Moved, promoted or appointed in Tucson 2017
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Check out people in our community who have moved up in their fields.
Liddicoat named NOVA Home Loans VP, branch manager
- Courtesy NOVA Home Loans
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Matt Liddicoat has been promoted to vice president and branch manager of NOVA Home Loans’ Williams Centre Branch. Liddicoat will manage the Williams Centre Branch operations and become a business partner in the Lance Dickson Team. Dickson is the chief operating officer of NOVA Home Loans.
Alex Compton is career technical training supervisor at Acosta Job Corps
- Courtesy Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center
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Alex Compton is joining the Fred G. Acosta Job Corps team as career technical training supervisor. Compton has a 13-year career in Job Corps and has served as a supervisor in career technical training, career services, and counseling.
Doris Klein named academic supervisor at Acosta Job Corps
- Courtesy Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center
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Doris Klein has been named academic supervisor in charge of GED and high school diploma programs, as well as academic programs at the Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center.
Caroline Gardiner hired as human resources manager at Acosta Job Corps
- Courtesy Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center
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Caroline Gardiner has been hired to serve as human resources manager. Gardiner has over 10 years experience with human resources in a variety of roles and received her Society of Human Resources certification in 2016.
New owner, general manager take over Salon Nouveau
- Courtesy Salon Nouveau
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Tracy Mayfield, award-winning hair stylist at Salon Nouveau for 22 years, recently purchased the company from Kathy Alexander and Paul Lindsay. Chelsy Campos, also a long-time employee, has been named general manager.
Rosie On The House names partner development manager
- Courtesy Rosie On The House
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Native Tucsonan Susan Stein Kregar has returned to Tucson to serve as partner development manager for Rosie On The House. Her primary responsibilities include connecting Arizona homeowners with Rosie On The House certified trusted partners, contractors and service companies who undergo a stringent vetting process. She will also work with the partners to grow their business and maximize their exposure in the marketplace.
Rodriguez joins Vector as VP of government, external affairs
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Alex Rodriguez has joined Vector as the new vice president of government and external affairs.
Rodriguez will lead all facets of external relations including with government partners during a time of accelerated company growth.
He joins Vector from the Arizona Technology Council where he served as vice president and led the Arizona Aerospace, Aviation and Defense CEO Network.
Rodriguez brings more than two decades of experience in business development, government affairs, and strategic planning to Vector. He has held leadership roles in three Fortune 500 companies including Raytheon.
(Submitted photo)
AZ Technology Council hires new executive director
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The Arizona Technology Council has hired Jeff Sales as the new executive director for the Council’s Southern Arizona office.
Sales brings more than 25 years of management experience to the role and will be responsible for driving the Council’s mission of making Arizona the fastest growing tech hub in the nation.
He is responsible for all aspects of the Council’s Southern Arizona operations including event management, membership development, marketing, public policy, and community relations.
Sales joins the Council after more than 15 years at Arizona Engineered Products where he served as president and partner. Sales also worked as business development manager for local contract manufacturer, Mastek-InnerStep, and served as senior aide to Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup from 2003 to 2011.
(Photo courtesy of Arizona Technology Council)
Leadership changes at Arizona Public Media
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Arizona Public Media has named an interim news director.
Peter Michaels, former executive producer of NPR’s Talk of the Nation, has taken on the role of interim news director following Michael Chihak’s retirement at the end of June.
(Photo courtesy of Arizona Public Media)
Leadership changes at Arizona Public Media
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Arizona Public Media has named a new assistant news director.
Andrea Kelly, Metro Week producer/host, has been promoted to assistant news director.
(Photo courtesy of Arizona Public Media)
Leadership changes at Arizona Public Media
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Arizona Public Media has named a new host of Metro Week.
Reporter/producer Vanessa Barchfield will assume Metro Week on-air hosting duties in early August.
(Photo courtesy of Arizona Public Media)
Leadership changes at Arizona Public Media
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Arizona Public Media has announced changes at the media organization.
AZPM Executive Producer John Booth will now formally oversee the production of all news and public affairs content for television including Arizona Illustrated, Arizona Week, and Metro Week.
(Photo courtesy of Arizona Public Media)
Leadership changes at Arizona Public Media
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Arizona Public Media has announced changes at the media organization.
Production Technician Arlene Islas has accepted the position of television director. She, along with videographer/editor/director Nate Huffman, will work to cover the directing responsibilities for weekly shows and will provide additional depth for both studio and remote production directing.
(Photos courtesy of Arizona Public Media)
Tanque Verde Pediatrics adds Dr. Moher
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Dr. Jen Moher joined Tanque Verde Pediatrics, 7507 E. Tanque Verde Road.
Dr. Moher received her undergraduate degree and medical degree from the University of Arizona. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of Oregon. She has been practicing pediatrics in Tucson for several years before joining Tanque Verde Pediatrics.
She joins Drs. Amy Montgomery, Scott Radomsky, Mimi Peterson, Sandy Herron and Amelia Decker.
(Photo courtesy of Tanque Verde Pediatrics)
Tanque Verde Pediatrics adds Dr. Watkins
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Dr. Brent Watkins joined Tanque Verde Pediatrics, 7507 E. Tanque Verde Road.
Dr. Watkins received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Arizona. He recently completed his residency training in pediatrics at UA.
He joins Drs. Amy Montgomery, Scott Radomsky, Mimi Peterson, Sandy Herron and Amelia Decker.
(Photo courtesy of Tanque Verde Pediatrics)
Autism Society of S. Ariz. names Seward new associate director
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The Autism Society of Southern Arizona named Brie Seward as associate director.
Seward will lead the non-profit organization in community/public relations efforts, fundraising/donor relations and in developing information referral resources for families affected with autism.
Seward has nine years of corporate marketing experience working in New York City and Miami for luxury retailers and magazines.
(Photo courtesy of Autism Society of Southern Arizona)
Messingham joins Farhang & Medcoff as partner
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Business law firm Farhang & Medcoff added Amélie Brédas Messingham as a partner.
Messingham brings more than 10 years of experience advising regional and national institutional lenders with respect to real estate and commercial loan transactions, including construction financing, long-term financing for income-producing properties, loan sales, restructures, and workouts.
In addition to her commercial finance practice, Messingham represents corporate clients in purchase and sale transactions involving retail projects and portfolios.
(Photo courtesy of Farhang & Medcoff)
Varney comes on board at Community Foundation
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Carol Varney will serve as the new program officer of education and the arts for the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona.
Varney will be responsible for grant-making and strategy implementation for CFSA’s education and arts-related grant-making and scholarship activities.
She will also be the focal point for coordinating CFSA’s collaborative work with the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona, a supporting organization of CFSA. She will assist the Arts Foundation in managing their re-granting program, development of grant application policies and procedures, and grant contract administration.
Varney brings more than 20 years of experience in arts and education development. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director of Bay Area Video Coalition in San Francisco.
(Photo courtesy of Community Foundation for Southern Arizona)
Anthropologist Hunt named dean of UA Honors College
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Terry L. Hunt, an internationally renowned anthropologist, archaeologist and educator, has been named dean of the University of Arizona Honors College.
Hunt will join the UA in September.
Hunt previously served as dean of the Robert D. Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon. He is one of the world’s foremost experts on the human and environmental histories of the Pacific Islands, where he has conducted field research for more than four decades. Hunt has led study-abroad courses for the past 18 years to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), where he involves students in his field research.
Prior to joining the University of Oregon in 2013, Hunt taught anthropology at the University of Hawaii from 1988-2013 and served as director of the campus-wide honors program from 2010-2013.
(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona)
County Attorney LaWall appoints criminal division chief
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Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall has appointed Thomas Weaver to be the new chief of the criminal division.
Weaver has more than 30 years experience as an attorney. His legal career began as an assistant city prosecutor in the Tucson City Attorney’s Office, where he worked until he was recruited to join the county as a deputy county attorney in the criminal division. Weaver also worked in the civil division before he was appointed the division’s chief in 2015.
(Photo courtesy of Pima County Attorney's Office)
County Attorney LaWall appoints civil division chief
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Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall has appointed Andrew L. Flagg to be the new chief of the civil division.
Flagg has been a deputy county attorney in the civil division since 2008. He was assigned to the business and transactions unit in the civil division; prior to that he was in the land use and environmental unit for six years. Prior to Flagg’s time at the agency, he clerked for Judge Joseph W. Howard of the Arizona Court of Appeals.
(Photo courtesy of Pima County Attorney's Office)
UA College of Medicine-Tucson adds Hall to administrative staff
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The University of Arizona College of Medicine–Tucson has added Jill Hall to its administrative staff as manager, alumni and community engagement.
Hall moved from the UA Alumni Association, where she worked for the last nine years.
In her new role, Hall is to develop and implement a plan to engage alumni, students and community partners into the life of the College of Medicine – Tucson.
(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona)
Former County Supervisor Carroll joins Amity, will address funding
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Ray Carroll has joined Tucson-based Amity Foundation as the new community- and government-relations director.
Amity formed in 1969 to address the opiate crisis of the 1960’s and was originally called Tucson Awareness House.
Carroll, a former Pima County supervisor, will work to address the threat of a $77 billion cut to the Medicare and Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.
(Photo courtesy of Amity Foundation)
Funeraria Del Angel names new location manager
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Robert Enriquez has been named location manager at Funeraria Del Angel.
Enriquez has served the Tucson area for more than 11 years as a licensed funeral director and embalmer.
Funeraria Del Angel, 7 E. University Blvd., has been a Tucson funeral home for more than 90 years. It is formally known as Arizona Mortuary.
(Photo courtesy of Robert Enriquez)
Truly Nolen promotes Bolton to national role
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Truly Nolen Pest Control has promoted David Bolton to manager of the company’s National Commercial service office in Tucson.
The company’s National Commercial service office manages pest control in all 50 states and for some of the largest companies, brands, and restaurants throughout the United States.
Bolton has been with Truly Nolen since 2012 where he was previously manager of the company’s flagship Tucson service office.
Before joining the company, he spent 12 years in the rental car industry as a district manager for Avis/Budget.
(Photo courtesy of Truly Nolen)
True Concord adds Tennes as managing director
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Tucson-based choral ensemble True Concord Voices & Orchestra has appointed Chuck Tennes as its managing director.
Tennes served as executive director of The University of Arizona’s UA Presents from 2011 to 2014.
His background includes an internship with the National Endowment for the Arts and positions with the Washington Performing Arts Society and Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center.
(Photo courtesy of True Concord Voices & Orchestra)
Koberlein named Home Services regional president
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Rosey Koberlein, CEO of Long Companies, has been named central regional president of HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway company.
The residential real estate brokerage firm named five regional presidents, each of whom will continue to serve in their current capacity as leader of their local company.
(Photo courtesy of Long Realty)
Oro Valley golf club adds Price as director of golf
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The Views Golf Club has named Rick Price as their new PGA professional director of golf.
A 35-year golf industry professional, Price will be charged with leading golf operations at the Oro Valley golf course.
Price was previously a golf professional at El Conquistador CC and head golf professional at the Rio Rico Golf Resort. Most recently he was the head golf professional at The Gallery Golf Club.
Before The Gallery, he was the Director of Operations for the Southwest Section PGA Southern Chapter for eight years and was the director of golf at the Omni Tucson National for six years.
(Photo courtesy of The Views Golf Club)
Ronnebaum joins UA's Dept. of Emergency Medicine
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Jenn Ronnebaum has joined the University of Arizona Department of Emergency Medicine as the manager of the Advanced Hazmat Life Support program.
Ronnebaum completed her MBA from the University of Arizona Eller College of Management and has 10 year of experience as a scientist in the pharmaceutical industry.
Roundhouse to serve as Casa Libre's executive director
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Sally Roundhouse has been selected to serve as executive director of Casa Libre, a local literacy arts organization.
A Tucson native, Roundhouse lived in Tuscaloosa, AL, from 2011 to 2015, where she co-founded the Tuscaloosa chapter of Writers in the Schools. She also planned and directed events drawing on the local art, music, and poetry communities.
As executive director, Roundhouse plans on continuing to create space for and amplifying the voices of women writers, writers of color, writers from the LGBTQIA community, and writers from other underrepresented communities.
Smejkal promoted with Tucson Airport Authority
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Mike Smejkal has been promoted to vice president of planning and engineering.
The new position is part of a TAA reorganization that returns planning and engineering to a separate division as it was until 2013.
Smejkal joined the TAA in July 2012 as director of engineering. In February 2014 he was named senior director of development services leading the team responsible for TAA’s planning, environmental, design and construction projects at both Tucson International Airport and Ryan Airfield.
Prior to joining the TAA, Smejkal was a project manager and engineer for Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc., a Midwest-based consulting engineering firm with 14 offices.
Edwards also moves up with Tucson Airport Authority
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Adele Edwards has been named chief technology officer for the TAA where she will lead planning, design and development of technology performance for the organization and its airports.
Edwards has more than 25 years of experience in information technology. She joins TAA from Arizona Western College in Yuma where she was director of computer information services.
Before going to Arizona Western College in 2015, Edwards had been an educational software consultant. Her previous positions include director of software development for Edupoint Educational Systems in Mesa; organizational development coordinator for technology services with the Tucson Unified School District; and eight years as systems planning and development coordinator for the University of Arizona.
United Way hires new director of leadership giving
- Courtesy United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
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United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona has named Jeff Petrovic the new director of leadership giving. Petrovic will lead the effort to grow the organization’s individual donor base in the region. The Southern Arizona native has more than 13 years of experience in nonprofit management and fundraising, including, most recently, as the area director for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society-Tucson & Southern Arizona. He has also worked as a development professional in Seattle, Denver and Houston.
Bryson joins Pima County School Superintendent’s Office
- Pima County School Superintendent's Office
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Deborah Bryson has joined the Pima County School Superintendent’s Office as the director of leadership development. She will be in charge of the LEADNow! Institute for educators in Southern Arizona, as they further their leadership impact in schools and work to improve student learning outcomes. LEADNow! is a partnership with the Arizona Educational Foundation and Northern Arizona University. Bryson most recently served as a director of the Beyond Textbooks program in the Vail School District. Prior to that, she spent 15 years as a school principal.
Long Realty adds mortgage consultant Manny Aparicio
- Courtesy Long Realty
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Long Realty’s Tanque Verde office has added veteran mortgage consultant Manny Aparicio. Aparicio brings experience as a loan officer and account executive. In a career that has spanned 20-plus years, he’s handled VA, FHA, conventional and bond loans for several leading mortgage companies before his move to Long Mortgage Company. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Aparicio is a University of Arizona graduate.
Stacey Gist named Valencia Middle School principal
- Courtesy Tucson Unified School District
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Stacey Gist has been named principal of Valencia Middle School. Gist served as an assistant principal at the school for about a year, and has held positions in preschool, elementary and middle schools throughout her career. She has been with TUSD for four years.
Mary Kolsrud named Craigin Elementary School principal
- Courtesy Tucson Unified School District
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Mary Kolsrud has been named principal of Cragin Elementary School. Kolsrud has worked at TUSD for four years, most recently as assistant principal at Erickson Elementary School. She also worked in the Amphi, Cartwright, Dysart and Litchfield school districts.
Sarah Andricopoulos named principal at Davidson Elementary School
- Courtesy Tucson Unified School District
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Sarah Andricopoulos has been named principal of Davidson Elementary School. Andricopoulos has worked in education as a teacher and instructional support assistant in the Amphi School District for 11 years.
Kathy Osollo named Gale Elementary School principal
- Courtesy Tucson Unified School District
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Kathy Osollo is the new principal at Gale Elementary School. Osollo has worked at TUSD for 17 years and has a background in counseling, grants and federal programs and community education.
Odenkirk named Western Alliance Bank executive vice president
- Courtesy Western Alliance Bank
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Western Alliance Bank has named Steven Odenkirk executive vice president, southern region manager for Alliance Bank of Arizona in Tucson. In his new role, Odenkirk will lead the Alliance Bank’s regional presence which includes two banking locations and 36 employees. Odenkirk most recently served as the principal of Peritus Commercial Finance, a consulting practice where he brokered more than $175 million in loans. Prior to his work at Peritus, Odenkirk was the chief credit officer of Canyon Community Bank, N. A., producer- commercial mortgage banker at CBRE Capital Markets and manager of Tucson-area commercial real estate for Wells Fargo.
