



Outlooks Conference 2013From left – Philip J. Dion, Senior VP of Public Policy and Customer Solutions, UNS Energy Corporation; T. Boone Pickens, BP Capital and Natural Gas Advocate; Dr. Cathy Mincberg, President & CEO Center for Reform of School Systems


http://elevateyourmeeting.com

http://epazotekitchen.com


Realignments included handing over the Man and Woman of the Year pro-gram to the Greater Tucson Leader-ship organization, which made “perfect sense,” Banzhaf said, as did eliminating fundraising golf tournaments from the schedule. On the flip side, acquiring the Copper Cactus Awards – which rec-ognize innovative businesses, many of them chamber investors – was a good fit. Banzhaf avowed that, “The num-ber one reason more businesses are not chamber investors is because they haven’t been asked.” Her message to prospective investors going forward is clear: “We heard you. You’ve told us you haven’t invested because you haven’t been asked. I’m asking you now to stand with the chamber as we move our community forward.” The chamber’s “asking” is codified by the Business Expansion and Retention project, known as BEAR, which sets up exchanges of information between chamber volunteers and key business decision makers in a person-to-person setting. The project targets businesses with 100 or more full-time equivalent

employees. By year’s end, the BEAR committee will present a white paper of its findings to the board and commu-nity. The chamber, which has roots in this community dating to 1896, operates with an executive committee of five officers, plus 20 other members of the board of directors and a staff of 14. There are six key committees address-ing specific priorities in the year ahead. Numbers don’t lie and the uptick in revenues speaks volumes. “There’s a definite reinvigoration of our invest-ment base,” Varney said. “Our investors expect us to do what-ever is necessary to promote a strong local economy. Addressing government affairs and quality workforce issues are clearly the top priorities. We are putting on a full-court press to bring positive pro-business changes to Southern Ari-zona,” he said. Varney summed up the chamber’s positioning in the investor-based non-profit marketplace. “We don’t just want to be known as an organization that does things – we want to be known as an organization that gets things done.”

Biz


BizLEADERSHIP

“The number one reason more business-

es are not chamber members is because they haven’t been

asked.”– Lori BanzhafVP of Business Development


Lori Banzhaf

http://crestins.com

http://vwestcu.org


http://fennemorecraig.com

http://fennemorecraig.com

http://www.rosemontcopper.com


Biz

Make Money• Military procurement workshops through the military affairs committee

Save Money• Money-in-Your-Pocket discounts of 40 percent or more on frequently

purchased office supplies at Office Depot.• SCF Arizona Safety Association program for workers compensation

insurance – 118 members collected an average of $786 in bonus dividends and credits in 2012

Build Relationships• Monthly Chamber XChange networking event for investors and their guests• Peerspectives CEO roundtable for small and medium-sized business

owners – conducted monthly by an experienced facilitator

Transfer Knowledge• Knowledge Transfer Series – Workshops on priority topics conducted

by local experts to help small businesses learn to run a more profitable company

• Networking How-To Seminars organized by the new connections com-mittee – experts share knowledge and techniques to maximize the benefits of networking

• Tools for Business one-stop online resource center – direct links to government procurement sites, business license offices, the Small and Medium-Size EnterprisesToolkit and Affordable Care Act resources

The majority of jobs and the bulk of our country’s gross national product are generated by small businesses. Here in Pima County, 300,956 people are employed by 20,059 private non-farm busi-nesses, according to the U.S. Cen-sus Bureau in 2011.

Do the math. That’s an average of 15 employees per establishment. Tucson Metro Chamber pledges to help small businesses protect

those jobs, add even more jobs and beef up their bottom line.

The chamber recently formed the investor-run Small Business Advi-sory Council charged with identi-fying programs, products and ser-vices needed by small businesses to support their success and ulti-mately their growth. Here are the committee’s initiatives and the key chamber resources to help fulfill them.

AMentor’s

Peerspective Brian Woods from Southwest Print & Promotions and Mary Row-ley from Strongpoint Marketing co-facilitate a monthly CEO roundtable support group called Peerspectives, which seats up to 12 business owners from non-competing companies.

“You’d be surprised how many people think their problems may be unique,” said Jerry Schuchardt, own-er and pres ident of Unicom Grafix. “We all share the same fundamental challenges – whether it be growing your business, hiring employees, pro-ducing a quality product, navigat-ing government regulations and, of course, always taking good care of your customers.”

The topic varies each month and is determined by the two subjects the group votes to discuss.

“One may want to grow his busi-ness, another wants to streamline manufacturing, another is looking for ways to get a better handle on her accounts receivables,” explained Schuchardt, who confessed he still experiences some of those problems, too.

“At least I think I know how to handle it this time around.”

Super-ServingSmall

BusinessBy Joan LiessJerry Schuchardt

BizLEADERSHIP


First Impressions Project

LookingGood

By Joan Liess

Tucson Metro Chamber’s First Im-pressions initiative to corral the private sector to help spruce up high-traffic city sites is evolving from conception to the construction phase. Its first project – the beautification of Tucson Boulevard from the airport to Valencia Road – should gear up in early December. According to Richard Underwood, a chamber board member and the real bulldozer behind the project, several businesses have come on board with cash in hand and City of Tucson offi-cials have pledged to help navigate or-dinance roadblocks. “Completing this upgrade will give every citizen of Southern Arizona something to be proud of and will make the most positive impression possible on anyone visiting our region,” said Underwood, who committed resources from his company, AAA Landscape. Many of the 3.6 million people who deplane each year at Tucson Interna-tional Airport experience their first impression of Southern Arizona at the airport. TIA’s striking design and