Pima Animal Care Center selects department director
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Pima Animal Care Center has hired Kristen Auerbach to serve as its department director. Auerbach currently serves as deputy chief animal services officer at Austin Animal Center in Texas. Auerbach, who is a nationally recognized expert on creative lifesaving solutions for municipal shelters like PACC, begins her new role July 10. Last year, PACC saved 90 percent of the pets who entered its shelter and is actively working to increase its save rate for baby animals and big dogs. In her current role at Austin Animal Center, which takes in 18,000 pets annually and is a municipal shelter like PACC, Auerbach has helped lead the organization to a save rate above 96 percent. Prior to her work in Austin, Auerbach served as the assistant director of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter in Fairfax, Va. (Photo courtesy of Pima Animal Care Center)
Delperdang promoted to Keller Williams team leader
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Chase Delperdang has been promoted to team leader at Keller Williams Southern Arizona’s Joesler Village Market Center. Delperdang, a San Diego native and third generation real estate businessman, has lived in Tucson for nearly two decades. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Religious Studies from Liberty University, and has subsequently used his free time to help start churches and build houses for families living in poverty in Mexico. He currently serves as executive pastor at Foothills Community Church. (Photo courtesy of Keller Williams Southern Arizona)
Comcast names Arizona, New Mexico area VP
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Chris Dunkeson was promoted to Area Vice President of Comcast Arizona and New Mexico markets. Dunkeson, a 25-year cable industry veteran, has experience leading business operations, in technical expertise, customer service, marketing, finance and public relations. He joined Comcast in 1993 as a service technician in Albuquerque. Since that time, he has held various positions including online general manager for the Southwest Area, director of operations for northern New Mexico, vice president and general manager for central and northern New Mexico, and Southwest Area Director of Public Relations and Government Affairs. He will oversee all Comcast technical operations throughout the area. (Photo courtesy of Comcast)
JobPath, Inc., hires Velásquez as executive director
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Frank Velásquez Jr. has been named executive director of JobPath, Inc., a workforce development nonprofit that helps adults achieve financial independence through higher education and job-training programs that lead to high-demand careers. Velásquez is an education leader and organizational learning and development professional. He was previously employed at Pima Community College since 2010, most recently as project director of a federally funded STEM grant program. Velásquez holds Master of Education and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Northern Arizona University. (Photo courtesy of JobPath)
Real estate attorney joins Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie
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Real estate attorney Kimberly O’Hagan has joined the Tucson office of Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP. O’Hagan is experienced in real estate transactions and government subcontracting. Her practice includes all phases of real estate acquisition and disposition, from negotiating purchase and sale agreements and reviewing due diligence materials to securing financing and closing complex transactions. She also supports clients’ management of their assets by negotiating property management agreements and commercial leases for office, retail and mixed-use properties. (Photo courtesy of Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP)
Truly Nolen Pest Control promotes three
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Truly Nolen Pest Control has promoted three employees in the company’s Metro Tucson Residential Division. Anthony Molina has been promoted to manager of the company’s flagship Tucson service office now located at 3636 E. Speedway. Molina joined the company in 2008 and was most recently the manager of the company’s East Tucson service office. Tracy Castell has been promoted to manager of the company’s East Tucson service office at 7475 E. 22nd Street. Castell joined the company in October 2016 and was promoted to his new position following completion of the company’s manager-in-training program. Prior to joining Truly Nolen, Castell spent 18 years in the underground utility piping industry. Eric Hermosillo has been promoted to manager of the company’s Sierra Vista service office at 200-A Meyer Drive. Hermosillo joined the company in February 2016 and was promoted to his new position following completion of the company’s manager-in-training program. He most recently oversaw operations at Sierra Vista.
Doleshel joins Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona
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Emilie Doleshel has joined the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona as the new philanthropic engagement manager. Doleshel has more than 12 years of experience as a professional fundraiser. She started her career with the American Cancer Society, worked in fundraising roles for both elementary and higher education institutions in the San Francisco Bay area, and is currently the development officer at the Notre Dame ACE Academies of Tucson. She earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive credentials in 2016. (Photo courtesy of Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona)
Northwestern University Provost named RCSA President
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Daniel I.H. Linzer, the retiring provost of Northwestern University, has been selected as the next president and CEO of Research Corporation for Science Advancement. Linzer will assume his new post in October, succeeding Robert Shelton, who stepped down in February. Linzer has been Northwestern’s provost since 2007. Before that he served for five years as dean of the University’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. Research Corporation for Science Advancement was founded in 1912. RCSA advocates for the sciences and a major funder of scientific innovation and of research in America’s colleges and universities. (Photo courtesy of RCSA)
County health department names new leadership
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New leadership is in place at the Pima County Health Department. Marcy Flanagan was named Health Department director. She is replacing Dr. Francisco Garcia, who was promoted to assistant county administrator for Health Services. Flanagan has worked for the Health Department for 16 years, serving most recently as the deputy director. Flanagan will oversee the operations of the department, which includes nearly 30 different programs and is supported by more than 300 employees. (Photo courtesy of Pima County)
County health department names new leadership
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New leadership is in place at the Pima County Health Department. Paula Mandel was selected to serve as deputy director. Mandel, a registered nurse, has worked with the department for six years, organizing and directing the activities for multiple programs. Mandel will oversee the operations of the department, which includes nearly 30 different programs and is supported by more than 300 employees. (Photo courtesy of Pima County)
Lodge on the Desert adds food and beverage manager
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Lodge on the Desert has hired Justin Fitzsimons as the new food and beverage manager. Fitzsimons has held positions of head chef, general manager and chef de partier in restaurants in Oregon, California and Arizona. He earned certification in culinary arts from the Apicius Culinary Institute in Florence, Italy, in 2005. (Photo courtesy of Lodge on the Desert)
Garcia joins Onyx Creative’s Tucson office
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David Garcia has been selected to serve as director of architecture for the Tucson office of Onyx Creative, formerly Herschman Architects. Garcia worked for the City of Tucson as an architect overseeing various government projects, including health components in neighborhood centers. As owner of ADG, Inc., for 21 years, Garcia designed and prepared construction documents for health care facilities, including dental, MRI, cancer treatment, urgent care, doctors’ offices, and minor hospital facility remodels. (Photo courtesy of Onyx Creative Tucson)
Jones returns to Community Foundation for So. Arizona
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Jennifer Jones is returning to the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, this time as director of donor services and development. Formerly an advancement officer, Jones will be responsible for leading CFSA’s efforts to serve donors. In addition, she will work with the director of gift planning, Mary Louise Luna, to help individuals, families and nonprofits build philanthropic legacies. Jones brings more than two decades of experience as a nonprofit leader focused on development and growth. She has worked in the community foundation sector for approximately 10 years, first at CFSA and then at Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation as the Director of Donor Engagement. Most recently, Jones worked as a consultant to nonprofit organizations in the St. Louis area. (Photo courtesy of Community Foundation for Southern Arizona)
Hands of Hope Tucson makes leadership change
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Hands of Hope Tucson, a local faith-based nonprofit, has named a new executive director, along with a director of client services and a nurse manager. The organization cares for women facing unplanned pregnancies, providing free services and education. Elisa Medina, a Tucson native, was appointed executive director, taking the helm from President and Executive Director John Tabor as he moves into semi-retirement. Medina has worked closely with Tabor since 2005 as director of programs. (Photo courtesy of Hands of Hope Tucson)
Hands of Hope Tucson makes leadership change
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Hands of Hope Tucson, a local faith-based nonprofit, has named a new director of client services. The organization cares for women facing unplanned pregnancies, providing free services and education. Cindi Buller was promoted to director of client services. She has held various leadership roles over the past two decades. Buller works with a team of more than 25 staff and volunteers, including 12 medical professionals. (Photo courtesy of Hands of Hope Tucson)
Hands of Hope Tucson makes leadership change
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Hands of Hope Tucson, a local faith-based nonprofit, has named a new nurse manager. The organization cares for women facing unplanned pregnancies, providing free services and education. Registered Nurse Julia Choate has been hired as Hands of Hope Tucson’s nurse manager. She comes to the organization after 18 years at Casa de la Luz where she worked primarily in the quality and compliance area. Choate will work with a team of nursing professionals who provide education and support for those facing an unplanned pregnancy, including free pregnancy testing, ultrasound scanning and prenatal care. (Photo courtesy of Hands of Hope Tucson)
Prather named Pima County JTED deputy superintendent
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Kathy Prather has been named the new deputy superintendent of the Pima County Joint Technical Education District. Prather has served as the career and technical education and JTED director for the Sunnyside Unified School District since 2012. Prior to joining Sunnyside, she was the CTE Director in the Tucson Unified School District. Starting July 1, Prather will serve as second-in-command of the JTED District and act as the district’s leader when the superintendent is not present. Her job duties include being the point person for the Business and Industry Council, overseeing facilities and maintenance, and coordinating program reviews for all central and satellite campus programs. (Photo courtesy of Pima JTED)
Diaz named chief operations officer for Crest Insurance
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Crest Insurance Group has named Oscar Diaz the chief operations officer of the employee benefits division. Diaz comes from CBIZ Benefits and Insurance Services with more than 27 years of experience in the employee benefits industry. (Photo courtesy of Crest Insurance Group)
UA, Banner-UMC welcome new surgeon to program
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The University of Arizona Department of Surgery and Banner-University Medical Center recently welcomed a new surgeon to Tucson. Dr. David A. Bull comes to Tucson as professor and chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery in the UA Department of Surgery and as the Jack G. Copeland Endowed Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the UA Sarver Heart Center. He returns to Arizona from the University of Utah, where he was a professor of surgery, chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and program director of the Thoracic Surgery Residency Program. Bull specializes in heart, lung and esophageal surgery, heart and lung transplantation and the implantation of mechanical circulatory support devices. (Photo courtesy of Banner-University Medical Center)
UA, Banner-UMC welcome new surgeon to program
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The University of Arizona Department of Surgery and Banner-University Medical Center recently welcomed a new surgeon to Tucson. Dr. Wei Zhou joins the UA as professor and chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery — the specialty associated with surgery on arteries and veins. Previously she was professor of surgery at Stanford University and chief of vascular surgery at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System. Zhou is a distinguished surgeon-scientist and leader in the impact of carotid interventions. (Photo courtesy of Banner-University Medical Center)
UA, Banner-UMC welcome new surgeon to program
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The University of Arizona Department of Surgery and Banner-University Medical Center recently welcomed a new surgeon to Tucson. Dr. Tze-Woei Tan, a vascular surgeon, comes to Tucson from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, where he was director of endovascular services and medical director of the non-invasive vascular laboratory. (Photo courtesy of Banner-University Medical Center)
UA, Banner-UMC welcome new surgeon to program
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The University of Arizona Department of Surgery and Banner-University Medical Center recently welcomed a new surgeon to Tucson. Dr. Lilah Morris-Wiseman specializes in treating thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal gland disorders using minimally invasive endocrine surgical techniques. (Photo courtesy of Banner-University Medical Center)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
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The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Yvonne Torres, who has worked for TUSD for 25 years, was named principal of Roskruge Bilingual K-8 Magnet School. She is currently the assistant principal at Mansfeld Middle School.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
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The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Jennifer Figueroa, principal of Gale Elementary School, has been selected to lead Whitmore Elementary School. She has been with TUSD for 13 years.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
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The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Marco Pizano, assistant principal at Lynn/Urquides Elementary School, has been named principal of Warren Elementary School. He has worked for TUSD for 13 years.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
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The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Sandra Calkins has been named principal of Mission View Elementary School. She has been with TUSD for 17 years, most recently as an assistant principal at White Elementary.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
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The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Rose Cota, who has worked at TUSD for 23 years, has been named principal at Johnson Primary School. Cota currently serves as an assistant principal at Vesey Elementary.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
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The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
G. Marie Daranyi has been named principal of Erickson Elementary School. Daranyi has worked in education for 27 years and was most recently interim principal at Utterback Middle Magnet School.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
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The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Kelly Mack, magnet coordinator at Bonillas Basic Curriculum Magnet School, has been named principal of Blenman Elementary. She has been with TUSD for 14 years.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
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The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Antasio Holley has been named principal of Catalina High School. Holley most recently served as interim principal at the school and has been with TUSD for three years.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Symphony Orchestra selects VP of development
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Kimberly D. Ely was named vice president of development for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.
Ely came to the TSO in 2016 as director of charitable giving. Before that, she spent 20 years in Nashville, Tennessee, where she served as vice president of development for Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, director of development for Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee and raised funds for the Frist Center for the Visual Arts.
Ely’s professional experience includes 13 years of nonprofit fundraising, as well as financial services marketing.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Symphony Orchestra)
Borden Physical Therapy welcomes new staff
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Jason Cummings and Jamie McAlister joined Borden Physical Therapy.
Cummings, who came on board last September, graduated from Pima Medical Institute as a certified physical therapy assistant. He is experienced in therapeutic exercise, manual therapies and is a certified yoga instructor.
Physical therapist assistant Jamie McAlister joined the office in April. After graduating from Wichita State in 1998, she has worked in a variety of settings including acute care, aquatics, sports medicine and outpatient orthopedics. She has experience with balance, Kinesiotape and post surgical patients.
(Photo courtesy of Borden Physical Therapy)
Pima County attractions, tourism director named
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Marketing veteran Diane Frisch was hired to lead Pima County’s Attractions and Tourism department.
The Attractions and Tourism acts as Pima County’s liaison with the tourism community to enhance the economic well-being of the region. The department provides business development, marketing, training and revenue enhancement for the County’s tourism sector partners.
Frisch comes to Pima County from the PGA TOUR where she served as sales and marketing manager for tournaments on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions.
She began her career in broadcasting and managed television and radio station groups with emphasis on sports marketing, media and sponsorship/event promotion. Frisch is a former vice president and general manager for KFFN/KMXZ/KQTH/KGMG radio group and KMSB and KTTU television stations.
(Photo courtesy of Pima County)
Apex promotes Alex Castro to validation engineer
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Alex Castro has been promoted to a validation engineer at Apex Microtechnology.
Formerly a troubleshooting technician, Castro got his start with Apex Microtechnology in April 2013.
(Photo courtesy of Apex Microtechnology)
Sternberg joins NAI Horizon Tucson as VP
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Andrew D. Sternberg has joined NAI Horizon’s Tucson office as a vice president.
His primary areas of responsibility include sales, leasing and investment services.
Sternberg specializes in exclusive representation and negotiation for multiple commercial uses with a focus on office, medical, land and investment properties. He also handles the exclusive marketing of existing commercial projects, land, and new developments.
Sternberg comes to NAI Horizon after 15 years at Oxford Realty Advisors, Inc.
(Photo courtesy of NAI Horizon)
Lodge on the Desert adds food, beverage manager
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Lodge on the Desert has hired Justin Fitzsimons as the new food and beverage manager.
Fitzsimons comes to Lodge on the Desert with years of restaurant experience, previously serving as head chef, general manager, and chef de partier in restaurants in Oregon, California, and Arizona.
Fitzsimons earned certification in culinary arts from the Apicius Culinary Institute in Florence, Italy, in 2005.
(Photo courtesy of Lodge on the Desert)
UA appoints new dean for College of Architecture
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Nancy Pollock-Ellwand, an international multidisciplinary design expert, will serve as the next dean of the University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture.
She was selected after a nine-month search and will join the UA on July 31.
Pollock-Ellwand is a professor and dean of the faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary, a position she has held since 2010. Prior to that, she served as head and chair of the School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Adelaide, and she rose up through the academic ranks of the School of Landscape Architecture at the University of Guelph.
(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona)
Smirnov named SinfoníaRx director of development
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SinfoníaRx has promoted Katie Smirnov to director of development and strategic partnerships.
In her new role, Smirnov will focus on identifying and developing new client relationships, generating and securing new business ventures and opportunities, and retaining and expanding existing client business.
Smirnov previously served as director of business development for SinfoníaRx.
(Photo courtesy of SinfoníaRx)
Hollingsworth Kelly Law Firm hires David Buechel
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David D. Buechel has joined Hollingsworth Kelly Law Firm as an associate attorney.
Buechel will concentrate his practice in personal injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death.
Previously, Buechel was a judicial law clerk for the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division Two, for more than nine years.
(Photo courtesy of Hollingsworth Kelly Law Firm)
Arizona Tech Council adds operations, events manager
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The Arizona Technology Council has hired Alison Boelts to direct operations and events in Southern Arizona.
Boelts, a native Tucsonan, has served as a marketing and event expert working for nonprofit organizations and locally owned companies in advertising and finance.
As a freelance consultant, Boelts worked on local rollouts of national corporate campaigns for Radio Shack, Global Solar and CarMax, and produced several nonprofit fundraisers benefiting the Tucson Girls Chorus, Arizona Greyhound Rescue, ORTS Theater of Dance and the Empire Ranch Foundation.
The Council works to connect and engage companies through seminars, business legislative lobbying, and networking events.
(Photo courtesy of Arizona Technology Council)
Kovari to head Fidelity Southern AZ operations
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Fidelity National Title Agency of Tucson and Lawyers Title Agency of Nogales have named April Kovari the new president of Southern Arizona operations.
Kovari will oversee the operations that service Cochise, Pima, and Santa Cruz counties.
She comes from the Denver area and brings with her more than 30 years of experience in the escrow and title insurance industry.
She most recently held the position of vice president and head of sales and business development for the state of Colorado at Heritage Title, a subsidiary of Fidelity National Financial.
(Photo courtesy of Fidelity National Title Agency)
Apex promotes Ochoa-Lions to quality manager
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Anna Ochoa-Lions has been promoted to quality manager at Apex Microtechnology.
Ochoa-Lions started working at Apex in 2013 as a quality intern. A year later, she completed her bachelor’s degree in engineering management at the University of Arizona and was hired on full time as a quality engineer.
Apex Microtechnology offers power analog innovation for applications requiring high precision control of current, voltage and speed in the industrial, defense and aerospace, medical, and semiconductor capital equipment markets.
(Photo courtesy of Apex Microtechnology)
Blanchette named NAI Horizon Tucson VP
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David Blanchette has joined the NAI Horizon Tucson office as a vice president.
His primary areas of responsibilities will be the disposition, acquisition, and leasing of industrial and office properties in Southern Arizona.
Over the course of his commercial real estate career, he has completed deals in consideration of more than $20 million.
Blanchette previously worked at CBRE of Tucson and Bourn Partners. He owned two construction product fabrication and installation companies and also owned Management Recruiters in Tucson in the early 1990s.
He holds the title of Certified Commercial Investment Member.
(Photo courtesy of NAI Horizon)
Catalina Foothills School District appoints new principal
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The Catalina Foothills School District has named a new principal for the upcoming school year.
Taking on the role of Catalina Foothills High School principal will be Jody Brase. Brase has held the position of assistant principal at the high school for the last 10 years, seven of which Brase also served as the athletic director.
Prior to her tenure at the high school, Brase was assistant principal at Orange Grove Middle School for 10 years. She got her start in the Catalina Foothills School District as a physical education teacher at Manzanita, Ventana Vista and Sunrise Drive Elementary Schools.
(Photo courtesy of Catalina Foothills School District)
Catalina Foothills School District appoints new principal
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The Catalina Foothills School District has named a new principal for the upcoming school year.
Mark Rubin-Toles will be Orange Grove Middle School’s next principal. Rubin-Toles is the curriculum technology integrator at Catalina Foothills High School, a position he has held for seven years.
He also taught English and humanities at the high school for 10 years, part of that time serving as English department co-chair.