new solar-panel canopy over the public parking lot visually signals that “Tucson is an innovative city.” Not so for the roughly half-mile cor-ridor they travel from the airport to the city proper. Because of budget re-straints, existing plants and medians along Tucson Boulevard have been poorly maintained on the city-owned road and right-of-way. Private donors are crucial to the suc-cess of the planned $350,000 upgrade to the medians and streetscape. Under-wood credits First Impressions com-

mittee co-chair Cody Ritchie of Crest Insurance for doing the heavy lifting on fundraising. “Frankly, we were stuck on the fund-raising side until Cody, with the help of Mike Varney and Kurt Wadlington and other chamber members, stepped up,” said Underwood. “Cody and his team were able to raise three quarters of the sum needed in two weeks. I was amazed as well as delighted. Cody may be one of the most can-do guys in Tucson. We are blessed to have him in our town.” Underwood acknowledges that once the facelift is finished his company will work with the city on the costs of main-tenance. “AAA will handle any short-fall if that helps Tucson make a great first impression,” vowed Underwood. “That’s a chore we’re eager to take on.” Contributions to the First Impres-sions project are welcome from individ-uals as well as businesses. Donations via credit card are accepted online at www.TucsonChamber.org/firstimpressions – or any Bank of America or Bank of Tucson branch.

“Cody and his team were able to

raise three quarters of the sum needed

in two weeks. I was amazed.” – Richard Underwood

Chair, First Impressions

Biz

BizLEADERSHIP


First Impressions Project

LookingGood

By Joan Liess

TREE PALETTEIronwood TreeTexas EbonyINERT GROUNDCOVER6” Colored Rip Rap (Brown)2-4” Colored Rip Rap (Tan)

SHRUB PALETTEBeavertail CactusBlue Elf AloeGiant HesperaloeGolden Barrel CactusGrass Tree

OcotilloOld Man CactusRed Barrel CactusSaguaroSilver Queen AgaveSanta Rita Prickly Pear


Skilled WorkforceShortage Looms

When Baby Boomers BailBy Tara Kirkpatrick

Tucson leaders have some major work to do to ensure this community can compete in a contemporary eco-nomic climate – one in which the most tactical cities will nab the top talent and the rest will slowly perish. It’s not unemployment we should fear – but full employment, Mark Lautman told leaders from the Tucson Metro Chamber and Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities. “We have a looming shortage of qualified workers.” Lautman helped build the economic

base of Rio Rancho, N.M. in the 1980s and has worked in economic develop-ment for three decades. He’s the author of “When the Boomers Bail – How De-mographics will Sort Communities into Winners and Losers.” He’s based in Albuquerque. Baby boomers, the hardest work-ing and most productive group of U.S. citizens, are nearing retirement – and along the way, they did not have enough children to fully replace themselves, Lautman explained. Essentially, this

will leave the nation with jobs unable to be filled. There won’t be enough work-ers with the skill sets to fill them. “Everyone you’re going to hire in the next 25 years has already been born,” he told the Tucson leaders. “It’s not enough.” So, cities will fight to attract the most qualified workers to keep their econo-mies growing faster than their popu-lations – the absolute key to survival, Lautman said. “This is the game now. In this new economic and demographic


BizLEADERSHIP

Skilled WorkforceShortage Looms

When Baby Boomers BailBy Tara Kirkpatrick

http://www.sundt.com


BizLEADERSHIP

environment, talented people will be in short supply and thus, will increasingly be able to choose where they want to live.” Tucson must become a city that can steal these top workers from other cities because as we move forward, they will hold all the power. “It won’t be enough to be one of the best at industry recruiting,” he said. “From now on, economic development will require a much broader and more integrated mix of programming and a much higher, more strategic level of commitment to keep the local economy growing faster than the population.” “So, are we going to be a Bedford Falls or a Pottersville?” he asked local leaders, citing the movie “It’s a Won-derful Life.” You are not going to be in the middle, period.”

Tucson – The Challenges Because of its 300-plus days of sun-shine and beautiful landscape, Tucson is a very attractive place to retire. Yet, retirees, who may move here in good health, within a decade likely won’t be able to drive and quickly become part of the dependent portion of the eco-nomic equation – those who need the services of an economy and workers to care for them. “Communities like Tucson have to be especially careful in a labor-constrained economy,” Lautman said. “Even if the retirees you are attracting are relatively healthy and wealthy, they increase the demand for qualified workers and will put a major strain on public infrastruc-ture, only exacerbating the economic imbalance issues.” Tucson and Southern Arizona’s economic base has also been heav-ily dependent on federal government funding – including military installa-tions like Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Raytheon Missile Systems, one of the region’s top private employ-ers with 10,000 employees. “It’s been a safe place to be.” Lautman said. “Yet, if those jobs go – almost everything is at risk. Each job that goes will take a service sector job with it.”

Lastly, there are numerous leader-ship groups here – but they must work together like never before because their destinies are linked, he said. It’s no use having different chambers of commerce and business groups if their missions aren’t aligned toward growing Tucson’s economic base. “One of the biggest problems in a place like Tucson is we’re all cordoned off from each other,” Lautman said. “It’s easy to get indifferent to the oth-ers. Given the economic waters we’re

heading into, you have to be aggressive and play at a level you’ve never known or you are at risk.”

Tucson – The Potential Yet, Tucson has incredible assets and passionate people. With some predic-tive, strategic work, the city could fare well, Lautman said. “You have the opportunity to be the

quality alternative to Phoenix. Being located within the magnetic field of an

economic powerhouse like metro Phoenix gives Tuc-

son a much longer list of strategic options than com-

munities of comparable size. Your proximity to Phoenix

frees you from having to be ev-erything to the economic region.