(Photo courtesy of Catalina Foothills School District)
Lisa Dancsok joins Arizona Community Foundation
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The Arizona Community Foundation has named Lisa A. Dancsok the chief brand and impact officer starting May 15.
In her role as a member of the executive management team, Dancsok will lead the Arizona Community Foundation’s strategic initiatives, overseeing all aspects of marketing and communications, branding, strategy and analysis, market research, resource development, governance and Board relations, and assessing and conveying social and financial impact.
Dancsok comes to ACF from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, where she was vice president, marketing and communications.
(Photo courtesy of the Arizona Community Foundation)
Shawna Rodriguez named permanent leader of Tucson High
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Shawna Rodriguez has been named the permanent principal of Tucson High Magnet School.
Rodriguez has been serving as the interim leader of the school for the last year. She got her start at Tucson High as assistant principal in 2012.
Rodriguez joined the Tucson Unified School District in 2001 as an English teacher at Cholla High, a position she held until 2010. From 2010 to 2012 she worked as the district’s multicultural curriculum coordinator.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Sara Rohde named SAHBA membership director
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Sara Rohde has joined the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association as the organization’s membership director.
She will be responsible for membership retention and recruitment as well as programs and events to help improve members’ engagement within the home building industry.
Before joining SAHBA, Rohde was assistant director of communications and marketing for the University of Arizona Student Union. She has managed marketing and sales teams for Madaras Gallery, a trade association and a YMCA in Georgia.
SAHBA represents 350 member businesses serving the home construction industry in Pima, Cochise and Santa Cruz counties.
(Photo courtesy of SAHBA)
Steven Mooneyham joins Long Realty Dove Mountain
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Long Realty’s Dove Mountain office is expanding its crew with the addition of Steven Mooneyham.
A veteran associate broker with more than 10 years of experience, Mooneyham works with both buyers and sellers in high-end developments in northwest Tucson, Oro Valley, and Marana, including Sun City Vistoso, Dove Mountain, Heritage Highlands, Stone Canyon, and SaddleBrooke.
His focus is luxury homes, new construction, relocations, and retirement/vacation/second homes.
(Photo courtesy of Long Realty)
Long Realty's Foothills office adds David Guthrie
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David Guthrie is joining Long Realty’s Foothills office.
First licensed in 2005, Guthrie worked as a realtor and team leader with several other real estate companies before making the move in March to Long Realty.
Guthrie’s specialties include listing agent, buyer’s representative, investment properties, first-time and move- up buyers, relocations, condos, and short sales and foreclosures. He also has experience working as a real estate investment consultant.
Guthrie also leads a small team of realtors, dubbed The Hacienda Group, who have joined the Foothill’s office.
(Photo courtesy of Long Realty)
Children’s Clinics Appoints New CEO, Jared Perkins
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Children’s Clinics, a nonprofit, outpatient clinic for children with special healthcare needs, has named Jared Perkins as CEO.
Perkins is replacing Mimi Coomler who accepted a position as Tucson Medical Center’s newest Chief Nursing Officer.
Perkins has spent the last three months as Interim CEO, following two years as Chief Operating Officer at the Clinic. He brings experience in behavioral health and has extensive knowledge in healthcare administration.
(Photo courtesy of Children's Clinics)
Etherton names registrar
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Lisa Jo Roden has been promoted to registrar at Etherton Gallery.
Roden, formerly the assistant registrar, will oversee the Etherton’s inventory of fine art photography and contemporary local and regional art.
Etherton gallery is known for its inventory of classic and contemporary photography and works by emerging photographers.
The gallery is owned by Terry Etherton.
(Photo courtesy of Etherton Gallery)
Etherton names assistant registrar
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Shannon Smith has been hired as the new assistant registrar at Etherton Gallery.
Smith, a fine art photographer, taught photography at the Gregory School. Previously she worked at the Center for Creative Photography in the Richard Avedon Archive.
Etherton gallery is known for its inventory of classic and contemporary photography and works by emerging photographers.
The gallery is owned by Terry Etherton.
(Photo courtesy of Etherton Gallery)
C.T. Revere joins Gordley Group marketing firm
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Gordley Group has hired C.T. Revere as community relations director.
Revere will direct the marketing firm’s public involvement team, providing strategy and support for engaging the public on behalf of clients including the Arizona Department of Transportation, City of Tucson, Pinal County, Tucson International Airport, Town of Sahuarita and Southwest Gas.
Revere brings seven years of experience in public engagement and community work throughout Southern Arizona as a senior community relations officer for the Arizona Department of Transportation.
He previously served as chief of staff in Tucson’s Ward VI City Council Office and for more than two decades worked as a reporter for daily newspapers in Tucson and in Michigan.
(Photo courtesy of Gordley Group)
Barker Contracting adds development director
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Alice Templeton is joining Barker Contracting, Inc. as business development director.
Templeton is a Tucson native. Her background includes community relations, organizational management and public speaking.
Barker Contracting is a Tucson-based commercial general contractor.
(Photo courtesy of Barker Contracting, Inc.)
Cenpatico adds Stover to executive leadership team
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Cenpatico Integrated Care has added a new member to its executive leadership team.
James V. Stover is the new president of Medicaid programs.
Stover will oversee Cenpatico IC, the Regional Behavioral Health Authority serving southern Arizona. He will also assume leadership of Health Net Access, the acute care health plan serving Medicaid members in Maricopa County.
Stover previously served as CEO of the University of Arizona Health Plans since 2010. Stover is based in Tucson.
(Photo courtesy of Cenpatico Integrated Care)
Cenpatico adds Dubry to executive leadership team
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Cenpatico Integrated Care has added a new member to its executive leadership team.
Dr. Seth Dubry is the chief medical director. He most recently served as chief medical officer for UAHP.
Dr. Dubry is based in Tucson.
(Photo courtesy of Cenpatico Integrated Care)
Lawless promoted to GM of The Villas at Houghton
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Eileen Lawless has been promoted to general manager at The Villas at Houghton.
Previously, Lawless served as resident/caregiver advocate for The Villas at Houghton.
For nearly two decades, Lawless has worked on the front lines of direct resident care in hospice, long-term care, and assisted living.
(Photo courtesy of The Villas at Houghton)
Erceg named Green Valley/Sahuarita chamber CEO
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The Green Valley/Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center Board of Directors has selected Joseph Michael Erceg as its new President/CEO.
Erceg has a background in sales, marketing and business development. He recently served as Southern Arizona Director for the Arizona Small Business Association.
(Photo courtesy of Green Valley/Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center)
KOLD News 13 selects Breon for news director post
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Erik Breon has been hired as the news director at KOLD News 13.
For more than 16 years, Breon has held management roles in news markets as varied as Phoenix, Seattle and at Texas’ first 24-hour statewide news operation, Texas Cable News. He most recently held the News Director position at KCBD in Lubbock, Texas.
(Photo courtesy of KOLD News 13)
UA Steele Center adds outreach coordinator
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Lauren Erdelyi has joined the development team at the University of Arizona Steele Children’s Research Center as coordinator for community outreach and public education.
Erdelyi’s primary responsibility is to raise awareness about the UA Steele Center through public education programs that highlight the work of its physician-scientists and researchers.
In addition, she will be the liaison to volunteer groups that raise funds for the UA Steele Center. Erdelyi also will provide opportunities for community members to get involved with the UA Steele Center.
(Photo courtesy of UA Steele Children's Research Center)
Solis sworn in as new CBP Nogales port director
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Efrain Solis Jr. has been named U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Nogales port director.
As the new port director, Solis will oversee operations in combating the flow of terrorist weapons and illicit drugs, and ensure immigration flows are carried out legally and responsibly. He is also responsible for ensuring customs and agriculture inspections are conducted in accordance with U.S. laws and regulations.
Solis’ responsibilities will include two major crossings — Dennis DeConcini and Mariposa — as well as the Morley pedestrian gate, Nogales International Airport and the Rio Rico rail yard.
Solis began his government career with the former U.S. Customs Service as a customs inspector at the Port of Brownsville in Texas. During his 25-plus years of federal service, he has held various leadership positions.
(Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs & Border Protection)
Tucson Chambers names director of investor services
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The Tucson Metro Chamber has hired Susan Manfredi as the investor services and affinity director.
In her role, Manfredi is responsible for strengthening relationships with current investors and cultivating relationships with new investors. She serves as the high-level investor concierge and is co-lead of the ambassadors volunteer committee. Manfredi also manages the Chamber/CopperPoint Association program and the Blue Cross Blue Shield program.
Manfredi has held key leadership and executive positions in the airline industry and non-profit sectors where her focus has been on customer service, sales and operations, training and management of various programs.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Metro Chamber)
Robles joins Underhill Financial Advisors LLC
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Underhill Financial Advisors LLC has added a new employee.
Melissa Robles is the new administrative support specialist. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University and has five years of financial industry experience.
Robles’ primary role is to support financial advisors in the development of financial plans and client meeting preparation.
(Photo courtesy of Underhill Financial Advisors, LLC)
Mendoza joins Underhill Financial Advisors LLC
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Underhill Financial Advisors LLC has added a new employee.
Jessica Mendoza was named client relationship manager. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.
Mendoza is responsible for providing customer service and support for existing and new prospective clients.
(Photo courtesy of Underhill Financial Advisors, LLC)
Paschke-Wood hired as development director for Tucson Jazz Festival
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Jazz in January Inc., producer of Tucson Jazz Festival, has hired Missy Paschke-Wood as development director.
As development director, Paschke-Wood will be responsible for supporting the festival through sponsor cultivation and launching an individual donor program for the fourth annual Tucson Jazz Festival from January 11-21, 2018.
Paschke-Wood lived in Tucson, previously planning events for Arizona Theatre Company and Feast restaurant.
Most recently she was executive director at Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette, LA.
(Photo courtesy of Jazz in January Inc.)
Kemp to join Gordley Group marketing firm as public involvement manager
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Gordley Group, a Southern Arizona communications and marketing firm, has hired Gabriella Kemp as public involvement manager.
Kemp will lead many of Gordley’s major public involvement efforts, providing strategy, implementation and individual support for clients including Arizona Department of Transportation, Southwest Gas and Tucson Electric Power to maximize their community engagement on projects and initiatives.
Kemp brings more than 15 years of experience in bilingual public communications, nearly six years as a senior community relations officer for the Arizona Department of Transportation and a background in English and Spanish language news media including KVOA and Univision.
(Photo courtesy of Gordley Group)
SynCardia names new VP of manufacturing, facilities
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Brian Brogie has joined SynCardia Systems, LLC, as vice president of manufacturing and facilities.
Brogie has more than 30 years of manufacturing, process improvement and supplier management experience in highly regulated industries, including medical devices.
He will oversee manufacturing of SynCardia’s product line, which includes the commercially approved 70cc SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart; the new, investigational 50cc Total Artificial Heart for smaller patients; the Companion 2 hospital driver for powering the Total Artificial Heart from implant until the patient stabilizes; and the Freedom portable driver, a wearable power supply that allows clinically stable patients to be discharged from the hospital.
(Photo by Courtesy SynCardia Systems, LLC)
Pima County appoints deputy court administrator
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Cassandra Urias has been appointed the Pima County Superior Court deputy court administrator.
Urias has worked in the legal system for more than 30 years, 18 of which have been with the Superior Court. She began her career with the court as a judicial administrative assistant, and eventually rotated through all of the Superior Court benches.
Urias most recently served as the director of Case Management Services. She holds a Master’s Degree in educational leadership and a Bachelor’s Degree in social and behavioral sciences.
(Photo courtesy of Pima County Superior Court)
Mathewson takes on library director post permanently
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Amber Mathewson has been appointed to the position of library director for the Pima County Public Library.
Mathewson has served as the interim Library Director since October 2016.
Before serving as the interim director, Mathewson was the deputy director of strategic initiatives, helping to expand library programming and services in workforce development, as well as health and literacy.
Mathewson has been with the library since 1991 and has held positions at multiple sites, including Joyner-Green Valley, Caviglia-Arivaca, Miller-Golf Links, and Eckstrom-Columbus.
(Photo courtesy of Pima County Communications)
Eaglen to serve as Santa Rita Nursing administrator
- Courtesy Santa Rita Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
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Robyn Eaglen
Robyn Eaglen has been promoted to administrator of Santa Rita Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Formerly the director of nursing, Eaglen has worked for Santa Rita for 10 years.
Anne Crooks joins Long Realty management team
- Courtesy Long Realty
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Anne Crooks
Veteran realtor Anne Crooks is joining the Long Realty management team as director of business development/relocation.
Crooks was most recently an associate broker with the company’s River/Campbell office.
Providing relocation support is a subset of the real estate industry, in which specialists assist clients as they move into or out of an area.
Working with individuals or corporations, relocation services helps with area orientations, home searches and the shipping of household goods.
National Self Storage names new president
- Courtesy National Self Storage
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Travis Morrow
National Self Storage, a Tucson based management company, has named Travis Morrow as its new president as of Feb. 1.
Morrow served as the company’s vice president since 2006 and has been employed by National Self Storage for 14 years.
National Self Storage has been serving owners and investors in the self storage industry since 1982.
Fred G. Acosta Job Corps announces promotions
- Courtesy Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center
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Brad McCormick, Elaine Rodriguez, Steve Ramirez
Brad McCormick has been appointed center director of the Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center.
McCormick served in management roles from 2008 through October 2016.
The Center also promoted Elaine Rodriguez, formerly health specialist and safety/disability coordinator, and Steve Ramirez.
Rodriguez is now the director of administrative services. She first joined the Center in 1991.
Peralta and Peate join Long’s insurance operation
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Long Cos. has added two veteran sales agents to its insurance operations.
Ramon Peralta and Kathy Peate come to Long Cos. Core Services from insurance careers with other companies.
Core Services comprises Long Mortgage Co., Long Title Agency, Long Insurance Group and partnerships with home-warranty providers. The insurance group works with carriers to provide a full range of policies, including home, auto, umbrella, life and other coverages.
Peate has been in insurance sales for eight years and recently owned her own agency, representing American National Property and Casualty Company. In his three-year insurance career, Peralta has worked in sales with Allstate and Geico.
Hines will oversee Santé’s Tucson location
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Tom Hines has joined Scottsdale-based Santé Operations as the Tucson administrator.
Hines will be in charge of operations and overseeing patient care for the entire Tucson location, which offers short-term and post-acute care rehabilitation as well as short-term memory care. Santé of Tucson is located at 2040 N. Wilmot Road.
Hines brings more than 30 years of experience in the senior-health-care industry. He is a licensed skilled nursing and assisted living operator.
Casa de la Luz names Ford communications manager
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Meredith Ford was hired to serve as communications manager for Casa de la Luz Hospice care.
Ford is charged with creating and delivering impactful communications in support of Casa de la Luz’s mission to provide superior care to patients and their loved ones. Key initiatives include community outreach and education surrounding hospice and end of life issues through a variety of platforms.
Ford is a native Tucsonan. For more than 10 years, she served as a member of the Canyon Ranch public relations department.
Staff Matters hires Robles, Campoy and McGarvey
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Krista McGarvey, Lily Robles, Jeanee Campoy
Staff Matters, a locally owned recruitment and staffing firm, added three new employees to its team.
Krista McGarvey was hired as the branch manager of Staff Matters’ new expansion office in Casa Grande. She brings more than 20 years of staffing industry and sales management experience.
Lily Robles was hired for the position of senior technical recruiter. Lily has over 20 years of experience as a technical recruiter specializing in manufacturing, aerospace, optics, medical device, engineering and information technology.
Jeanee Campoy, a recent graduate of the University of Arizona, is coming on board as a technical recruiter.
Tarbox promoted to project manager at Norris Design
- Courtesy Norris Design
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Jeff Tarbox was promoted to project manager in Norris Design’s Tucson office.
Tarbox is a landscape and irrigation designer and has been with Norris Design for five years.
His project experience includes master planned community projects, municipal streetscape, parks projects and private development.
Matsuzawa joins VIP Mortgage as a senior loan officer
- Courtesy VIP Mortgage
- Updated
Senior Loan Officer Jason Matsuzawa has joined VIP Mortgage’s newest Tucson branch.
Matsuzawa will be based out of the VIP location at 7400 N. Oracle Road.
He has been a part of the Southern Arizona mortgage industry for almost a decade.
Crest Insurance Group hires Beaty
- Courtesy CREST Insurance Group
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Jon Beaty has joined Crest as a producer.
Beaty has experience in personal lines as a former senior branch manager with Liberty Mutual.
Crest Insurance Group hires May
- Courtesy CREST Insurance Group
- Updated
Gary May has joined Crest as a producer.
May has years of experience in commercial lines, in addition to personal lines and workers’ compensation.
TMC names new chief nursing officer
- Courtesy Tucson Medical Center
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Tucson Medical Center has named Maureen “Mimi” Warwick Coomler chief nursing officer and vice president.
Coomler served as the CEO of the Children’s Clinics for Rehabilitative Services on the TMC campus.
Prior to that, Coomler worked for TMC for six years, most recently as director of patient care services for Women’s and Children’s Services.
Brito joins Telemundo in Phoenix as a multimedia journalist
- Courtesy Telemundo
- Updated
Telemundo Phoenix/KTAZ hired Brenda Brito as a multimedia journalist.
On Feb. 20, Brito began reporting for the station’s weekday and weekend newscast, Noticiero Telemundo Arizona, which are also simulcast on Telemundo Tucson/KHRR.
Brito joins Telemundo Phoenix after working as a reporter for the Telemundo Station Group’s Miami bureau, producing and reporting stories for Telemundo stations all across the country.
Cornelison appointed assistant town manager for Oro Valley
- Courtesy Town of Oro Valley
- Updated
Chris Cornelison has been appointed assistant town manager for the Town of Oro Valley.
Cornelison has worked for the Town of Oro Valley since 2010, when he was hired as a intern while working on his master’s in public administration.
Upon graduation, he was hired as the constituent services coordinator/management assistant, and promoted to assistant to the town manager in 2013.