You have the luxury of being able to specialize, be selective and move

up the market.” Michael Varney, president

and CEO of the Tucson Metro Cham-ber, agreed. “I not only believe that a coalition of different leader groups is possible – I think it is mandatory,” he said. That’s why, in 2011, the Tucson Metro Chamber signed a cooperation agreement with TREO, the Southern Arizona Leadership Council and the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Com-merce to work together to help Tucson advance and compete on a global stage. Reaching out to the independent contractors – those employees who work from home – might be another strategy that could pay off for Tucson, Lautman suggested. “This is the fastest growing economic base in the country. There is no strategy I have seen yet to recruit them. Tuc-son has the DNA required to become a magnet for this sector that has been, up until now, completely ignored by traditional economic development pro-grams.” More than anything, as the biological clocks of the baby boomers tick down, time is of the essence. “You aren’t dif-ferent than anywhere else in the coun-try,” Lautman concluded. “There is an unlimited list of things you can do to solve these problems.”

“Youhave the

opportunityto be thequality

alternative toPhoenix.” – Mark Lautman

Author & Veteran Economic Developer

Biz


62 BizTucson < < < Fall 2013 www.BizTucson.com62 BizTucson < < < Fall 2013 PHO

TO: C

HRI

S M

OO

NEY

Mike VarneyPresident & CEOTucson Metro Chamber


Mike VarneySees Change Ahead

By Joan Liess

Mike Varney’s road from Madison, Wisconsin to Tucson by way of Las Vegas, Nevada was paved with experi-ences apropos for a business organiza-tion in need of a revival. The Tucson Metro Chamber board voted unanimously to hire Varney in April 2011, in the wake of a lingering recession. Two-plus years later Varney is still full-steam ahead. Chamber board member Richard Underwood reported that candidate Varney arrived at his interview with a list of 20 ways to improve the chamber, then proceeded to outline a long-term business plan. That’s not surprising for a senior ex-ecutive who describes himself on his LinkedIn page as “a believer in the power of participatory management, servant leadership, precise planning, quality communications and expecta-tion of excellence.” Varney’s professional experience en-capsulates the spectrum of business diversity. He’s served in leadership po-sitions at other chambers for 10 years and held high-level positions at for-profit entities, including his own small business. In his current role at the Tucson Metro Chamber, Varney is responsible for all aspects of the organization’s op-erations including planning, product development, government affairs, com-munications, research, finance and in-vestor services. Varney replaced retiring Jack Camper, who served 32 years. The chamber’s roots go back to 1896. Varney immediately reinvigorated the chamber and laser focused its ener-gies on pro-business initiatives. He sees the chamber as “a major force in creat-ing positive change.” A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Varney graduated from the University

of Wisconsin earning a bachelor of arts degree in communication arts. He es-tablished his career in the broadcasting industry, moving up to GM of a Madi-son radio station before creating and operating his own small business for six years. Varney moved to Las Vegas in 1997, embracing the economic energy of America’s fastest growing city at the time.

He did a nearly nine-year stint as VP of marketing at the 7,000-member Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. Prior to arriving in Tucson, he served as presi-dent and CEO of the North Las Ve-gas Chamber of Commerce. Between those positions, Varney was president of Nevada Corporate Headquarters, a start-up business consulting firm, and worked as an independent organiza-tional consultant. Varney is a master networker and sought-after guest speaker who con-tinually gathers and shares information with the intent of developing new ideas and tactical strategies for the Tucson Metro Chamber. He’s currently a member of the ex-ecutive committee of the board of di-rectors of the Western Association of

Chamber Executives and is also on the board of directors at the Arizona Chamber Executives and the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. Varney is a past recipient of the Ger-ald Hathaway Award for excellence in chamber of commerce operations from the Western Association of Chamber Executives. Alliances with other local economic development organizations comple-ments the chamber’s efforts. Varney serves on boards for the Pima County Sports and Tourism Authority, Visit Tucson, the Southern Arizona Defense Alliance, Linkages and Habitat for Hu-manity. His enthusiasm is contagious, dem-onstrated by the growth in membership and the expansion of the chamber’s Chairman’s Circle to nearly 80 inves-tors. “The Tucson Metro Chamber is making a difference every day. We’re growing businesses and building a bet-ter community,” he said. The chamber’s top four priorites this year are:

• Lead government relations and public policy

• Improve workforce readiness and education

• Super-serve small business

• Develop the local economy When recently asked about his ad-opted home of Tucson, Varney an-swered in a nanosecond. “Fabulous city. The natural beauty is exquisite. The pace of life is very, very nice,” he said with a smile. “Great friends, great people. Very much a neighborly feeling reminiscent of where I grew up.” Welcome home, Mr. Varney.