Youth On Their Own names new program manager
- Courtesy Youth On Their Own
- Updated
Former senior program coordinator Daniela Zasa was promoted to program manager at Youth On Their Own.
Youth On Their Own names new program coordinator
- Courtesy Youth On Their Own
- Updated
Matthew “Matt” Schmidgall was hired as program coordinator at Youth On Their Own. He previously worked with youth as a case manager at a behavioral health clinic in Prescott.
Clark named executive chef at Casino del Sol
- Steven Meckler
- Updated
Tucson chef Ryan Clark was named executive chef at Casino del Sol, overseeing dining operations at Casino of the Sun and Casino del Sol Resort & Casino.
The move comes a year after Clark took over as chef de cuisine at PY Steakhouse, the resort’s marquee restaurant.
In addition to the 10 restaurants at the resort Clark also will oversee all culinary operations, including catering and in-room dining.
Before joining PY Steakhouse, Clark was executive chef and part owner of Agustín Kitchen at Mercado San Agustin.
Caron named new director of Southern Arizona VA
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William J. Caron has been named the new director of the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System.
He will oversee delivery of health care to more than 55,000 veterans who live in Tucson and across southern Arizona.
Caron most recently served as the associate medical center director at the VA Southern Nevada Health Care System and the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain, Mich. He also served in a variety of roles in a 16-year private sector career.
(Photo courtesy of Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System)
Bleecker, Meyers head up new UA Health Sciences divisions
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Two genetic and genomic medical investigators have been recruited to the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson to head new divisions within the UA Health Sciences.
The divisions focus on research aimed at helping develop precision medicine solutions to diseases, from asthma to cancer to diabetes and beyond.
Dr. Eugene R. Bleecker and Deborah A. Meyers will serve as professors of medicine, co-chiefs of the new Division of Genetics, Genomics and Precision Medicine within the Department of Medicine and co-directors of the new Division of Pharmacogenomics in the UA Center for Applied Genetics and Genomic Medicine.
In Winston-Salem, N.C., Dr. Bleecker and Meyers were professors and co-directors of Wake Forest University’s Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine. He also was Wake’s Thomas H. Davis Professor of Medicine in the Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Immunologic Diseases Section, of which he was chief from 2002-09.
They are both part of several national research networks with a focus on genetic and genomic research, frequently related to respiratory diseases.
(Photos courtesy of University of Arizona)
Dr. David Zacheis joins Valley ENT as associate
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Dr. David H. Zacheis has joined Valley ENT as an associate.
Zacheis has 16 years of experience as an otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, American Academy of Otolaryngology, and the American Academy of Otolaryngologic Allergy.
He will be seeing patients at the group’s Silverbell, Northwest, and Green Valley offices as well as at their new location on the east side near St. Joseph’s hospital.
(Photo courtesy of Dr. David H. Zacheis)
Tucson Jewish Community Center adds director
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The Tucson Jewish Community Center has hired Barbara Fenig as the new director of arts and culture.
As director of arts and culture, Fenig will be responsible for program development — enhancing the quality of programs and sourcing innovative arts and cultural programming with an emphasis on Jewish values, customs, and expression. She will also curate the Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Jewish Community Center)
Tucson Jewish Community Center adds director
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The Tucson Jewish Community Center has hired Shira Brandenburg as the director of the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival.
As director of the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival, Brandenburg will work with the festival committee throughout the year to help manage, administer and produce the 2018 festival, which will be held January 11 to 21, 2018.
(Photo courtesy of the Tucson Jewish Community Center)
Vantage West president serving on national council
- Updated
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco has announced the appointment of Robert D. Ramirez, Vantage West Credit Union president and CEO, to serve on the Twelfth District Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council.
As a member of the Advisory Council, Ramirez will serve as a voice of local financial institutions, bringing to the Federal Reserve their perspectives and concerns on issues including the local effects of regulatory policies.
Ramirez has served as Vantage West president and CEO since April 2000 and prior to that, as Vice President for Asset and Liability Management since 1985.
The CDIAC represents banks, thrift institutions and credit unions within the Twelfth Federal Reserve District headquartered in San Francisco, which includes Arizona. The council provides input to the Federal Reserve on a variety of topics, including economic and banking conditions, regulatory policies, and payment issues.
(Photo courtesy of Vantage West Credit Union)
Golder Ranch Fire promotes paramedic Michael Leslie
- Updated
Golder Ranch Fire District firefighter paramedic Michael Leslie has been promoted to the position of captain.
Leslie began his career with the Golder Ranch Fire District in 2006.
In addition to his certification as a paramedic, he is also part of the Golder Ranch Fire District Special Operations Team that deploys for rescues that require additional technical training.
(Photo courtesy of Golder Ranch Fire District)
Rose returns to Sotheby’s International Realty
- Updated
Will Rose has again taken the helm of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty’s Tucson Office as their managing broker.
With 20 years of experience as a top producer and more than 10 years in management, Rose was the original manager of the Tucson branch.
Also joining the leadership team is Kip Longan as director of business development. Longan was formerly a manager and president of another local brokerage.
(Photo courtesy of Sotheby's International Realty)
Leon Clark named VP, GM of KGUN 9 and KWBA
- Updated
Leon Clark has been named the vice president and general manager at KGUN 9 On Your Side and KWBA.
For several months, Clark served as interim general manager while leading Scripps radio stations in the market, including KMXZ, KQTH, KTGV and KFFN.
Clark has experience in sales, marketing and relationship development.
In addition to the news and programming for the broadcast stations, Clark also will oversee the digital channels for both KGUN and KWBA that carry a variety of alternate programming options.
Clark will continue to manage both TV and radio operations in Tucson until Scripps hires his replacement.
(Photo courtesy of The E. W. Scripps Company)
So. AZ Leadership Council adds president
- Updated
The Southern Arizona Leadership Council has put in place a new leadership structure.
Edward P. (Ted) Maxwell was promoted to the position of SALC president, succeeding Ron Shoopman, who will remain as the organization’s CEO.
Maxwell has served as SALC vice president since 2013.
(Photo courtesy of SALC)
So. AZ Leadership Council adds VP
- Updated
The Southern Arizona Leadership Council has put in place a new leadership structure.
Shelley Watson, a new member of the SALC team, will replace Maxwell as vice president effective Feb. 1.
Watson, who grew up in Tucson, has experience working in fundraising and nonprofit management with business and community leaders.
(Photo courtesy of SALC)
Arteaga named director of UA entrepreneur center
- Updated
The University of Arizona Eller College of Management has named entrepreneur Remy Arteaga the new director of McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship.
Arteaga spent more than 20 years launching and managing successful startups, accelerators, and corporate innovation initiatives before becoming involved in entrepreneurship education.
He was the director of the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado-Boulder Leeds School of Business before serving as the executive director of a nonprofit that created and managed Stanford University’s Latino entrepreneurship accelerator and research programs.
(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona)
Barr Credit Services adds executive VP
- Updated
Melanie Morcelle Terragnoli will join Barr Credit Services as executive vice president of strategic business.
Morcelle Terragnoli will focus on strategic business and business planning. She brings more than 25 years of executive corporate leadership experience, with 17 years in the credit and collections industry.
Headquartered in Tucson, Barr Credit Services is an IACC-certified full-service commercial debt collection agency for domestic and international debt recovery.
(Photo courtesy of Short Street Photographers)
Sohmer to lead Boyce Thompson Arboretum
- Updated
S.H. “Sy” Sohmer has been named director of Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park, effective Jan. 29.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is part of the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and is managed in cooperation with Arizona State Parks and Trails and the Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum, Inc.
Sohmer brings to the college more than 40 years of experience as a research botanist, university professor, federal employee and nonprofit CEO.
(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona)
Native Seeds/SEARCH gets new executive director
- Updated
Joy M. Hought is the new executive director of Native Seeds/SEARCH.
Hought has international and local experience in agricultural education, research, and on-farm conservation.
She also brings extensive relationships with other nonprofit and academic entities dedicated to seed science and plant genetics, as well as arid-lands farming and culturally based food security.
(Photo courtesy of Native Seeds/SEARCH)
BeachFleischman CPA firm promotes Armstrong to shareholder
- Updated
BeachFleischman announced the promotion of Susan A. Armstrong to shareholder, effective Jan. 1, 2017.
Armstrong was promoted to a tax shareholder. A member of the firm’s real estate segment team, Armstrong has 19 years of public accounting experience and manages numerous partnership, individual and corporate client engagements.
She specializes in tax planning, consulting and compliance for commercial and residential real estate clients, including investors, brokers, developers and management companies.
(Submitted photo)
BeachFleischman CPA firm promotes Maneval to shareholder
- Updated
BeachFleischman announced the promotion of Eric B. Maneval to shareholder, effective Jan. 1, 2017.
Maneval was named an accounting and assurance shareholder. He is a member of the firm’s not-for-profit and science and manufacturing segment teams.
He has 13 years of public accounting experience managing audit and review engagements.
Maneval specializes in helping his not-for-profit, governmental, healthcare, and manufacturing clients achieve compliance and improve accountability, and he advises on industry-specific issues impacting their operations and mission.
(Submitted photo)
BeachFleischman CPA firm promotes Bickerton to shareholder
- Updated
BeachFleischman announced the promotion of Jon Bickerton to shareholder, effective Jan. 1, 2017.
Bickerton has been promoted to a tax shareholder. A member of the firm’s science and manufacturing and cost segregation segment teams, Bickerton has more than 10 years of public accounting experience managing many of the firm’s privately-held and not-for-profit tax engagements.
He specializes in helping companies claim federal and state tax credits and incentives, including the research and development tax credit.
(Submitted photo)
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning adds Choi to team
- Updated
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning has expanded its team, bringing on a new staff member: Jenn Choi.
Choi is the national school lunch & farm-to-school coordinator, bringing years of experience as a chef, nutrition consultant, and outdoor educator to her new position. Most recently, she was the resident chef and food coordinator at Tucson Village Farm, where she designed and led farm-to-table cooking classes for children of all ages.
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning provides professional development and community engagement experiences for educators and education advocates, while leading three small secondary schools that serve as demonstration sites.
(Photo courtesy of CITY Center for Collaborative Learning)
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning adds Sawyer to team
- Updated
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning has expanded its team, bringing on a new staff member: Johanna Sawyer.
Sawyer joins CITY Center for Collaborative Learning as executive assistant. Sawyer has more than 10 years of experience in managing grants, databases, and educational programs. She recently moved to Tucson and is a native Nebraskan.
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning provides professional development and community engagement experiences for educators and education advocates, while leading three small secondary schools that serve as demonstration sites.
(Photo courtesy of CITY Center for Collaborative Learning)
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning adds Wettstein to team
- Updated
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning has expanded its team, bringing on a new staff member: Gillian Wettstein.
Wettstein was appointed business director. A native Tucsonan, her extensive business management experience includes director of finance at the Tucson Audubon Society, VP of finance and administration at Emerge!, assistant director of financial services at TUSD, and accounts manager at Center for Educational Development.
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning provides professional development and community engagement experiences for educators and education advocates, while leading three small secondary schools that serve as demonstration sites.
(Photo courtesy of CITY Center for Collaborative Learning)
Corrales named shareholder at Tucson law office
- Updated
Jody A. Corrales has been elected to join the DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & Lacy, P.C. shareholders effective January 1, 2017.
Attorney Corrales, a 2006 graduate of the James E. Rogers College of Law at The University of Arizona, joined the firm in 2015. She focuses her practice on bankruptcy and creditors’ rights. She is board certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification and the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization certifies her as a bankruptcy specialist.
(Submitted photo)
Kinghorn Heritage Law Group announces new partner
- Updated
Allison Manning has been named a partner at the Kinghorn Heritage Law Group.
As an estate planning and elder law attorney, the Tucsonan graduated magna cum laude from Northern Arizona University in 1996 with a degree in political science. She graduated from Baylor Law School in 2000.
Manning began her law career in Dallas where she worked for a national law firm. She returned to Tucson in 2004 and joined her family’s real estate business before returning to the practice of law in Southern Arizona.
(Submitted photo / Martha Lochert)
CPA firm adds senior tax manager Zachman
- Updated
The CPA firm of Flowers Rieger & Associates, PLLC has hired Alan Zachman as a senior tax manager.
Zachman brings more than 35 years of prior professional CPA firm experience to the firm, including 10 years’ experience as a senior tax manager with two local Tucson CPA firms as well as being a partner in a Colorado CPA firm.
Flowers Rieger & Associates concentrates on small business consulting, income and estate tax planning and preparation.
(Submitted photo)
Hofmeyr joins Quarles & Brady LLP as partner
- Updated
Adriane Hofmeyr has joined the Tucson office of Quarles & Brady LLP as a partner in its litigation and dispute resolution practice group.
She focuses her practice on commercial litigation, appeals, administrative litigation, and administrative hearings. She is also a professor of practice at James E. Rogers College of Law.
Prior to joining the firm, Hofmeyr was a partner at a small law firm in Tucson. Hofmeyr is originally from South Africa, where she served as in-house counsel for the City of Cape Town during South Africa’s transition to democracy, as well as for a publicly-traded international clothing retailer.
(Submitted photo)
Mason comes on board at Noonan Physical Therapy
- Updated
Noonan Physical Therapy & Associates has hired physical therapist Emily Mason.
Mason treats orthopedic, minor-neurological, post-surgical, and sports rehabilitation injuries.
She is accepting new patients and will practice at 5956 E. Pima St., Suite 100.
(Submitted photo)
Niccum named Tucson Values Teachers CEO
- Updated
Colleen Niccum has been named the new Chief Executive Officer of Tucson Values Teachers.
Katie Rogerson, who has been serving as the organization’s interim executive director, will now be the chief operating officer.
Niccum previously served as the vice president of education policy for the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, which established TVT.
(Submitted photo)
Conner named Pima County Youth One-Stop manager
- Updated
Daphanie Conner has been named the new program manager with the ARIZONA@WORK Pima County Youth One-Stop Center.
The center offers workshops, case management, a long-running Summer Youth Employment Program and a host of other support services to out-of-school youth age 16 to 24.
Conner got her start with the Urban League in 1999. She also has worked with multiple youth programs recognized as national models.
(Photo courtesy of Gerry Loew)
Purvis earns national 40 Under 40 honors
- Updated
Rob Purvis, senior mortgage banker/partner for VIP Mortgage, was named a 40 Under 40 by National Mortgage Professional Magazine.
Winners of the award are voted on by their peers and all have demonstrated professionalism and top production within the mortgage industry.
(Submitted photo)
Rio Nuevo selects new administrative director
- Updated
Brandi Haga-Blackman has been named administrative director for the Rio Nuevo District, effective Jan. 9.
Haga-Blackman has been at the Downtown Tucson Partnership since 2004, most recently as director of operations.
Haga-Blackman’s duties will include managing the District’s contracts and communications, and the day-to-day operations of the Rio Nuevo office, as well as assisting the Board with meeting preparation and communication, and the CFO with financial record keeping, accounts payable and banking. She will serve as the Board’s liaison to District merchants, plan events and assist with tax filing questions, public relations and media relations.
(Photo courtesy of Scott Griessel)
SARSEF hires director of philanthropy
- Updated
The Southern Arizona Research, Science and Engineering Foundation has hired Lisa Winton for the position of director of philanthropy.
Winton holds a masters degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University and a masters degree in nonprofit management from Regis University.
Winton serves on the Board of Directors for Planned Giving Roundtable as the Leave a Legacy Chair.
(Submitted photo)
Sundt's Gonzales promoted to estimator II
- Updated
Sundt Construction has promoted Lizabeth Gonzales to estimator II.
Gonzales joined Sundt in 2007 as a project engineer and then transferred to the company’s preconstruction team in 2015. Since then, she has provided the team with support and leadership on a variety of bids and pursuits.
Gonzales is a Certified Professional Constructor through the American Institute of Constructors, and is based in Sundt’s Tucson office.
(Submitted photo)
Abram named partner at Udall Law Firm
- Updated
Marian Abram has become a partner of the Udall Law Firm, LLP.
Abram represents various businesses in Southern Arizona, both profit and non-profit. Her practice includes real estate transactions and financing; environmental compliance; contract negotiations; employment matters; business formation; business planning; intellectual property; civil litigation; and corporate compliance and due diligence.
She also has special expertise in estate planning and probate matters, including guardianships and conservatorships.
(Submitted photo)
Cushman & Wakefield/PICOR names new president
- Updated
Barbi Reuter has taken over as president of the Tucson-based commercial real estate firm, Cushman & Wakefield/PICOR.
She was serving as the company’s chief operating officer. Current president and managing shareholder Mike Hammond will remain with the company, serving as its CEO and chairman.
Reuter has been with the firm since its inception, hired by founder Hammond while in college in 1985. She launched and managed the firm’s market-leading property management division through 2007, when she moved into company leadership. She was appointed COO in 2014, managing operations, research, finance, and marketing and communications.
(Photo courtesy Cushman & Wakefield/PICOR)
W.E. O'Neil hires project engineer Baird
- Updated
Sierra Baird has been hired as a project engineer for W.E. O’Neil Construction Company.
Baird is a 2015 graduate of the Northern Arizona University construction management program with a minor in business.
She is currently serving in the role of project engineer on the Sage Desert Assisted Living and Memory Care project.
(Photo courtesy of W.E. O'Neil Construction Company)
Tong joins Vantage West Credit Union
- Updated
William Tong has been named senior relationship manager of Vantage West Credit Union’s business lending and services team.
Tong joins Vantage West after 21 years of banking experience in the Tucson market, where he has held senior banking positions at both large and community-based banks. His banking experience includes business banking, private banking, premium financing and commercial real estate lending.
Tong obtained his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Arizona, and an MBA in management from the University of Phoenix.
(Photo courtesy of Vantage West Credit Union)
Pocock takes on chief of operations role
- Updated
Liz Pocock has been named the new chief operations officer for Startup Tucson.
In her new role, Pocock, who joined the team in October, will be responsible for strategic oversight and day-to-day operations for Startup Tucson and its programs.
(Photo courtesy of Startup Tucson)
Wolfe promoted to Easter Seals CIO post
- Updated
Thomas S. Wolfe has been promoted to the chief information officer at the Easter Seals Blake Foundation.
The former director of IT operations will continue to vet agency information technology investments for business alignment and strong return on investment and streamline the organization’s IT operations and cost profile.
Wolfe has more than 20 years of experience in information technology, more than 10 of which were in leadership roles. He previously served as the deputy chief information officer for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, as the director of North America Technology Operations for Hardcastle Trading and as a consultant serving the New York State Office of Information Technology Services and various Fortune 500 organizations.
(Photo courtesy of Easter Seals Blake Foundation)
Old Tucson adds marketing manager Kjos
- Updated
Tiffany Kjos has joined Old Tucson Company as marketing manager.
A veteran journalist whose experience includes 16 years at the Arizona Daily Star, Kjos will oversee digital marketing and communications, event management and employee communications.
(Photo courtesy of Old Tucson Company)
Liddicoat named NOVA Home Loans VP, branch manager
- Courtesy NOVA Home Loans
Matt Liddicoat has been promoted to vice president and branch manager of NOVA Home Loans’ Williams Centre Branch. Liddicoat will manage the Williams Centre Branch operations and become a business partner in the Lance Dickson Team. Dickson is the chief operating officer of NOVA Home Loans.
Alex Compton is career technical training supervisor at Acosta Job Corps
- Courtesy Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center
Alex Compton is joining the Fred G. Acosta Job Corps team as career technical training supervisor. Compton has a 13-year career in Job Corps and has served as a supervisor in career technical training, career services, and counseling.
Doris Klein named academic supervisor at Acosta Job Corps
- Courtesy Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center
Doris Klein has been named academic supervisor in charge of GED and high school diploma programs, as well as academic programs at the Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center.
Caroline Gardiner hired as human resources manager at Acosta Job Corps
- Courtesy Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center
Caroline Gardiner has been hired to serve as human resources manager. Gardiner has over 10 years experience with human resources in a variety of roles and received her Society of Human Resources certification in 2016.
New owner, general manager take over Salon Nouveau
- Courtesy Salon Nouveau
Tracy Mayfield, award-winning hair stylist at Salon Nouveau for 22 years, recently purchased the company from Kathy Alexander and Paul Lindsay. Chelsy Campos, also a long-time employee, has been named general manager.
Rosie On The House names partner development manager
- Courtesy Rosie On The House
Native Tucsonan Susan Stein Kregar has returned to Tucson to serve as partner development manager for Rosie On The House. Her primary responsibilities include connecting Arizona homeowners with Rosie On The House certified trusted partners, contractors and service companies who undergo a stringent vetting process. She will also work with the partners to grow their business and maximize their exposure in the marketplace.
Rodriguez joins Vector as VP of government, external affairs
Alex Rodriguez has joined Vector as the new vice president of government and external affairs.
Rodriguez will lead all facets of external relations including with government partners during a time of accelerated company growth.
He joins Vector from the Arizona Technology Council where he served as vice president and led the Arizona Aerospace, Aviation and Defense CEO Network.
Rodriguez brings more than two decades of experience in business development, government affairs, and strategic planning to Vector. He has held leadership roles in three Fortune 500 companies including Raytheon.
(Submitted photo)
AZ Technology Council hires new executive director
The Arizona Technology Council has hired Jeff Sales as the new executive director for the Council’s Southern Arizona office.
Sales brings more than 25 years of management experience to the role and will be responsible for driving the Council’s mission of making Arizona the fastest growing tech hub in the nation.
He is responsible for all aspects of the Council’s Southern Arizona operations including event management, membership development, marketing, public policy, and community relations.
Sales joins the Council after more than 15 years at Arizona Engineered Products where he served as president and partner. Sales also worked as business development manager for local contract manufacturer, Mastek-InnerStep, and served as senior aide to Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup from 2003 to 2011.
(Photo courtesy of Arizona Technology Council)
Leadership changes at Arizona Public Media
Arizona Public Media has named an interim news director.
Peter Michaels, former executive producer of NPR’s Talk of the Nation, has taken on the role of interim news director following Michael Chihak’s retirement at the end of June.
(Photo courtesy of Arizona Public Media)
Leadership changes at Arizona Public Media
Arizona Public Media has announced changes at the media organization.
AZPM Executive Producer John Booth will now formally oversee the production of all news and public affairs content for television including Arizona Illustrated, Arizona Week, and Metro Week.
(Photo courtesy of Arizona Public Media)
Leadership changes at Arizona Public Media
Arizona Public Media has announced changes at the media organization.
Production Technician Arlene Islas has accepted the position of television director. She, along with videographer/editor/director Nate Huffman, will work to cover the directing responsibilities for weekly shows and will provide additional depth for both studio and remote production directing.
(Photos courtesy of Arizona Public Media)
Tanque Verde Pediatrics adds Dr. Moher
Dr. Jen Moher joined Tanque Verde Pediatrics, 7507 E. Tanque Verde Road.
Dr. Moher received her undergraduate degree and medical degree from the University of Arizona. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of Oregon. She has been practicing pediatrics in Tucson for several years before joining Tanque Verde Pediatrics.
She joins Drs. Amy Montgomery, Scott Radomsky, Mimi Peterson, Sandy Herron and Amelia Decker.
(Photo courtesy of Tanque Verde Pediatrics)
Tanque Verde Pediatrics adds Dr. Watkins
Dr. Brent Watkins joined Tanque Verde Pediatrics, 7507 E. Tanque Verde Road.
Dr. Watkins received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Arizona. He recently completed his residency training in pediatrics at UA.
He joins Drs. Amy Montgomery, Scott Radomsky, Mimi Peterson, Sandy Herron and Amelia Decker.
(Photo courtesy of Tanque Verde Pediatrics)
Autism Society of S. Ariz. names Seward new associate director
The Autism Society of Southern Arizona named Brie Seward as associate director.
Seward will lead the non-profit organization in community/public relations efforts, fundraising/donor relations and in developing information referral resources for families affected with autism.
Seward has nine years of corporate marketing experience working in New York City and Miami for luxury retailers and magazines.
(Photo courtesy of Autism Society of Southern Arizona)
Messingham joins Farhang & Medcoff as partner
Business law firm Farhang & Medcoff added Amélie Brédas Messingham as a partner.
Messingham brings more than 10 years of experience advising regional and national institutional lenders with respect to real estate and commercial loan transactions, including construction financing, long-term financing for income-producing properties, loan sales, restructures, and workouts.
In addition to her commercial finance practice, Messingham represents corporate clients in purchase and sale transactions involving retail projects and portfolios.
(Photo courtesy of Farhang & Medcoff)
Varney comes on board at Community Foundation
Carol Varney will serve as the new program officer of education and the arts for the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona.
Varney will be responsible for grant-making and strategy implementation for CFSA’s education and arts-related grant-making and scholarship activities.
She will also be the focal point for coordinating CFSA’s collaborative work with the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona, a supporting organization of CFSA. She will assist the Arts Foundation in managing their re-granting program, development of grant application policies and procedures, and grant contract administration.
Varney brings more than 20 years of experience in arts and education development. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director of Bay Area Video Coalition in San Francisco.
(Photo courtesy of Community Foundation for Southern Arizona)
Anthropologist Hunt named dean of UA Honors College
Terry L. Hunt, an internationally renowned anthropologist, archaeologist and educator, has been named dean of the University of Arizona Honors College.
Hunt will join the UA in September.
Hunt previously served as dean of the Robert D. Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon. He is one of the world’s foremost experts on the human and environmental histories of the Pacific Islands, where he has conducted field research for more than four decades. Hunt has led study-abroad courses for the past 18 years to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), where he involves students in his field research.
Prior to joining the University of Oregon in 2013, Hunt taught anthropology at the University of Hawaii from 1988-2013 and served as director of the campus-wide honors program from 2010-2013.
(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona)
County Attorney LaWall appoints criminal division chief
Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall has appointed Thomas Weaver to be the new chief of the criminal division.
Weaver has more than 30 years experience as an attorney. His legal career began as an assistant city prosecutor in the Tucson City Attorney’s Office, where he worked until he was recruited to join the county as a deputy county attorney in the criminal division. Weaver also worked in the civil division before he was appointed the division’s chief in 2015.
(Photo courtesy of Pima County Attorney's Office)
County Attorney LaWall appoints civil division chief
Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall has appointed Andrew L. Flagg to be the new chief of the civil division.
Flagg has been a deputy county attorney in the civil division since 2008. He was assigned to the business and transactions unit in the civil division; prior to that he was in the land use and environmental unit for six years. Prior to Flagg’s time at the agency, he clerked for Judge Joseph W. Howard of the Arizona Court of Appeals.
(Photo courtesy of Pima County Attorney's Office)
UA College of Medicine-Tucson adds Hall to administrative staff
The University of Arizona College of Medicine–Tucson has added Jill Hall to its administrative staff as manager, alumni and community engagement.
Hall moved from the UA Alumni Association, where she worked for the last nine years.
In her new role, Hall is to develop and implement a plan to engage alumni, students and community partners into the life of the College of Medicine – Tucson.
(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona)
Former County Supervisor Carroll joins Amity, will address funding
Ray Carroll has joined Tucson-based Amity Foundation as the new community- and government-relations director.
Amity formed in 1969 to address the opiate crisis of the 1960’s and was originally called Tucson Awareness House.
Carroll, a former Pima County supervisor, will work to address the threat of a $77 billion cut to the Medicare and Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.
(Photo courtesy of Amity Foundation)
Funeraria Del Angel names new location manager
Robert Enriquez has been named location manager at Funeraria Del Angel.
Enriquez has served the Tucson area for more than 11 years as a licensed funeral director and embalmer.
Funeraria Del Angel, 7 E. University Blvd., has been a Tucson funeral home for more than 90 years. It is formally known as Arizona Mortuary.
(Photo courtesy of Robert Enriquez)
Truly Nolen promotes Bolton to national role
Truly Nolen Pest Control has promoted David Bolton to manager of the company’s National Commercial service office in Tucson.
The company’s National Commercial service office manages pest control in all 50 states and for some of the largest companies, brands, and restaurants throughout the United States.
Bolton has been with Truly Nolen since 2012 where he was previously manager of the company’s flagship Tucson service office.
Before joining the company, he spent 12 years in the rental car industry as a district manager for Avis/Budget.
(Photo courtesy of Truly Nolen)
True Concord adds Tennes as managing director
Tucson-based choral ensemble True Concord Voices & Orchestra has appointed Chuck Tennes as its managing director.
Tennes served as executive director of The University of Arizona’s UA Presents from 2011 to 2014.
His background includes an internship with the National Endowment for the Arts and positions with the Washington Performing Arts Society and Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center.
(Photo courtesy of True Concord Voices & Orchestra)
Koberlein named Home Services regional president
Rosey Koberlein, CEO of Long Companies, has been named central regional president of HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway company.
The residential real estate brokerage firm named five regional presidents, each of whom will continue to serve in their current capacity as leader of their local company.
(Photo courtesy of Long Realty)
Oro Valley golf club adds Price as director of golf
The Views Golf Club has named Rick Price as their new PGA professional director of golf.
A 35-year golf industry professional, Price will be charged with leading golf operations at the Oro Valley golf course.
Price was previously a golf professional at El Conquistador CC and head golf professional at the Rio Rico Golf Resort. Most recently he was the head golf professional at The Gallery Golf Club.
Before The Gallery, he was the Director of Operations for the Southwest Section PGA Southern Chapter for eight years and was the director of golf at the Omni Tucson National for six years.
(Photo courtesy of The Views Golf Club)
Ronnebaum joins UA's Dept. of Emergency Medicine
Jenn Ronnebaum has joined the University of Arizona Department of Emergency Medicine as the manager of the Advanced Hazmat Life Support program.
Ronnebaum completed her MBA from the University of Arizona Eller College of Management and has 10 year of experience as a scientist in the pharmaceutical industry.
Roundhouse to serve as Casa Libre's executive director
Sally Roundhouse has been selected to serve as executive director of Casa Libre, a local literacy arts organization.
A Tucson native, Roundhouse lived in Tuscaloosa, AL, from 2011 to 2015, where she co-founded the Tuscaloosa chapter of Writers in the Schools. She also planned and directed events drawing on the local art, music, and poetry communities.
As executive director, Roundhouse plans on continuing to create space for and amplifying the voices of women writers, writers of color, writers from the LGBTQIA community, and writers from other underrepresented communities.
Smejkal promoted with Tucson Airport Authority
Mike Smejkal has been promoted to vice president of planning and engineering.
The new position is part of a TAA reorganization that returns planning and engineering to a separate division as it was until 2013.
Smejkal joined the TAA in July 2012 as director of engineering. In February 2014 he was named senior director of development services leading the team responsible for TAA’s planning, environmental, design and construction projects at both Tucson International Airport and Ryan Airfield.
Prior to joining the TAA, Smejkal was a project manager and engineer for Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc., a Midwest-based consulting engineering firm with 14 offices.
Edwards also moves up with Tucson Airport Authority
Adele Edwards has been named chief technology officer for the TAA where she will lead planning, design and development of technology performance for the organization and its airports.
Edwards has more than 25 years of experience in information technology. She joins TAA from Arizona Western College in Yuma where she was director of computer information services.
Before going to Arizona Western College in 2015, Edwards had been an educational software consultant. Her previous positions include director of software development for Edupoint Educational Systems in Mesa; organizational development coordinator for technology services with the Tucson Unified School District; and eight years as systems planning and development coordinator for the University of Arizona.
United Way hires new director of leadership giving
- Courtesy United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona has named Jeff Petrovic the new director of leadership giving. Petrovic will lead the effort to grow the organization’s individual donor base in the region. The Southern Arizona native has more than 13 years of experience in nonprofit management and fundraising, including, most recently, as the area director for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society-Tucson & Southern Arizona. He has also worked as a development professional in Seattle, Denver and Houston.
Bryson joins Pima County School Superintendent’s Office
- Pima County School Superintendent's Office
Deborah Bryson has joined the Pima County School Superintendent’s Office as the director of leadership development. She will be in charge of the LEADNow! Institute for educators in Southern Arizona, as they further their leadership impact in schools and work to improve student learning outcomes. LEADNow! is a partnership with the Arizona Educational Foundation and Northern Arizona University. Bryson most recently served as a director of the Beyond Textbooks program in the Vail School District. Prior to that, she spent 15 years as a school principal.
Long Realty adds mortgage consultant Manny Aparicio
- Courtesy Long Realty
Long Realty’s Tanque Verde office has added veteran mortgage consultant Manny Aparicio. Aparicio brings experience as a loan officer and account executive. In a career that has spanned 20-plus years, he’s handled VA, FHA, conventional and bond loans for several leading mortgage companies before his move to Long Mortgage Company. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Aparicio is a University of Arizona graduate.
Stacey Gist named Valencia Middle School principal
- Courtesy Tucson Unified School District
Stacey Gist has been named principal of Valencia Middle School. Gist served as an assistant principal at the school for about a year, and has held positions in preschool, elementary and middle schools throughout her career. She has been with TUSD for four years.
Mary Kolsrud named Craigin Elementary School principal
- Courtesy Tucson Unified School District
Mary Kolsrud has been named principal of Cragin Elementary School. Kolsrud has worked at TUSD for four years, most recently as assistant principal at Erickson Elementary School. She also worked in the Amphi, Cartwright, Dysart and Litchfield school districts.
Sarah Andricopoulos named principal at Davidson Elementary School
- Courtesy Tucson Unified School District
Sarah Andricopoulos has been named principal of Davidson Elementary School. Andricopoulos has worked in education as a teacher and instructional support assistant in the Amphi School District for 11 years.
Kathy Osollo named Gale Elementary School principal
- Courtesy Tucson Unified School District
Kathy Osollo is the new principal at Gale Elementary School. Osollo has worked at TUSD for 17 years and has a background in counseling, grants and federal programs and community education.
Odenkirk named Western Alliance Bank executive vice president
- Courtesy Western Alliance Bank
Western Alliance Bank has named Steven Odenkirk executive vice president, southern region manager for Alliance Bank of Arizona in Tucson. In his new role, Odenkirk will lead the Alliance Bank’s regional presence which includes two banking locations and 36 employees. Odenkirk most recently served as the principal of Peritus Commercial Finance, a consulting practice where he brokered more than $175 million in loans. Prior to his work at Peritus, Odenkirk was the chief credit officer of Canyon Community Bank, N. A., producer- commercial mortgage banker at CBRE Capital Markets and manager of Tucson-area commercial real estate for Wells Fargo.