“The Tucson Metro Chamber is making a difference

every day. We’re growing businesses

and building a better community.” – Mike Varney, President & CEO


Biz

BizLEADERSHIP

64 BizTucson < < < Fall 2013 www.BizTucson.com64 BizTucson < < < Fall 2013 PHO

TO: C

HRI

S M

OO

NEY

Kurt WadlingtonChairman of the BoardTucson Metro Chamber


Change ArchitectKurt Wadlington

By Joan Liess

Kurt Wadlington is invested in Tuc-son. As an employee owner and project executive at Sundt Construction, Wad-lington understands the value of busi-ness in building communities beyond the brick and mortar. Wadlington, chairman of the board for Tucson Metro Chamber, is an ac-complished architect who joined Sundt in 1999. He brings Tucson life experi-ence as well as business expertise to the table in the chamber’s boardroom. Wadlington said Tucson has tremen-dous potential for economic growth. “It has so much going for it in terms of cli-mate and culture and in terms of the diversity of offerings,” he said. “We’re very well positioned but we’re missing opportunities. It’s time to get our econ-omy growing.” On the job, Wadlington , a 1979 Uni-versity of Arizona graduate, is a build-ing group leader responsible for his team’s delivery of pre-construction and construction services consistent with cli-ent goals and objectives. This includes active participation in business develop-ment and project execution consistent with budget, schedule and quality re-quirements. Wadlington is active in the American Institute of Architects and is a registered architect in the State of Ar-izona. He is a Designated Design-Build Professional as certified by the Design Build Institute of America. Subcontractor and supplier relation-ships are a key component of Sundt’s project delivery and Wadlington main-tains active relationships with many Tucson companies and fellow chamber investors. Over his career, he has been involved in the design and construc-tion of projects for clients including the UA, Pima and Cochise Community

Colleges, Tucson, Sahuarita, Marana and Catalina Unified School Districts, City of Tucson, Pima County, Tucson International Airport, Northwest Fire District, Muscular Dystrophy Associa-tion and Square & Compass Children’s Clinic. Wadlington was front and center during the construction of Sundt’s Tucson corporate headquarters at River Road and La Cholla Boulevard. The award-winning 47,000-square-foot

LEED-Gold office building was com-pleted in 2010. He is a LEED accred-ited professional as designated by the United States Green Building Council. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design. “By looking for ways to employ inno-vative construction practices in our own facility, we were able to develop several techniques, especially with tilt-up and finished concrete, that are now proven and can be employed with confidence on client projects,” Wadlington said. Amenities in Sundt’s home for its 100 Tucson employees include a fitness center with showers, meditation room, multimedia “innovation gallery” high-

lighting past work and even a health clinic. “Sundt has long recognized that busi-ness success is directly correlated to em-ployee engagement,” Wadlington said. “An investment in improving the work environment is an investment in future business prosperity.” Wadlington’s commitment to and professional support for the Southern Arizona community is exemplified by his participation in numerous business, philanthropic and service organiza-tions. Beyond his service at the Tucson Metro Chamber, Wadlington is active in the Southern Arizona Leadership Council P-20 Education Committee, Southern Arizona Business Education Roundtable, Habitat For Humanity Building Freedom Day, Teacher for a Day at Vail Unified School District and 2011 Advocacy Chair for the USGBC Southern Arizona Branch. Sundt Construction is one of the country’s largest and most respected general contractors and has been active in the Tucson market for more than 80 years. Known nationally for its innova-tive approach to construction services, the 100-percent-employee-owned com-pany is ranked the 64th largest con-struction company in the United States by ENR, the industry’s principal trade magazine. He sees Tucson as “a city of multi-national companies and local small businesses, with prominent companies in the solar, high-tech, defense and aerospace industries, plus major medi-cal and bioscience facilities. We are a center of progress and innovation. And we are a community where neighbors care about neighbors.”

Biz

“We are a center of progress and

innovation. And we are a community

where neighbors care about neighbors.” – Kurt Wadlington

Chairman of the BoardTucson Metro Chamber

BizLEADERSHIP

66 BizTucson < < < Fall 2013continued on page 68 >>>

SecretaryCyndy A. ValdezVP General CounselGolden Eagle Distributors

Valdez provides legal counsel and guidance to Golden Eagle’s officers and upper management and oversees the company’s hu-man resources department. She belongs to numerous beverage associations and holds positions with Greater Tucson Leader-ship and Association of Corpo-rate Counsel, Arizona Chapter. Valdez has committed her time to Child Parent Centers and Volunteer Center of Tucson.

Chair ElectTony PennPresident & CEOUnited Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona

Penn’s primary role is lead-ing the United Way toward its goal of creating positive social change in education, financial stability and access to health care. He’s chair elect for the chamber, is on its development committee and serves with Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities. Honors include Congressional Recognition for Leadership by U.S. Rep. Ron Barber and Southern Arizona’s 25 Most Influential African Americans by the Black Cham-ber of Commerce.

William R. AssenmacherPresident & CEOCaid Industries

Assenmacher presides over the day-to-day operations necessary to manage a $40 to $50-million-dollar business that manufactures a wide variety of engineered products, both domestic and international. He’s active with the chamber in development and in improving job opportunities. In addition, Assenmacher is a member of AMIGOS, Southern Arizona Leadership Council and Air National Guard Minuteman Committee. He’s founder and president of Southern Arizona Business Coalition.

Immediate Past ChairmanBruce DusenberryBusiness Development Consultant Suddath Relocation Systems

Dusenberry helps customers through personal and busi-ness transitions by providing outstanding moving experiences. His former company - Horizon Moving Systems, the largest moving and storage company in Arizona - is now part of the Suddath Companies, with op-erations in 22 cities nationwide. He serves on numerous boards, including Tucson Regional Eco-nomic Opportunities, Southern Arizona Leadership Council and DM50. He was named Tucson Metro Chamber’s “Man of the Year” in 2009.

James K. BeckmannPresident & CEO Carondelet Health Network

As President and CEO of Carondelet’s regional network of hospitals, primary care, specialty care and outpa-tient clinics, it’s Beckmann’s responsibility to ensure that the 133-year-old legacy as South-ern Arizona’s only faith-based healthcare provider continues for many years. He’s a member of Southern Arizona Leader-ship Council, Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association board of directors and Tucson Regional Economic Opportu-nities Chairman’s Circle.

TreasurerRobert RamirezPresident & CEOVantage West Credit Union

In addition to his involvement with Tucson Metro Chamber, Ramirez is active in numer-ous community organizations, including DM50, Pima Com-munity College Foundation, 162nd FW Minuteman Com-mittee and Ronald McDonald House Charities. He serves on the board of directors for Mountain West Credit Union Association and Carondelet Foundation Board of Trustees.

Jim BurnsCEO & CFOCasino Del Sol Resort

Burns oversees more than 1,400 employees and is respon-sible for the daily management of the resort and related prop-erties. He provides financial expertise to the Tucson Metro Chamber board of directors. While Burns is new to Tucson, he is a member of the Arizona CPA Society and a past mem-ber of the board of governors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale.

B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S / T U C S O N M E T R O C H A M B E R 2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 4

John GibsonArea President Wells Fargo Bank in Southern Arizona

As area president for Wells Fargo Bank in Southern Arizona, Gibson is responsible for 780 team members and 52 banking stores with $3.3 billion in deposits. In addition to his service with the chamber, he contributes time to United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson. Gibson is a recipient of Wells Fargo’s National Leadership Award.

http://longrealty.com

68 BizTucson < < < Fall 2013continued on page 70 >>>

Larry LuceroSenior Director of Government and External AffairsUNS Energy Corporation

Returning to an area where he spent many years, Lucero’s vast experience in the legislative arena will assist in advancing the interests of the utility and its customers. He’s a new member of the chamber, focusing on public affairs. Lucero also works with a variety of community or-ganizations, including Chicanos por la Causa, Campus Research Corporation and Tucson Youth Development /ACE Charter High School.

Guy GuntherVP & GMCenturyLink

As CenturyLink’s head of operations, network develop-ment and customer support for the greater Arizona market, Gunther works with the company’s technicians, sales representatives and marketing personnel. He’s a chamber Chairman’s Circle investor and immediate past chair of the education committee. He also devotes time to Tucson Regional Economic Op-portunities, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Boy Scouts of America and Foothills Chargers Football and Cheer.

Tom McGovernVP/Regional ManagerPsomas

McGovern manages the Arizona operations of Psomas, a top-ranked engineering firm. He’s a member of its board of directors with assignments on the governance, audit & finance and retirement committees. He served as infrastructure com-mittee chair for the chamber and contributes his time to Southern Arizona Leadership Council, American Council of Engineering Companies, American Society of Civil En-gineers, Arizona Forward and Southern Regional Council.

Stephanie HealyDirector of Public AffairsCox Communications

Healy oversees government affairs, public relations, com-munity development and media relations in Southern Arizona for Cox Communications. She is a Flinn Brown fellow and has received a number of leader-ship awards in the community. Her list of civic participation and board membership is long, including El Rio Health Center Foundation, Arizona Forward, DM50, City of Tucson’s Eco-nomic and Workforce Develop-ment Commission and Komen Advisory Council.

Kay J. McLoughlin Community and Government Relations ManagerRaytheon Missile Systems

McLoughlin serves as Ray-theon’s local interface with business associations, nonprof-its, educators and the general public. She’s in charge of the company’s in-kind gifting. She recently joined the Tucson Metro Chamber board of directors and is a member of Greater Tucson Leadership, Catholic Diocese of Tucson School Board and University of Arizona Alumni board of directors.

Robert E. LenhardPresidentHallmark Business Consultants

Lenhard leads the 25-year-old firm that represents buyers and sellers of all business categories and has more than 500 transac-tions under its belt. Lenhard is active with the chamber’s knowledge transfer committee and business expansion and retention committee. Addi-tional community involvement includes membership with Arizona Business Brokers As-sociation and Merger and Ac-quisition Source. He received an Arizona broker award of excellence in 2003.

Mike ProctorVP of Outreach and Global InitiativesUniversity of Arizona

Proctor manages the univer-sity’s international activity, distance education, branch campuses and regional devel-opment efforts. He serves on a number of local boards and committees, including Arizona Town Hall, Downtown Tucson Partnership, Pima County Li-brary Foundation, Downtown Tucson Economic Develop-ment Committee and Imagine Greater Tucson Leadership Council.


Walter RichterAdministratorCorporate Public AffairsSouthwest Gas

Richter handles government relations for Southwest Gas throughout Southern Arizona, working closely with govern-ment partners at local, regional and state levels to provide safe, reliable service to customers. He serves on the Tucson Metro Chamber government affairs committee and is the former chair of the candidate evalu-ation committee. Richter also serves on the board of directors for Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities.


http://www.tucsoncreativecatering.com

http://www.wetakecalls.com


Howard Stewart President & CEOAGM Container Controls

Stewart leads AGM managers in developing organizational policies, planning business objectives and coordinating operations between depart-ments. He’s a member of the chamber’s Chairman’s Circle and he received the Small Busi-ness Leader of the Year Award in 2002. Additional community participation includes member-ship in the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Presi-dent’s Council for San Miguel High School – Cristo Rey Network and United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona.

Cody RitchieManaging DirectorCrest Insurance Group

Ritchie oversees the operations of Crest Insurance in Tucson and Phoenix, concentrating on the agency’s sales and market-ing functions. He serves on the First Impressions commit-tee with the chamber and is active with other community groups, including Rio Nuevo, Tucson Conquistadores, State Compensation Fund Broker Advisory Board and San Miguel High School. Cody also volunteers as a youth coach.

Cristie StreetManaging PartnerNextrio

Heading up this locally based IT firm’s team of professionals keeps Street on her toes. The company sponsors the cham-ber’s Copper Cactus Awards, saluting innovation through technology. With Street’s dedi-cation, it also supports Ronald McDonald House, United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, Social Venture Part-ners, Mobile Meals, Arizona Public Media and other local nonprofit organizations.