Pima Animal Care Center selects department director
Pima Animal Care Center has hired Kristen Auerbach to serve as its department director. Auerbach currently serves as deputy chief animal services officer at Austin Animal Center in Texas. Auerbach, who is a nationally recognized expert on creative lifesaving solutions for municipal shelters like PACC, begins her new role July 10. Last year, PACC saved 90 percent of the pets who entered its shelter and is actively working to increase its save rate for baby animals and big dogs. In her current role at Austin Animal Center, which takes in 18,000 pets annually and is a municipal shelter like PACC, Auerbach has helped lead the organization to a save rate above 96 percent. Prior to her work in Austin, Auerbach served as the assistant director of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter in Fairfax, Va. (Photo courtesy of Pima Animal Care Center)
Delperdang promoted to Keller Williams team leader
Chase Delperdang has been promoted to team leader at Keller Williams Southern Arizona’s Joesler Village Market Center. Delperdang, a San Diego native and third generation real estate businessman, has lived in Tucson for nearly two decades. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Religious Studies from Liberty University, and has subsequently used his free time to help start churches and build houses for families living in poverty in Mexico. He currently serves as executive pastor at Foothills Community Church. (Photo courtesy of Keller Williams Southern Arizona)
Comcast names Arizona, New Mexico area VP
Chris Dunkeson was promoted to Area Vice President of Comcast Arizona and New Mexico markets. Dunkeson, a 25-year cable industry veteran, has experience leading business operations, in technical expertise, customer service, marketing, finance and public relations. He joined Comcast in 1993 as a service technician in Albuquerque. Since that time, he has held various positions including online general manager for the Southwest Area, director of operations for northern New Mexico, vice president and general manager for central and northern New Mexico, and Southwest Area Director of Public Relations and Government Affairs. He will oversee all Comcast technical operations throughout the area. (Photo courtesy of Comcast)
JobPath, Inc., hires Velásquez as executive director
Frank Velásquez Jr. has been named executive director of JobPath, Inc., a workforce development nonprofit that helps adults achieve financial independence through higher education and job-training programs that lead to high-demand careers. Velásquez is an education leader and organizational learning and development professional. He was previously employed at Pima Community College since 2010, most recently as project director of a federally funded STEM grant program. Velásquez holds Master of Education and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Northern Arizona University. (Photo courtesy of JobPath)
Real estate attorney joins Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie
Real estate attorney Kimberly O’Hagan has joined the Tucson office of Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP. O’Hagan is experienced in real estate transactions and government subcontracting. Her practice includes all phases of real estate acquisition and disposition, from negotiating purchase and sale agreements and reviewing due diligence materials to securing financing and closing complex transactions. She also supports clients’ management of their assets by negotiating property management agreements and commercial leases for office, retail and mixed-use properties. (Photo courtesy of Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP)
Truly Nolen Pest Control promotes three
Truly Nolen Pest Control has promoted three employees in the company’s Metro Tucson Residential Division. Anthony Molina has been promoted to manager of the company’s flagship Tucson service office now located at 3636 E. Speedway. Molina joined the company in 2008 and was most recently the manager of the company’s East Tucson service office. Tracy Castell has been promoted to manager of the company’s East Tucson service office at 7475 E. 22nd Street. Castell joined the company in October 2016 and was promoted to his new position following completion of the company’s manager-in-training program. Prior to joining Truly Nolen, Castell spent 18 years in the underground utility piping industry. Eric Hermosillo has been promoted to manager of the company’s Sierra Vista service office at 200-A Meyer Drive. Hermosillo joined the company in February 2016 and was promoted to his new position following completion of the company’s manager-in-training program. He most recently oversaw operations at Sierra Vista.
Doleshel joins Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona
Emilie Doleshel has joined the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona as the new philanthropic engagement manager. Doleshel has more than 12 years of experience as a professional fundraiser. She started her career with the American Cancer Society, worked in fundraising roles for both elementary and higher education institutions in the San Francisco Bay area, and is currently the development officer at the Notre Dame ACE Academies of Tucson. She earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive credentials in 2016. (Photo courtesy of Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona)
Northwestern University Provost named RCSA President
Daniel I.H. Linzer, the retiring provost of Northwestern University, has been selected as the next president and CEO of Research Corporation for Science Advancement. Linzer will assume his new post in October, succeeding Robert Shelton, who stepped down in February. Linzer has been Northwestern’s provost since 2007. Before that he served for five years as dean of the University’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. Research Corporation for Science Advancement was founded in 1912. RCSA advocates for the sciences and a major funder of scientific innovation and of research in America’s colleges and universities. (Photo courtesy of RCSA)
County health department names new leadership
New leadership is in place at the Pima County Health Department. Marcy Flanagan was named Health Department director. She is replacing Dr. Francisco Garcia, who was promoted to assistant county administrator for Health Services. Flanagan has worked for the Health Department for 16 years, serving most recently as the deputy director. Flanagan will oversee the operations of the department, which includes nearly 30 different programs and is supported by more than 300 employees. (Photo courtesy of Pima County)
County health department names new leadership
New leadership is in place at the Pima County Health Department. Paula Mandel was selected to serve as deputy director. Mandel, a registered nurse, has worked with the department for six years, organizing and directing the activities for multiple programs. Mandel will oversee the operations of the department, which includes nearly 30 different programs and is supported by more than 300 employees. (Photo courtesy of Pima County)
Lodge on the Desert adds food and beverage manager
Lodge on the Desert has hired Justin Fitzsimons as the new food and beverage manager. Fitzsimons has held positions of head chef, general manager and chef de partier in restaurants in Oregon, California and Arizona. He earned certification in culinary arts from the Apicius Culinary Institute in Florence, Italy, in 2005. (Photo courtesy of Lodge on the Desert)
Garcia joins Onyx Creative’s Tucson office
David Garcia has been selected to serve as director of architecture for the Tucson office of Onyx Creative, formerly Herschman Architects. Garcia worked for the City of Tucson as an architect overseeing various government projects, including health components in neighborhood centers. As owner of ADG, Inc., for 21 years, Garcia designed and prepared construction documents for health care facilities, including dental, MRI, cancer treatment, urgent care, doctors’ offices, and minor hospital facility remodels. (Photo courtesy of Onyx Creative Tucson)
Jones returns to Community Foundation for So. Arizona
Jennifer Jones is returning to the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, this time as director of donor services and development. Formerly an advancement officer, Jones will be responsible for leading CFSA’s efforts to serve donors. In addition, she will work with the director of gift planning, Mary Louise Luna, to help individuals, families and nonprofits build philanthropic legacies. Jones brings more than two decades of experience as a nonprofit leader focused on development and growth. She has worked in the community foundation sector for approximately 10 years, first at CFSA and then at Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation as the Director of Donor Engagement. Most recently, Jones worked as a consultant to nonprofit organizations in the St. Louis area. (Photo courtesy of Community Foundation for Southern Arizona)
Hands of Hope Tucson makes leadership change
Hands of Hope Tucson, a local faith-based nonprofit, has named a new executive director, along with a director of client services and a nurse manager. The organization cares for women facing unplanned pregnancies, providing free services and education. Elisa Medina, a Tucson native, was appointed executive director, taking the helm from President and Executive Director John Tabor as he moves into semi-retirement. Medina has worked closely with Tabor since 2005 as director of programs. (Photo courtesy of Hands of Hope Tucson)
Hands of Hope Tucson makes leadership change
Hands of Hope Tucson, a local faith-based nonprofit, has named a new director of client services. The organization cares for women facing unplanned pregnancies, providing free services and education. Cindi Buller was promoted to director of client services. She has held various leadership roles over the past two decades. Buller works with a team of more than 25 staff and volunteers, including 12 medical professionals. (Photo courtesy of Hands of Hope Tucson)
Hands of Hope Tucson makes leadership change
Hands of Hope Tucson, a local faith-based nonprofit, has named a new nurse manager. The organization cares for women facing unplanned pregnancies, providing free services and education. Registered Nurse Julia Choate has been hired as Hands of Hope Tucson’s nurse manager. She comes to the organization after 18 years at Casa de la Luz where she worked primarily in the quality and compliance area. Choate will work with a team of nursing professionals who provide education and support for those facing an unplanned pregnancy, including free pregnancy testing, ultrasound scanning and prenatal care. (Photo courtesy of Hands of Hope Tucson)
Prather named Pima County JTED deputy superintendent
Kathy Prather has been named the new deputy superintendent of the Pima County Joint Technical Education District. Prather has served as the career and technical education and JTED director for the Sunnyside Unified School District since 2012. Prior to joining Sunnyside, she was the CTE Director in the Tucson Unified School District. Starting July 1, Prather will serve as second-in-command of the JTED District and act as the district’s leader when the superintendent is not present. Her job duties include being the point person for the Business and Industry Council, overseeing facilities and maintenance, and coordinating program reviews for all central and satellite campus programs. (Photo courtesy of Pima JTED)
Diaz named chief operations officer for Crest Insurance
Crest Insurance Group has named Oscar Diaz the chief operations officer of the employee benefits division. Diaz comes from CBIZ Benefits and Insurance Services with more than 27 years of experience in the employee benefits industry. (Photo courtesy of Crest Insurance Group)
UA, Banner-UMC welcome new surgeon to program
The University of Arizona Department of Surgery and Banner-University Medical Center recently welcomed a new surgeon to Tucson. Dr. David A. Bull comes to Tucson as professor and chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery in the UA Department of Surgery and as the Jack G. Copeland Endowed Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the UA Sarver Heart Center. He returns to Arizona from the University of Utah, where he was a professor of surgery, chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and program director of the Thoracic Surgery Residency Program. Bull specializes in heart, lung and esophageal surgery, heart and lung transplantation and the implantation of mechanical circulatory support devices. (Photo courtesy of Banner-University Medical Center)
UA, Banner-UMC welcome new surgeon to program
The University of Arizona Department of Surgery and Banner-University Medical Center recently welcomed a new surgeon to Tucson. Dr. Wei Zhou joins the UA as professor and chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery — the specialty associated with surgery on arteries and veins. Previously she was professor of surgery at Stanford University and chief of vascular surgery at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System. Zhou is a distinguished surgeon-scientist and leader in the impact of carotid interventions. (Photo courtesy of Banner-University Medical Center)
UA, Banner-UMC welcome new surgeon to program
The University of Arizona Department of Surgery and Banner-University Medical Center recently welcomed a new surgeon to Tucson. Dr. Tze-Woei Tan, a vascular surgeon, comes to Tucson from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, where he was director of endovascular services and medical director of the non-invasive vascular laboratory. (Photo courtesy of Banner-University Medical Center)
UA, Banner-UMC welcome new surgeon to program
The University of Arizona Department of Surgery and Banner-University Medical Center recently welcomed a new surgeon to Tucson. Dr. Lilah Morris-Wiseman specializes in treating thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal gland disorders using minimally invasive endocrine surgical techniques. (Photo courtesy of Banner-University Medical Center)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Yvonne Torres, who has worked for TUSD for 25 years, was named principal of Roskruge Bilingual K-8 Magnet School. She is currently the assistant principal at Mansfeld Middle School.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Jennifer Figueroa, principal of Gale Elementary School, has been selected to lead Whitmore Elementary School. She has been with TUSD for 13 years.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Marco Pizano, assistant principal at Lynn/Urquides Elementary School, has been named principal of Warren Elementary School. He has worked for TUSD for 13 years.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Sandra Calkins has been named principal of Mission View Elementary School. She has been with TUSD for 17 years, most recently as an assistant principal at White Elementary.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Rose Cota, who has worked at TUSD for 23 years, has been named principal at Johnson Primary School. Cota currently serves as an assistant principal at Vesey Elementary.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
G. Marie Daranyi has been named principal of Erickson Elementary School. Daranyi has worked in education for 27 years and was most recently interim principal at Utterback Middle Magnet School.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Kelly Mack, magnet coordinator at Bonillas Basic Curriculum Magnet School, has been named principal of Blenman Elementary. She has been with TUSD for 14 years.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Unified appoints new school leader
The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of a new principal on Tuesday.
Antasio Holley has been named principal of Catalina High School. Holley most recently served as interim principal at the school and has been with TUSD for three years.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Tucson Symphony Orchestra selects VP of development
Kimberly D. Ely was named vice president of development for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.
Ely came to the TSO in 2016 as director of charitable giving. Before that, she spent 20 years in Nashville, Tennessee, where she served as vice president of development for Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, director of development for Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee and raised funds for the Frist Center for the Visual Arts.
Ely’s professional experience includes 13 years of nonprofit fundraising, as well as financial services marketing.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Symphony Orchestra)
Borden Physical Therapy welcomes new staff
Jason Cummings and Jamie McAlister joined Borden Physical Therapy.
Cummings, who came on board last September, graduated from Pima Medical Institute as a certified physical therapy assistant. He is experienced in therapeutic exercise, manual therapies and is a certified yoga instructor.
Physical therapist assistant Jamie McAlister joined the office in April. After graduating from Wichita State in 1998, she has worked in a variety of settings including acute care, aquatics, sports medicine and outpatient orthopedics. She has experience with balance, Kinesiotape and post surgical patients.
(Photo courtesy of Borden Physical Therapy)
Pima County attractions, tourism director named
Marketing veteran Diane Frisch was hired to lead Pima County’s Attractions and Tourism department.
The Attractions and Tourism acts as Pima County’s liaison with the tourism community to enhance the economic well-being of the region. The department provides business development, marketing, training and revenue enhancement for the County’s tourism sector partners.
Frisch comes to Pima County from the PGA TOUR where she served as sales and marketing manager for tournaments on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions.
She began her career in broadcasting and managed television and radio station groups with emphasis on sports marketing, media and sponsorship/event promotion. Frisch is a former vice president and general manager for KFFN/KMXZ/KQTH/KGMG radio group and KMSB and KTTU television stations.
(Photo courtesy of Pima County)
Apex promotes Alex Castro to validation engineer
Alex Castro has been promoted to a validation engineer at Apex Microtechnology.
Formerly a troubleshooting technician, Castro got his start with Apex Microtechnology in April 2013.
(Photo courtesy of Apex Microtechnology)
Sternberg joins NAI Horizon Tucson as VP
Andrew D. Sternberg has joined NAI Horizon’s Tucson office as a vice president.
His primary areas of responsibility include sales, leasing and investment services.
Sternberg specializes in exclusive representation and negotiation for multiple commercial uses with a focus on office, medical, land and investment properties. He also handles the exclusive marketing of existing commercial projects, land, and new developments.
Sternberg comes to NAI Horizon after 15 years at Oxford Realty Advisors, Inc.
(Photo courtesy of NAI Horizon)
Lodge on the Desert adds food, beverage manager
Lodge on the Desert has hired Justin Fitzsimons as the new food and beverage manager.
Fitzsimons comes to Lodge on the Desert with years of restaurant experience, previously serving as head chef, general manager, and chef de partier in restaurants in Oregon, California, and Arizona.
Fitzsimons earned certification in culinary arts from the Apicius Culinary Institute in Florence, Italy, in 2005.
(Photo courtesy of Lodge on the Desert)
UA appoints new dean for College of Architecture
Nancy Pollock-Ellwand, an international multidisciplinary design expert, will serve as the next dean of the University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture.
She was selected after a nine-month search and will join the UA on July 31.
Pollock-Ellwand is a professor and dean of the faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary, a position she has held since 2010. Prior to that, she served as head and chair of the School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Adelaide, and she rose up through the academic ranks of the School of Landscape Architecture at the University of Guelph.
(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona)
Smirnov named SinfoníaRx director of development
SinfoníaRx has promoted Katie Smirnov to director of development and strategic partnerships.
In her new role, Smirnov will focus on identifying and developing new client relationships, generating and securing new business ventures and opportunities, and retaining and expanding existing client business.
Smirnov previously served as director of business development for SinfoníaRx.
(Photo courtesy of SinfoníaRx)
Hollingsworth Kelly Law Firm hires David Buechel
David D. Buechel has joined Hollingsworth Kelly Law Firm as an associate attorney.
Buechel will concentrate his practice in personal injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death.
Previously, Buechel was a judicial law clerk for the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division Two, for more than nine years.
(Photo courtesy of Hollingsworth Kelly Law Firm)
Arizona Tech Council adds operations, events manager
The Arizona Technology Council has hired Alison Boelts to direct operations and events in Southern Arizona.
Boelts, a native Tucsonan, has served as a marketing and event expert working for nonprofit organizations and locally owned companies in advertising and finance.
As a freelance consultant, Boelts worked on local rollouts of national corporate campaigns for Radio Shack, Global Solar and CarMax, and produced several nonprofit fundraisers benefiting the Tucson Girls Chorus, Arizona Greyhound Rescue, ORTS Theater of Dance and the Empire Ranch Foundation.
The Council works to connect and engage companies through seminars, business legislative lobbying, and networking events.
(Photo courtesy of Arizona Technology Council)
Kovari to head Fidelity Southern AZ operations
Fidelity National Title Agency of Tucson and Lawyers Title Agency of Nogales have named April Kovari the new president of Southern Arizona operations.
Kovari will oversee the operations that service Cochise, Pima, and Santa Cruz counties.
She comes from the Denver area and brings with her more than 30 years of experience in the escrow and title insurance industry.
She most recently held the position of vice president and head of sales and business development for the state of Colorado at Heritage Title, a subsidiary of Fidelity National Financial.
(Photo courtesy of Fidelity National Title Agency)
Apex promotes Ochoa-Lions to quality manager
Anna Ochoa-Lions has been promoted to quality manager at Apex Microtechnology.
Ochoa-Lions started working at Apex in 2013 as a quality intern. A year later, she completed her bachelor’s degree in engineering management at the University of Arizona and was hired on full time as a quality engineer.
Apex Microtechnology offers power analog innovation for applications requiring high precision control of current, voltage and speed in the industrial, defense and aerospace, medical, and semiconductor capital equipment markets.
(Photo courtesy of Apex Microtechnology)
Blanchette named NAI Horizon Tucson VP
David Blanchette has joined the NAI Horizon Tucson office as a vice president.
His primary areas of responsibilities will be the disposition, acquisition, and leasing of industrial and office properties in Southern Arizona.
Over the course of his commercial real estate career, he has completed deals in consideration of more than $20 million.
Blanchette previously worked at CBRE of Tucson and Bourn Partners. He owned two construction product fabrication and installation companies and also owned Management Recruiters in Tucson in the early 1990s.
He holds the title of Certified Commercial Investment Member.
(Photo courtesy of NAI Horizon)
Catalina Foothills School District appoints new principal
The Catalina Foothills School District has named a new principal for the upcoming school year.
Taking on the role of Catalina Foothills High School principal will be Jody Brase. Brase has held the position of assistant principal at the high school for the last 10 years, seven of which Brase also served as the athletic director.
Prior to her tenure at the high school, Brase was assistant principal at Orange Grove Middle School for 10 years. She got her start in the Catalina Foothills School District as a physical education teacher at Manzanita, Ventana Vista and Sunrise Drive Elementary Schools.
(Photo courtesy of Catalina Foothills School District)
Catalina Foothills School District appoints new principal
The Catalina Foothills School District has named a new principal for the upcoming school year.