Richard UnderwoodPresidentAAA Landscape

In addition to presiding over AAA Landscape, Underwood is a partner with Arid Solutions Wholesale Plant Nursery and chairman of the chamber’s First Impressions committee. Underwood serves on Arizona State Landscape Contractors Advisory Board, Metropolitan Pima Alliance, Southern Ari-zona Leadership Council and the Dean’s Executive Advisory Board for the University of Ari-zona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. He’s director of Canyon Commu-nity Bank and is a member of Tucson Airport Authority.

Steve Rosenberg Owner & PublisherBizTucson Magazine

Rosenberg is founder of BizTucson, the region’s quarterly business magazine. In addition to the chamber, he serves as a board member for Raytheon Spirit of Education Awards and Steven M. Goot-ter Foundation. Rosenberg is the founding chairman and a board member of Father’s Day Council Tucson. He serves on the chamber’s First Impressions committee. BizTucson also produces the CEO Leadership Summit and the Healthcare Summit, which are issues-based community forums.

Wendy West Tucson Site Operations Manager IBM

West’s diverse job responsibili-ties at IBM include overseeing budget, finance, operations, planning, business controls and professional development. Her focus with the chamber and in the community is educa-tion, specifically in the areas of K-12 outreach and science/technology/engineering/math initiatives known as STEM. She’s earned several President’s Volunteer Service Awards and presents workshops on generational differences in the workplace for nonprofits.

Keri Lazarus SilvynAttorneyLazarus, Silvyn and Bangs

Silvyn is a land use attorney, working predominantly with private property owners and developers to help create responsible development. She serves on the chamber’s government affairs committee and the Southern Arizona Busi-ness Political Action Commit-tee. She’s founder of Imagine Greater Tucson and a member of Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities. In 2011 Silvyn received an Athena Award for community leadership through the Small Business Association.

Judy WoodCEOContact One Call Center

Community outreach, special projects and business develop-ment make up Wood’s primary job functions with Contact One Call Center. She serves on the government affairs commit-tee and nominating committee for the chamber. In addi-tion, she’s active with Beacon Group, Arizona Commerce Authority, Governor’s Council on Small Business, Women at the Top and Southern Arizona Leadership Council.


http://www.olearyconstructionaz.com


Jonathan Rothschild Mayor

City of Tucson

Chuck HuckelberryPima CountyAdministrator

Jan BrewerGovernor

State of Arizona

AAA LandscapeAerotekAgape Hospice & Palliative Care AGM Container ControlsAlliance Bank of ArizonaAmerican Family InsuranceAmity FoundationArizona Daily StarBank of AmericaBBVA CompassBFL ConstructionBlue Cross Blue Shield of ArizonaBombardier AerospaceCAID IndustriesCaliber GroupCarondelet Health NetworkCasino del Sol Resort & Conference CenterCenturyLinkChase BankCitiClimatec BTGCommunity Partnership of Southern ArizonaCoventry Health Care – First Script Network Services Cox CommunicationsCrest Insurance Group

CyraCom InternationalDesert Diamond Casinos & EntertainmentDiamond VenturesDRS Technologies – Integrated Defense Systems and Services El Rio Community Health CenterFilm CreationsFinancial Associates/Gem & Jewelry ExchangeFreeport-McMoRan Copper & GoldGolden Eagle DistributorsGranite Construction CompanyGraybarHolualoa ArizonaHSL PropertiesIBMInstitute for Better EducationIntuitJournal Broadcast GroupKVOIMadden Media HyperLocal Online SolutionsMcDonald’sNextrioPima Federal Credit UnionPima Medical Institute

Providence Service Corp.Quarles & Brady Raytheon Missile SystemsRosemont CopperSam’s ClubSCF ArizonaSecuraplaneSinfonia Healthcare Corp.Southwest AirlinesSouthwest GasSundt ConstructionTarget Commercial InteriorsTexas InstrumentsThe Jim Click Automotive TeamThe Westin La Paloma Resort & SpaTucson Electric PowerTucson Medical CenterUniversity of Arizona forCollege of ScienceUA Tech ParkUnion Pacific RailroadUniversity of Phoenix – Southern Arizona CampusVantage West Credit UnionWalgreensWells FargoZanes Law

In the past year the number of businesses who invested in the Chairman’s Circle – the top-tier investment level of the Tucson Metro Chamber – skyrocketed from a dozen to nearly 80. These investors include:

Chairman’s Circle

Join the Tucson Metro Chamber – Growing Businesses. Building Communities.

TeamworkTucson Metro Chamber works collaboratively with local and state officials. Together we are helping create a more business friendly environment.

We appreciate the leadership team that helps make this possible.

The chamber offers an assortment of member ship investment levels with varying portfolios of products, services and benefits to meet the needs of small businesses, those in a stage of growth and the interests of large businesses. To learn more about membership and how it can benefit your business or organization, contact Lori Banzhaf, VP of business development at (520) 792-2250 x 152 or [email protected].

BizLEADERSHIP

Ed HoneaMayor

Town of Marana

Satish I. Hiremath Mayor

Town of Oro Valley

Duane BlumbergMayor

Town of Sahuarita


Providence Service Corp.Quarles & Brady Raytheon Missile SystemsRosemont CopperSam’s ClubSCF ArizonaSecuraplaneSinfonia Healthcare Corp.Southwest AirlinesSouthwest GasSundt ConstructionTarget Commercial InteriorsTexas InstrumentsThe Jim Click Automotive TeamThe Westin La Paloma Resort & SpaTucson Electric PowerTucson Medical CenterUniversity of Arizona forCollege of ScienceUA Tech ParkUnion Pacific RailroadUniversity of Phoenix – Southern Arizona CampusVantage West Credit UnionWalgreensWells FargoZanes Law

Join the Tucson Metro Chamber – Growing Businesses. Building Communities.

http://centurylink.com/savvisdirect

http://loewshotels.com


Local Government VictoriesWorked with Tucson City Council and Pima County Board of Supervisors to build a more business-friendly atmo-sphere, including:

• Successfully created and promot-ed adoption of a Business Bill of Rights, the Joint Business Objectives platform with Pima County and the City of Tucson to improve business-friendly service delivery

• Successfully promoted the adoption of a local purchasing preference in City of Tucson procurement

• The Southern Arizona Business PAC attained a ‘Super-PAC’ sta-tus. The chamber is the only busi-ness organization with a Super-PAC headquartered in Southern Ari-zona. This places the Tucson Metro Chamber in a unique political posi-tion to strongly support pro-business candidates and public policy.

• Ninety-four percent of candidates supported by the Southern Arizona Business PAC won their election – demonstrating that the voice of business is listened to in our com-munity

• Legislative agenda was created for 2013 and communicated to mem-bers of the Arizona Legislature in face-to-face meetings. Businesses did very well at the last legislative session

• Created Interface program to pro-vide investors with access to city and county leaders

• Non-partisan candidate evaluation committee held more than 40 candi-date interviews, providing an excel-lent opportunity for chamber volun-teers to meet candidates and assess business positions of future elected officials

• Met with city, county and state of-ficials more than 100 times

• Hosted the State of the City presen-tation with Mayor Jonathan Roth-schild to deliver information about city issues

• Hosted town-hall style debate for Arizona Corporation Commission candidates, providing direct access for investors to interface with candi-dates and elected officials

Federal and State VictoriesTucson Metro Chamber worked to pro-mote a pro-business agenda through the following:

• Implemented new legislative track-ing system allowing the chamber and investors to effectively manage and track more than 300 bills at the legislature this session

• Created online access to a tracking list of the chamber’s most important

bills allowing open and transparent access for members to follow issues the chamber is addressing

• Hosted the State of the State pre-sentation with Gov. Jan Brewer to deliver information about state is-sues

• Hosted meetings with all newly elected state legislators in January so they would know the chamber’s priorities and positions on state busi-ness issues

Education• Collaborated with the Tucson Cen-

ter for Cultural Enrichment to deliv-er the State of Education to provide information on education needs in our community

• Collaborated with the Tucson Center for Cultural Enrichment to award seven scholarships to gradu-ating high school seniors to continue their education and establish careers in Southern Arizona

Community Affairs• Publicly promoted eradication of

weeds on city streets and medians

• Backed Proposition 409 to repair city streets

Key Accomplishments


Fall 2013 > > > BizTucson 75

BizLEADERSHIP

Economic Development• Worked to support the F-35’s arrival

at the 162nd Air National Guard station to create 2,000 construction jobs

• Chamber leads multi-organizational effort called the Southern Arizona Defense Alliance to protect and pro-mote the military presence in South-ern Arizona

• Chamber President and CEO Mike Varney serves on the Mayor’s Busi-ness Advisory Group to promote a stronger local economy and a more business-friendly city government

• Promoted permitting for the Rose-mont Copper mine facility to cre-ate 1,200 construction jobs and 450 permanent jobs

• Varney serves on Air Service Com-mittee to encourage more airline flights into and out of Tucson

• Worked to defeat single-use plastic bag ban in City of Tucson, keeping the choice of bagging options be-tween the retail consumer and busi-ness owner

• Varney serves on Pima County Sports and Tourism Authority board to increase tourism through amateur sports events

• Asked for and received appointment of Dale Calvert, CPA to the Road Bond Oversight Committee to en-sure compliance with financing in-tentions and application of funds

• Varney works on city work group to represent business and deal with abandoned shopping carts

• Promoted the development of the Red Rock multimodal transporta-tion facility and improved trade with Mexico

• Held Outlooks event to deliver in-formation about growing and im-proving our community

Business and Workforce Development• Saved members hundreds of thou-

sands of dollars by way of chamber discount programs with Office De-pot, SCF Arizona and Effortless HR

• Conducted a successful marketing support project for small businesses through the University of Arizona Eller College to assist member busi-nesses in solving marketing chal-lenges

• Launched the Peerspectives pro-gram to give small- and medium-sized businesses a resource for prob-lem solving

• Upgraded the chamber’s online resources library to provide a com-prehensive body of online resources for small businesses

• Introduced Tools for Business, pro-viding members a resource for ex-tensive information on how to start and grow a business

• Recognized and celebrated locally owned small businesses at the Cop-per Cactus Awards

• Military affairs committee held fed-eral procurement workshops to help small companies do business with the federal government

• Created a library of resources on the chamber’s website to help mem-bers navigate the Affordable Care Act

Communications• Integrated mobile website increas-

ing visibility and lead generation to investor businesses

• Received WACE Journalistic Excel-lence Award, recognizing the cham-ber for quality communications with investors

• Increased website traffic by 16 per-cent, providing investors greater vis-ibility and lead generation

• Increased distribution of The Chamber Edge by 25 percent, pro-viding investors greater visibility and access to information

• Hosted workshops to help businesses understand the Affordable Care Act

Source: Tucson Metro Chamber



Chamber Investors Speak Up

http://www.hallmarkbusinessbrokers.com

http://www.desertchristian.org


“Mike (Varney) has brought laser focus on business issues impacting Tucson and South-ern Arizona to the chamber. I really appreciate how Mike has specifically and very openly tackled some tough issues in a direct and honest fashion. He’s willing to confront those issues head on. I joined the chamber when I met Mike two-plus years ago because I thought he had the right vision for Tucson.”