Mark Rubin-Toles will be Orange Grove Middle School’s next principal. Rubin-Toles is the curriculum technology integrator at Catalina Foothills High School, a position he has held for seven years.
He also taught English and humanities at the high school for 10 years, part of that time serving as English department co-chair.
(Photo courtesy of Catalina Foothills School District)
Lisa Dancsok joins Arizona Community Foundation
The Arizona Community Foundation has named Lisa A. Dancsok the chief brand and impact officer starting May 15.
In her role as a member of the executive management team, Dancsok will lead the Arizona Community Foundation’s strategic initiatives, overseeing all aspects of marketing and communications, branding, strategy and analysis, market research, resource development, governance and Board relations, and assessing and conveying social and financial impact.
Dancsok comes to ACF from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, where she was vice president, marketing and communications.
(Photo courtesy of the Arizona Community Foundation)
Shawna Rodriguez named permanent leader of Tucson High
Shawna Rodriguez has been named the permanent principal of Tucson High Magnet School.
Rodriguez has been serving as the interim leader of the school for the last year. She got her start at Tucson High as assistant principal in 2012.
Rodriguez joined the Tucson Unified School District in 2001 as an English teacher at Cholla High, a position she held until 2010. From 2010 to 2012 she worked as the district’s multicultural curriculum coordinator.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Unified School District)
Sara Rohde named SAHBA membership director
Sara Rohde has joined the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association as the organization’s membership director.
She will be responsible for membership retention and recruitment as well as programs and events to help improve members’ engagement within the home building industry.
Before joining SAHBA, Rohde was assistant director of communications and marketing for the University of Arizona Student Union. She has managed marketing and sales teams for Madaras Gallery, a trade association and a YMCA in Georgia.
SAHBA represents 350 member businesses serving the home construction industry in Pima, Cochise and Santa Cruz counties.
(Photo courtesy of SAHBA)
Steven Mooneyham joins Long Realty Dove Mountain
Long Realty’s Dove Mountain office is expanding its crew with the addition of Steven Mooneyham.
A veteran associate broker with more than 10 years of experience, Mooneyham works with both buyers and sellers in high-end developments in northwest Tucson, Oro Valley, and Marana, including Sun City Vistoso, Dove Mountain, Heritage Highlands, Stone Canyon, and SaddleBrooke.
His focus is luxury homes, new construction, relocations, and retirement/vacation/second homes.
(Photo courtesy of Long Realty)
Long Realty's Foothills office adds David Guthrie
David Guthrie is joining Long Realty’s Foothills office.
First licensed in 2005, Guthrie worked as a realtor and team leader with several other real estate companies before making the move in March to Long Realty.
Guthrie’s specialties include listing agent, buyer’s representative, investment properties, first-time and move- up buyers, relocations, condos, and short sales and foreclosures. He also has experience working as a real estate investment consultant.
Guthrie also leads a small team of realtors, dubbed The Hacienda Group, who have joined the Foothill’s office.
(Photo courtesy of Long Realty)
Children’s Clinics Appoints New CEO, Jared Perkins
Children’s Clinics, a nonprofit, outpatient clinic for children with special healthcare needs, has named Jared Perkins as CEO.
Perkins is replacing Mimi Coomler who accepted a position as Tucson Medical Center’s newest Chief Nursing Officer.
Perkins has spent the last three months as Interim CEO, following two years as Chief Operating Officer at the Clinic. He brings experience in behavioral health and has extensive knowledge in healthcare administration.
(Photo courtesy of Children's Clinics)
Etherton names registrar
Lisa Jo Roden has been promoted to registrar at Etherton Gallery.
Roden, formerly the assistant registrar, will oversee the Etherton’s inventory of fine art photography and contemporary local and regional art.
Etherton gallery is known for its inventory of classic and contemporary photography and works by emerging photographers.
The gallery is owned by Terry Etherton.
(Photo courtesy of Etherton Gallery)
Etherton names assistant registrar
Shannon Smith has been hired as the new assistant registrar at Etherton Gallery.
Smith, a fine art photographer, taught photography at the Gregory School. Previously she worked at the Center for Creative Photography in the Richard Avedon Archive.
Etherton gallery is known for its inventory of classic and contemporary photography and works by emerging photographers.
The gallery is owned by Terry Etherton.
(Photo courtesy of Etherton Gallery)
C.T. Revere joins Gordley Group marketing firm
Gordley Group has hired C.T. Revere as community relations director.
Revere will direct the marketing firm’s public involvement team, providing strategy and support for engaging the public on behalf of clients including the Arizona Department of Transportation, City of Tucson, Pinal County, Tucson International Airport, Town of Sahuarita and Southwest Gas.
Revere brings seven years of experience in public engagement and community work throughout Southern Arizona as a senior community relations officer for the Arizona Department of Transportation.
He previously served as chief of staff in Tucson’s Ward VI City Council Office and for more than two decades worked as a reporter for daily newspapers in Tucson and in Michigan.
(Photo courtesy of Gordley Group)
Barker Contracting adds development director
Alice Templeton is joining Barker Contracting, Inc. as business development director.
Templeton is a Tucson native. Her background includes community relations, organizational management and public speaking.
Barker Contracting is a Tucson-based commercial general contractor.
(Photo courtesy of Barker Contracting, Inc.)
Cenpatico adds Stover to executive leadership team
Cenpatico Integrated Care has added a new member to its executive leadership team.
James V. Stover is the new president of Medicaid programs.
Stover will oversee Cenpatico IC, the Regional Behavioral Health Authority serving southern Arizona. He will also assume leadership of Health Net Access, the acute care health plan serving Medicaid members in Maricopa County.
Stover previously served as CEO of the University of Arizona Health Plans since 2010. Stover is based in Tucson.
(Photo courtesy of Cenpatico Integrated Care)
Cenpatico adds Dubry to executive leadership team
Cenpatico Integrated Care has added a new member to its executive leadership team.
Dr. Seth Dubry is the chief medical director. He most recently served as chief medical officer for UAHP.
Dr. Dubry is based in Tucson.
(Photo courtesy of Cenpatico Integrated Care)
Lawless promoted to GM of The Villas at Houghton
Eileen Lawless has been promoted to general manager at The Villas at Houghton.
Previously, Lawless served as resident/caregiver advocate for The Villas at Houghton.
For nearly two decades, Lawless has worked on the front lines of direct resident care in hospice, long-term care, and assisted living.
(Photo courtesy of The Villas at Houghton)
Erceg named Green Valley/Sahuarita chamber CEO
The Green Valley/Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center Board of Directors has selected Joseph Michael Erceg as its new President/CEO.
Erceg has a background in sales, marketing and business development. He recently served as Southern Arizona Director for the Arizona Small Business Association.
(Photo courtesy of Green Valley/Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center)
KOLD News 13 selects Breon for news director post
Erik Breon has been hired as the news director at KOLD News 13.
For more than 16 years, Breon has held management roles in news markets as varied as Phoenix, Seattle and at Texas’ first 24-hour statewide news operation, Texas Cable News. He most recently held the News Director position at KCBD in Lubbock, Texas.
(Photo courtesy of KOLD News 13)
UA Steele Center adds outreach coordinator
Lauren Erdelyi has joined the development team at the University of Arizona Steele Children’s Research Center as coordinator for community outreach and public education.
Erdelyi’s primary responsibility is to raise awareness about the UA Steele Center through public education programs that highlight the work of its physician-scientists and researchers.
In addition, she will be the liaison to volunteer groups that raise funds for the UA Steele Center. Erdelyi also will provide opportunities for community members to get involved with the UA Steele Center.
(Photo courtesy of UA Steele Children's Research Center)
Solis sworn in as new CBP Nogales port director
Efrain Solis Jr. has been named U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Nogales port director.
As the new port director, Solis will oversee operations in combating the flow of terrorist weapons and illicit drugs, and ensure immigration flows are carried out legally and responsibly. He is also responsible for ensuring customs and agriculture inspections are conducted in accordance with U.S. laws and regulations.
Solis’ responsibilities will include two major crossings — Dennis DeConcini and Mariposa — as well as the Morley pedestrian gate, Nogales International Airport and the Rio Rico rail yard.
Solis began his government career with the former U.S. Customs Service as a customs inspector at the Port of Brownsville in Texas. During his 25-plus years of federal service, he has held various leadership positions.
(Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs & Border Protection)
Tucson Chambers names director of investor services
The Tucson Metro Chamber has hired Susan Manfredi as the investor services and affinity director.
In her role, Manfredi is responsible for strengthening relationships with current investors and cultivating relationships with new investors. She serves as the high-level investor concierge and is co-lead of the ambassadors volunteer committee. Manfredi also manages the Chamber/CopperPoint Association program and the Blue Cross Blue Shield program.
Manfredi has held key leadership and executive positions in the airline industry and non-profit sectors where her focus has been on customer service, sales and operations, training and management of various programs.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Metro Chamber)
Robles joins Underhill Financial Advisors LLC
Underhill Financial Advisors LLC has added a new employee.
Melissa Robles is the new administrative support specialist. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University and has five years of financial industry experience.
Robles’ primary role is to support financial advisors in the development of financial plans and client meeting preparation.
(Photo courtesy of Underhill Financial Advisors, LLC)
Mendoza joins Underhill Financial Advisors LLC
Underhill Financial Advisors LLC has added a new employee.
Jessica Mendoza was named client relationship manager. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.
Mendoza is responsible for providing customer service and support for existing and new prospective clients.
(Photo courtesy of Underhill Financial Advisors, LLC)
Paschke-Wood hired as development director for Tucson Jazz Festival
Jazz in January Inc., producer of Tucson Jazz Festival, has hired Missy Paschke-Wood as development director.
As development director, Paschke-Wood will be responsible for supporting the festival through sponsor cultivation and launching an individual donor program for the fourth annual Tucson Jazz Festival from January 11-21, 2018.
Paschke-Wood lived in Tucson, previously planning events for Arizona Theatre Company and Feast restaurant.
Most recently she was executive director at Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette, LA.
(Photo courtesy of Jazz in January Inc.)
Kemp to join Gordley Group marketing firm as public involvement manager
Gordley Group, a Southern Arizona communications and marketing firm, has hired Gabriella Kemp as public involvement manager.
Kemp will lead many of Gordley’s major public involvement efforts, providing strategy, implementation and individual support for clients including Arizona Department of Transportation, Southwest Gas and Tucson Electric Power to maximize their community engagement on projects and initiatives.
Kemp brings more than 15 years of experience in bilingual public communications, nearly six years as a senior community relations officer for the Arizona Department of Transportation and a background in English and Spanish language news media including KVOA and Univision.
(Photo courtesy of Gordley Group)
SynCardia names new VP of manufacturing, facilities
Brian Brogie has joined SynCardia Systems, LLC, as vice president of manufacturing and facilities.
Brogie has more than 30 years of manufacturing, process improvement and supplier management experience in highly regulated industries, including medical devices.
He will oversee manufacturing of SynCardia’s product line, which includes the commercially approved 70cc SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart; the new, investigational 50cc Total Artificial Heart for smaller patients; the Companion 2 hospital driver for powering the Total Artificial Heart from implant until the patient stabilizes; and the Freedom portable driver, a wearable power supply that allows clinically stable patients to be discharged from the hospital.
(Photo by Courtesy SynCardia Systems, LLC)
Pima County appoints deputy court administrator
Cassandra Urias has been appointed the Pima County Superior Court deputy court administrator.
Urias has worked in the legal system for more than 30 years, 18 of which have been with the Superior Court. She began her career with the court as a judicial administrative assistant, and eventually rotated through all of the Superior Court benches.
Urias most recently served as the director of Case Management Services. She holds a Master’s Degree in educational leadership and a Bachelor’s Degree in social and behavioral sciences.
(Photo courtesy of Pima County Superior Court)
Mathewson takes on library director post permanently
Amber Mathewson has been appointed to the position of library director for the Pima County Public Library.
Mathewson has served as the interim Library Director since October 2016.
Before serving as the interim director, Mathewson was the deputy director of strategic initiatives, helping to expand library programming and services in workforce development, as well as health and literacy.
Mathewson has been with the library since 1991 and has held positions at multiple sites, including Joyner-Green Valley, Caviglia-Arivaca, Miller-Golf Links, and Eckstrom-Columbus.
(Photo courtesy of Pima County Communications)
Eaglen to serve as Santa Rita Nursing administrator
- Courtesy Santa Rita Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
Robyn Eaglen
Robyn Eaglen has been promoted to administrator of Santa Rita Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Formerly the director of nursing, Eaglen has worked for Santa Rita for 10 years.
Anne Crooks joins Long Realty management team
- Courtesy Long Realty
Anne Crooks
Veteran realtor Anne Crooks is joining the Long Realty management team as director of business development/relocation.
Crooks was most recently an associate broker with the company’s River/Campbell office.
Providing relocation support is a subset of the real estate industry, in which specialists assist clients as they move into or out of an area.
Working with individuals or corporations, relocation services helps with area orientations, home searches and the shipping of household goods.
National Self Storage names new president
- Courtesy National Self Storage
Travis Morrow
National Self Storage, a Tucson based management company, has named Travis Morrow as its new president as of Feb. 1.
Morrow served as the company’s vice president since 2006 and has been employed by National Self Storage for 14 years.
National Self Storage has been serving owners and investors in the self storage industry since 1982.
Fred G. Acosta Job Corps announces promotions
- Courtesy Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center
Brad McCormick, Elaine Rodriguez, Steve Ramirez
Brad McCormick has been appointed center director of the Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center.
McCormick served in management roles from 2008 through October 2016.
The Center also promoted Elaine Rodriguez, formerly health specialist and safety/disability coordinator, and Steve Ramirez.
Rodriguez is now the director of administrative services. She first joined the Center in 1991.
Peralta and Peate join Long’s insurance operation
Long Cos. has added two veteran sales agents to its insurance operations.
Ramon Peralta and Kathy Peate come to Long Cos. Core Services from insurance careers with other companies.
Core Services comprises Long Mortgage Co., Long Title Agency, Long Insurance Group and partnerships with home-warranty providers. The insurance group works with carriers to provide a full range of policies, including home, auto, umbrella, life and other coverages.
Peate has been in insurance sales for eight years and recently owned her own agency, representing American National Property and Casualty Company. In his three-year insurance career, Peralta has worked in sales with Allstate and Geico.
Hines will oversee Santé’s Tucson location
Tom Hines has joined Scottsdale-based Santé Operations as the Tucson administrator.
Hines will be in charge of operations and overseeing patient care for the entire Tucson location, which offers short-term and post-acute care rehabilitation as well as short-term memory care. Santé of Tucson is located at 2040 N. Wilmot Road.
Hines brings more than 30 years of experience in the senior-health-care industry. He is a licensed skilled nursing and assisted living operator.
Casa de la Luz names Ford communications manager
Meredith Ford was hired to serve as communications manager for Casa de la Luz Hospice care.
Ford is charged with creating and delivering impactful communications in support of Casa de la Luz’s mission to provide superior care to patients and their loved ones. Key initiatives include community outreach and education surrounding hospice and end of life issues through a variety of platforms.
Ford is a native Tucsonan. For more than 10 years, she served as a member of the Canyon Ranch public relations department.
Staff Matters hires Robles, Campoy and McGarvey
Krista McGarvey, Lily Robles, Jeanee Campoy
Staff Matters, a locally owned recruitment and staffing firm, added three new employees to its team.
Krista McGarvey was hired as the branch manager of Staff Matters’ new expansion office in Casa Grande. She brings more than 20 years of staffing industry and sales management experience.
Lily Robles was hired for the position of senior technical recruiter. Lily has over 20 years of experience as a technical recruiter specializing in manufacturing, aerospace, optics, medical device, engineering and information technology.
Jeanee Campoy, a recent graduate of the University of Arizona, is coming on board as a technical recruiter.
Tarbox promoted to project manager at Norris Design
- Courtesy Norris Design
Jeff Tarbox was promoted to project manager in Norris Design’s Tucson office.
Tarbox is a landscape and irrigation designer and has been with Norris Design for five years.
His project experience includes master planned community projects, municipal streetscape, parks projects and private development.
Matsuzawa joins VIP Mortgage as a senior loan officer
- Courtesy VIP Mortgage
Senior Loan Officer Jason Matsuzawa has joined VIP Mortgage’s newest Tucson branch.
Matsuzawa will be based out of the VIP location at 7400 N. Oracle Road.
He has been a part of the Southern Arizona mortgage industry for almost a decade.
TMC names new chief nursing officer
- Courtesy Tucson Medical Center
Tucson Medical Center has named Maureen “Mimi” Warwick Coomler chief nursing officer and vice president.
Coomler served as the CEO of the Children’s Clinics for Rehabilitative Services on the TMC campus.
Prior to that, Coomler worked for TMC for six years, most recently as director of patient care services for Women’s and Children’s Services.
Brito joins Telemundo in Phoenix as a multimedia journalist
- Courtesy Telemundo
Telemundo Phoenix/KTAZ hired Brenda Brito as a multimedia journalist.
On Feb. 20, Brito began reporting for the station’s weekday and weekend newscast, Noticiero Telemundo Arizona, which are also simulcast on Telemundo Tucson/KHRR.
Brito joins Telemundo Phoenix after working as a reporter for the Telemundo Station Group’s Miami bureau, producing and reporting stories for Telemundo stations all across the country.
Cornelison appointed assistant town manager for Oro Valley
- Courtesy Town of Oro Valley
Chris Cornelison has been appointed assistant town manager for the Town of Oro Valley.
Cornelison has worked for the Town of Oro Valley since 2010, when he was hired as a intern while working on his master’s in public administration.
Upon graduation, he was hired as the constituent services coordinator/management assistant, and promoted to assistant to the town manager in 2013.
Clark named executive chef at Casino del Sol
- Steven Meckler
Tucson chef Ryan Clark was named executive chef at Casino del Sol, overseeing dining operations at Casino of the Sun and Casino del Sol Resort & Casino.
The move comes a year after Clark took over as chef de cuisine at PY Steakhouse, the resort’s marquee restaurant.