– Alan Madison, VP & COO, Coventry Health Care

“In a short period of time, the chamber has initiated a lot of great things for companies and for the city. The number of resources they’re able to provide – not just for small business but for all businesses, from a standpoint of networking and getting to know other people in the community – is invaluable to business men and women.”

– Rob Elias, VP Marketing, Pima Federal Credit Union

“The Metro Chamber is leading the way to enhance the economic development in Tuc-son. El Rio Community Health Center is actively involved in supporting these efforts. The energy that the chamber has created is helping to strengthen our community.”

– Miguel A. Cruz, Marketing Director, El Rio Community Health Center and its foundation

“The chamber’s BEAR project is a great proactive, collaborative effort between the Tuc-son Metro Chamber and the local business community. Through this process, we are hearing job creation is critical, especially high paying jobs, along with the need to address the trailing spouse and family issues. Doing things the way we have always done them will not allow us to grow. Preparing us for the future will take change.”

– Kristyn Meza, Business Development Director, Strongpoint Marketing

“The chamber’s priority to promote job growth in our beloved Tucson is strong. That we connect strongly with all our military units not only builds community partnerships, it also promotes local and small businesses. This needs to continue and grow stronger – with the leadership of Mike Varney and the board of directors, it will. The rest of the country will ultimately see what we know to be true – Tucson values our military and Tucson values job growth.”

–Ellen Jimenez, Senior Sales Manager, Radisson Suites Tucson

“Having a vibrant and engaged chamber is critical for business to be represented as a stakeholder in our community. The new leadership under Mike Varney has been on point – making the needs of the business community known to our elected officials and demonstrat-ing to them what it takes to create jobs in the private sector. A robust economy is dependent on a business-friendly climate that facilitates businesses prospering so that more people can be employed.”

– Doug Martin, President & GM, Good News Radio Broadcasting

Chamber Investors Speak UpBizLEADERSHIP


EXECUTIVE TEAMPresident & CEOMike Varney

VP of Business DevelopmentLori Banzhaf

VP of Government AffairsRobert Medler

Communications DirectorCarissa Fairbanks

Member Services/Advertising DirectorJackie Chambers Bond

Finance and Operations DirectorLaura Nagore

EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIONExecutive AssistantShirley Wilka

SALESSenior Account ExecutiveEdgar Martinez

Senior Account ExecutiveRebeka Kasle

SPECIAL PROGRAMS & EVENTSEvent DirectorAmanda Reynolds

Event CoordinatorJason Cook

MEMBER SERVICESMember Operations ManagerTammy Jensen

Member Services CoordinatorAndrew Gaines

Member Services Administrative AssistantNealie Neff

COMMUNICATIONSCommunications CoordinatorEmily Grace Newkirk

TucsonMetroChamberStaff

Executive team from left – Lori Banzhaf, VP of Business Development; Carissa Fairbanks, Director of Communications; Mike Varney, President & CEO; Robert Medler, VP of Govern-ment Affairs, and Laura Nagore, Finance and Operations Director. Not pictured: Jackie Chambers Bond, Member Services/Advertising Director.

PHO

TO: C

HRI

S M

OO

NEY

BizLEADERSHIP


http://horizonmoves.com

http://www.oschmannscreening.com


jimclick.com l holmestuttle.comTUCSON AUTO MALL Jim Click Chrysler Jeep l Jim Click Dodge l Holmes Tuttle Ford l Jim Click Hyundai/Mazda l Jim Click Kia l Jim Click RAM

22ND & WILMOT Jim Click Ford l Jim Click Hyundai l Jim Click MazdaGREEN VALLEY & SAHUARITA Jim Click Ford & Hyundai

Limited Service Program. See dealer for details.

T H E

JIM CLICK &HOLMES TUTTLEA U T O M O T I V E T E A M

Largest Inventory of

New & Used Vehicles in

Southern Arizona

SCAN HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR APP!

Search Inventory, Schedule Service, Receive App Only Specials, Updates & More!

2013 Nissan AltimaStock # N141048 VIN # 821586 Model # 11154

Tucson Auto Mall l 877.222.3979JimClickNissan.com

877.204.5599

http://www.stewartaz.com/tucson

jimclick.com l holmestuttle.comTUCSON AUTO MALL Jim Click Chrysler Jeep l Jim Click Dodge l Holmes Tuttle Ford l Jim Click Hyundai/Mazda l Jim Click Kia l Jim Click RAM

22ND & WILMOT Jim Click Ford l Jim Click Hyundai l Jim Click MazdaGREEN VALLEY & SAHUARITA Jim Click Ford & Hyundai

Limited Service Program. See dealer for details.

T H E

JIM CLICK &HOLMES TUTTLEA U T O M O T I V E T E A M

Largest Inventory of

New & Used Vehicles in

Southern Arizona

SCAN HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR APP!

Search Inventory, Schedule Service, Receive App Only Specials, Updates & More!

2013 Nissan AltimaStock # N141048 VIN # 821586 Model # 11154

Tucson Auto Mall l 877.222.3979JimClickNissan.com

877.204.5599

http://jimclicknissan.com

http://jimclick.com

http://holmestuttle.com

http://tep.com/volunteers

fall 2013 metro

Documents

probusiness initiativeschange

tucson businesses

probusiness climate

business owners

positive probusiness

chamber investor emmett

local businesses

joan liesstucson metro