In addition to the 10 restaurants at the resort Clark also will oversee all culinary operations, including catering and in-room dining.
Before joining PY Steakhouse, Clark was executive chef and part owner of Agustín Kitchen at Mercado San Agustin.
Caron named new director of Southern Arizona VA
William J. Caron has been named the new director of the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System.
He will oversee delivery of health care to more than 55,000 veterans who live in Tucson and across southern Arizona.
Caron most recently served as the associate medical center director at the VA Southern Nevada Health Care System and the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain, Mich. He also served in a variety of roles in a 16-year private sector career.
(Photo courtesy of Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System)
Bleecker, Meyers head up new UA Health Sciences divisions
Two genetic and genomic medical investigators have been recruited to the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson to head new divisions within the UA Health Sciences.
The divisions focus on research aimed at helping develop precision medicine solutions to diseases, from asthma to cancer to diabetes and beyond.
Dr. Eugene R. Bleecker and Deborah A. Meyers will serve as professors of medicine, co-chiefs of the new Division of Genetics, Genomics and Precision Medicine within the Department of Medicine and co-directors of the new Division of Pharmacogenomics in the UA Center for Applied Genetics and Genomic Medicine.
In Winston-Salem, N.C., Dr. Bleecker and Meyers were professors and co-directors of Wake Forest University’s Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine. He also was Wake’s Thomas H. Davis Professor of Medicine in the Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Immunologic Diseases Section, of which he was chief from 2002-09.
They are both part of several national research networks with a focus on genetic and genomic research, frequently related to respiratory diseases.
(Photos courtesy of University of Arizona)
Dr. David Zacheis joins Valley ENT as associate
Dr. David H. Zacheis has joined Valley ENT as an associate.
Zacheis has 16 years of experience as an otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, American Academy of Otolaryngology, and the American Academy of Otolaryngologic Allergy.
He will be seeing patients at the group’s Silverbell, Northwest, and Green Valley offices as well as at their new location on the east side near St. Joseph’s hospital.
(Photo courtesy of Dr. David H. Zacheis)
Tucson Jewish Community Center adds director
The Tucson Jewish Community Center has hired Barbara Fenig as the new director of arts and culture.
As director of arts and culture, Fenig will be responsible for program development — enhancing the quality of programs and sourcing innovative arts and cultural programming with an emphasis on Jewish values, customs, and expression. She will also curate the Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden.
(Photo courtesy of Tucson Jewish Community Center)
Tucson Jewish Community Center adds director
The Tucson Jewish Community Center has hired Shira Brandenburg as the director of the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival.
As director of the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival, Brandenburg will work with the festival committee throughout the year to help manage, administer and produce the 2018 festival, which will be held January 11 to 21, 2018.
(Photo courtesy of the Tucson Jewish Community Center)
Vantage West president serving on national council
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco has announced the appointment of Robert D. Ramirez, Vantage West Credit Union president and CEO, to serve on the Twelfth District Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council.
As a member of the Advisory Council, Ramirez will serve as a voice of local financial institutions, bringing to the Federal Reserve their perspectives and concerns on issues including the local effects of regulatory policies.
Ramirez has served as Vantage West president and CEO since April 2000 and prior to that, as Vice President for Asset and Liability Management since 1985.
The CDIAC represents banks, thrift institutions and credit unions within the Twelfth Federal Reserve District headquartered in San Francisco, which includes Arizona. The council provides input to the Federal Reserve on a variety of topics, including economic and banking conditions, regulatory policies, and payment issues.
(Photo courtesy of Vantage West Credit Union)
Golder Ranch Fire promotes paramedic Michael Leslie
Golder Ranch Fire District firefighter paramedic Michael Leslie has been promoted to the position of captain.
Leslie began his career with the Golder Ranch Fire District in 2006.
In addition to his certification as a paramedic, he is also part of the Golder Ranch Fire District Special Operations Team that deploys for rescues that require additional technical training.
(Photo courtesy of Golder Ranch Fire District)
Rose returns to Sotheby’s International Realty
Will Rose has again taken the helm of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty’s Tucson Office as their managing broker.
With 20 years of experience as a top producer and more than 10 years in management, Rose was the original manager of the Tucson branch.
Also joining the leadership team is Kip Longan as director of business development. Longan was formerly a manager and president of another local brokerage.
(Photo courtesy of Sotheby's International Realty)
Leon Clark named VP, GM of KGUN 9 and KWBA
Leon Clark has been named the vice president and general manager at KGUN 9 On Your Side and KWBA.
For several months, Clark served as interim general manager while leading Scripps radio stations in the market, including KMXZ, KQTH, KTGV and KFFN.
Clark has experience in sales, marketing and relationship development.
In addition to the news and programming for the broadcast stations, Clark also will oversee the digital channels for both KGUN and KWBA that carry a variety of alternate programming options.
Clark will continue to manage both TV and radio operations in Tucson until Scripps hires his replacement.
(Photo courtesy of The E. W. Scripps Company)
So. AZ Leadership Council adds president
The Southern Arizona Leadership Council has put in place a new leadership structure.
Edward P. (Ted) Maxwell was promoted to the position of SALC president, succeeding Ron Shoopman, who will remain as the organization’s CEO.
Maxwell has served as SALC vice president since 2013.
(Photo courtesy of SALC)
So. AZ Leadership Council adds VP
The Southern Arizona Leadership Council has put in place a new leadership structure.
Shelley Watson, a new member of the SALC team, will replace Maxwell as vice president effective Feb. 1.
Watson, who grew up in Tucson, has experience working in fundraising and nonprofit management with business and community leaders.
(Photo courtesy of SALC)
Arteaga named director of UA entrepreneur center
The University of Arizona Eller College of Management has named entrepreneur Remy Arteaga the new director of McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship.
Arteaga spent more than 20 years launching and managing successful startups, accelerators, and corporate innovation initiatives before becoming involved in entrepreneurship education.
He was the director of the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado-Boulder Leeds School of Business before serving as the executive director of a nonprofit that created and managed Stanford University’s Latino entrepreneurship accelerator and research programs.
(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona)
Barr Credit Services adds executive VP
Melanie Morcelle Terragnoli will join Barr Credit Services as executive vice president of strategic business.
Morcelle Terragnoli will focus on strategic business and business planning. She brings more than 25 years of executive corporate leadership experience, with 17 years in the credit and collections industry.
Headquartered in Tucson, Barr Credit Services is an IACC-certified full-service commercial debt collection agency for domestic and international debt recovery.
(Photo courtesy of Short Street Photographers)
Sohmer to lead Boyce Thompson Arboretum
S.H. “Sy” Sohmer has been named director of Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park, effective Jan. 29.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is part of the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and is managed in cooperation with Arizona State Parks and Trails and the Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum, Inc.
Sohmer brings to the college more than 40 years of experience as a research botanist, university professor, federal employee and nonprofit CEO.
(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona)
Native Seeds/SEARCH gets new executive director
Joy M. Hought is the new executive director of Native Seeds/SEARCH.
Hought has international and local experience in agricultural education, research, and on-farm conservation.
She also brings extensive relationships with other nonprofit and academic entities dedicated to seed science and plant genetics, as well as arid-lands farming and culturally based food security.
(Photo courtesy of Native Seeds/SEARCH)
BeachFleischman CPA firm promotes Armstrong to shareholder
BeachFleischman announced the promotion of Susan A. Armstrong to shareholder, effective Jan. 1, 2017.
Armstrong was promoted to a tax shareholder. A member of the firm’s real estate segment team, Armstrong has 19 years of public accounting experience and manages numerous partnership, individual and corporate client engagements.
She specializes in tax planning, consulting and compliance for commercial and residential real estate clients, including investors, brokers, developers and management companies.
(Submitted photo)
BeachFleischman CPA firm promotes Maneval to shareholder
BeachFleischman announced the promotion of Eric B. Maneval to shareholder, effective Jan. 1, 2017.
Maneval was named an accounting and assurance shareholder. He is a member of the firm’s not-for-profit and science and manufacturing segment teams.
He has 13 years of public accounting experience managing audit and review engagements.
Maneval specializes in helping his not-for-profit, governmental, healthcare, and manufacturing clients achieve compliance and improve accountability, and he advises on industry-specific issues impacting their operations and mission.
(Submitted photo)
BeachFleischman CPA firm promotes Bickerton to shareholder
BeachFleischman announced the promotion of Jon Bickerton to shareholder, effective Jan. 1, 2017.
Bickerton has been promoted to a tax shareholder. A member of the firm’s science and manufacturing and cost segregation segment teams, Bickerton has more than 10 years of public accounting experience managing many of the firm’s privately-held and not-for-profit tax engagements.
He specializes in helping companies claim federal and state tax credits and incentives, including the research and development tax credit.
(Submitted photo)
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning adds Choi to team
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning has expanded its team, bringing on a new staff member: Jenn Choi.
Choi is the national school lunch & farm-to-school coordinator, bringing years of experience as a chef, nutrition consultant, and outdoor educator to her new position. Most recently, she was the resident chef and food coordinator at Tucson Village Farm, where she designed and led farm-to-table cooking classes for children of all ages.
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning provides professional development and community engagement experiences for educators and education advocates, while leading three small secondary schools that serve as demonstration sites.
(Photo courtesy of CITY Center for Collaborative Learning)
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning adds Sawyer to team
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning has expanded its team, bringing on a new staff member: Johanna Sawyer.
Sawyer joins CITY Center for Collaborative Learning as executive assistant. Sawyer has more than 10 years of experience in managing grants, databases, and educational programs. She recently moved to Tucson and is a native Nebraskan.
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning provides professional development and community engagement experiences for educators and education advocates, while leading three small secondary schools that serve as demonstration sites.
(Photo courtesy of CITY Center for Collaborative Learning)
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning adds Wettstein to team
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning has expanded its team, bringing on a new staff member: Gillian Wettstein.
Wettstein was appointed business director. A native Tucsonan, her extensive business management experience includes director of finance at the Tucson Audubon Society, VP of finance and administration at Emerge!, assistant director of financial services at TUSD, and accounts manager at Center for Educational Development.
CITY Center for Collaborative Learning provides professional development and community engagement experiences for educators and education advocates, while leading three small secondary schools that serve as demonstration sites.
(Photo courtesy of CITY Center for Collaborative Learning)
Corrales named shareholder at Tucson law office
Jody A. Corrales has been elected to join the DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & Lacy, P.C. shareholders effective January 1, 2017.
Attorney Corrales, a 2006 graduate of the James E. Rogers College of Law at The University of Arizona, joined the firm in 2015. She focuses her practice on bankruptcy and creditors’ rights. She is board certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification and the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization certifies her as a bankruptcy specialist.
(Submitted photo)
Kinghorn Heritage Law Group announces new partner
Allison Manning has been named a partner at the Kinghorn Heritage Law Group.
As an estate planning and elder law attorney, the Tucsonan graduated magna cum laude from Northern Arizona University in 1996 with a degree in political science. She graduated from Baylor Law School in 2000.
Manning began her law career in Dallas where she worked for a national law firm. She returned to Tucson in 2004 and joined her family’s real estate business before returning to the practice of law in Southern Arizona.
(Submitted photo / Martha Lochert)
CPA firm adds senior tax manager Zachman
The CPA firm of Flowers Rieger & Associates, PLLC has hired Alan Zachman as a senior tax manager.
Zachman brings more than 35 years of prior professional CPA firm experience to the firm, including 10 years’ experience as a senior tax manager with two local Tucson CPA firms as well as being a partner in a Colorado CPA firm.
Flowers Rieger & Associates concentrates on small business consulting, income and estate tax planning and preparation.
(Submitted photo)
Hofmeyr joins Quarles & Brady LLP as partner
Adriane Hofmeyr has joined the Tucson office of Quarles & Brady LLP as a partner in its litigation and dispute resolution practice group.
She focuses her practice on commercial litigation, appeals, administrative litigation, and administrative hearings. She is also a professor of practice at James E. Rogers College of Law.
Prior to joining the firm, Hofmeyr was a partner at a small law firm in Tucson. Hofmeyr is originally from South Africa, where she served as in-house counsel for the City of Cape Town during South Africa’s transition to democracy, as well as for a publicly-traded international clothing retailer.
(Submitted photo)
Mason comes on board at Noonan Physical Therapy
Noonan Physical Therapy & Associates has hired physical therapist Emily Mason.
Mason treats orthopedic, minor-neurological, post-surgical, and sports rehabilitation injuries.
She is accepting new patients and will practice at 5956 E. Pima St., Suite 100.
(Submitted photo)
Niccum named Tucson Values Teachers CEO
Colleen Niccum has been named the new Chief Executive Officer of Tucson Values Teachers.
Katie Rogerson, who has been serving as the organization’s interim executive director, will now be the chief operating officer.
Niccum previously served as the vice president of education policy for the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, which established TVT.
(Submitted photo)
Conner named Pima County Youth One-Stop manager
Daphanie Conner has been named the new program manager with the ARIZONA@WORK Pima County Youth One-Stop Center.
The center offers workshops, case management, a long-running Summer Youth Employment Program and a host of other support services to out-of-school youth age 16 to 24.
Conner got her start with the Urban League in 1999. She also has worked with multiple youth programs recognized as national models.
(Photo courtesy of Gerry Loew)
Purvis earns national 40 Under 40 honors
Rob Purvis, senior mortgage banker/partner for VIP Mortgage, was named a 40 Under 40 by National Mortgage Professional Magazine.
Winners of the award are voted on by their peers and all have demonstrated professionalism and top production within the mortgage industry.
(Submitted photo)
Rio Nuevo selects new administrative director
Brandi Haga-Blackman has been named administrative director for the Rio Nuevo District, effective Jan. 9.
Haga-Blackman has been at the Downtown Tucson Partnership since 2004, most recently as director of operations.
Haga-Blackman’s duties will include managing the District’s contracts and communications, and the day-to-day operations of the Rio Nuevo office, as well as assisting the Board with meeting preparation and communication, and the CFO with financial record keeping, accounts payable and banking. She will serve as the Board’s liaison to District merchants, plan events and assist with tax filing questions, public relations and media relations.
(Photo courtesy of Scott Griessel)
SARSEF hires director of philanthropy
The Southern Arizona Research, Science and Engineering Foundation has hired Lisa Winton for the position of director of philanthropy.
Winton holds a masters degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University and a masters degree in nonprofit management from Regis University.
Winton serves on the Board of Directors for Planned Giving Roundtable as the Leave a Legacy Chair.
(Submitted photo)
Sundt's Gonzales promoted to estimator II
Sundt Construction has promoted Lizabeth Gonzales to estimator II.
Gonzales joined Sundt in 2007 as a project engineer and then transferred to the company’s preconstruction team in 2015. Since then, she has provided the team with support and leadership on a variety of bids and pursuits.
Gonzales is a Certified Professional Constructor through the American Institute of Constructors, and is based in Sundt’s Tucson office.
(Submitted photo)
Abram named partner at Udall Law Firm
Marian Abram has become a partner of the Udall Law Firm, LLP.
Abram represents various businesses in Southern Arizona, both profit and non-profit. Her practice includes real estate transactions and financing; environmental compliance; contract negotiations; employment matters; business formation; business planning; intellectual property; civil litigation; and corporate compliance and due diligence.
She also has special expertise in estate planning and probate matters, including guardianships and conservatorships.
(Submitted photo)
Cushman & Wakefield/PICOR names new president
Barbi Reuter has taken over as president of the Tucson-based commercial real estate firm, Cushman & Wakefield/PICOR.
She was serving as the company’s chief operating officer. Current president and managing shareholder Mike Hammond will remain with the company, serving as its CEO and chairman.
Reuter has been with the firm since its inception, hired by founder Hammond while in college in 1985. She launched and managed the firm’s market-leading property management division through 2007, when she moved into company leadership. She was appointed COO in 2014, managing operations, research, finance, and marketing and communications.
(Photo courtesy Cushman & Wakefield/PICOR)
W.E. O'Neil hires project engineer Baird
Sierra Baird has been hired as a project engineer for W.E. O’Neil Construction Company.
Baird is a 2015 graduate of the Northern Arizona University construction management program with a minor in business.
She is currently serving in the role of project engineer on the Sage Desert Assisted Living and Memory Care project.
(Photo courtesy of W.E. O'Neil Construction Company)
Tong joins Vantage West Credit Union
William Tong has been named senior relationship manager of Vantage West Credit Union’s business lending and services team.
Tong joins Vantage West after 21 years of banking experience in the Tucson market, where he has held senior banking positions at both large and community-based banks. His banking experience includes business banking, private banking, premium financing and commercial real estate lending.
Tong obtained his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Arizona, and an MBA in management from the University of Phoenix.
(Photo courtesy of Vantage West Credit Union)
Pocock takes on chief of operations role
Liz Pocock has been named the new chief operations officer for Startup Tucson.
In her new role, Pocock, who joined the team in October, will be responsible for strategic oversight and day-to-day operations for Startup Tucson and its programs.
(Photo courtesy of Startup Tucson)
Wolfe promoted to Easter Seals CIO post
Thomas S. Wolfe has been promoted to the chief information officer at the Easter Seals Blake Foundation.
The former director of IT operations will continue to vet agency information technology investments for business alignment and strong return on investment and streamline the organization’s IT operations and cost profile.
Wolfe has more than 20 years of experience in information technology, more than 10 of which were in leadership roles. He previously served as the deputy chief information officer for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, as the director of North America Technology Operations for Hardcastle Trading and as a consultant serving the New York State Office of Information Technology Services and various Fortune 500 organizations.
(Photo courtesy of Easter Seals Blake Foundation)
Old Tucson adds marketing manager Kjos
Tiffany Kjos has joined Old Tucson Company as marketing manager.
A veteran journalist whose experience includes 16 years at the Arizona Daily Star, Kjos will oversee digital marketing and communications, event management and employee communications.
(Photo courtesy of Old Tucson Company)
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