Governor Ducey Connects with Yuma Ag Leaders

BY JOYCE LOBECK Yumans have tended to feel isolated

from what some refer to as the “great state of Maricopa.”

But in what they hail as good news, they’ve been assured by Gov. Doug Ducey that the concerns of Yuma’s economic driv-ers, community leaders and its citizens do matter and he wants to hear about them.

That pledge was delivered while Ducey was in Yuma recently to deliver his state-of-the-state address and meet with various community leaders and officials.

“The governor said he wanted to hear about our issues,” said Paul Muthart, general manager of Pasquinelli Produce. “Things come up and we need to get some-one’s attention. The good news is that the governor was receptive. I wanted to make sure when Ducey said he was sympathetic, it wasn’t just a bunch of words … he was backing it up with action. He asked if we would be OK with contacting his director.”

Gov. Ducey in February 2015 appoint-ed Juan Ciscomani as director of his South-ern Arizona office that covers seven coun-ties (Yuma, Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz, Graham, Greenlee and Pinal). He soon followed up by extending Ciscomani’s di-rectorship to the governor’s Sonora office, providing a seamless reach across the in-ternational border to better foster a good relationship with Arizona’s neighbor to the south – something identified by Yuma of-ficials as a high priority for this area.

And the governor made Ciscomani

part of his senior staff, bringing a new focus and connectedness to the Southern Arizona office located in Tuscon.

That means, Ciscomani said during a recent telephone interview, “I am the voice of the governor to Southern Arizona and I take the voice of Southern Arizona to the governor. The big question in government is who to go to and how to connect with the governor’s office.”

The answer now is Ciscomani, who em-phasized that he tries to be in Yuma and other communities in his district as often as he can. And when he can’t, he’s a phone

call or email away.“I want to stay connected in every way

possible,” he said. “Anyone with an issue can contact me and I will follow up,” he pledged.

Ciscomani said he meets every Fri-day with Gov. Ducey to share what he has heard from his constituents in Arizona and from Sonora. “There is an open line of communication with the governor. “I want to let everyone know that the governor is listening to them through this office.”

Governor Ducey Connects with Yuma Ag Leaders

March 2016 Volume 2 – Issue 3

See CONNECTS continued on page 9

Member of the Month, Art Nottingham

pg3

Juan Ciscomani (R) listens intently along with the Governor to the Yuma County Agricultural leaders in attendance at a meeting on February 8 at AWC.

Ribbon Cuttings pg6

Lunch and Learn Series pg7

Chamber Ambassador & Board Member Profiles pg11

2 YUMABIZ March 2016

In December, your Yuma County Chamber of Commerce created an Education Committee with the idea of blending business and education. GYEDC has really led the charge for a well educated, ready to work work-force here in Yuma County, and this group will not, and does not want to get in the way of that endeavor. Our goal is to support, assist and help wherever we can to make Yuma a bet-ter place to work, play, raise a family and run a business. To that end, we have 2 wonderful programs that will tie into that mission very well.

“Summer Works in Yuma” is a collaborative effort with NexGen, GYEDC and the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce. The goal of this initiative is to offer temporary

e m p l o y m e n t to teachers in Yuma County in the summer-time. All too often, young educators have to travel back to their hometown to pick up some extra money during the sum-mer recess. Oc-casionally, these folks may land a part - time job here in Yuma, but I know there is a better answer to that. We all know that when Yuma puts their mind to something special and specific, greatness ensues. I need businesses to raise their hand and say, “I will hire a teacher full time for 7 - 8 weeks in the summertime to help them, and to help my business, too.” The website that will be the hub for business job offers and teachers ready to work will be a mash - up of CareerBuilder and Match.com!

Many businesses have programs for teachers now including YRMC and GM at YPG. Our goal, this first year, is to match up 50 teachers with businesses here in Yuma County that see the value of someone who is vet-ted, ‘gets it’, and is eager to make a few extra bucks. We can help ingrain these young professionals into the fabric of Yuma, and maybe, just may-be, they will stay teaching for longer than the 5 - year average. Hopefully, they will drop anchor here in Yuma and really participate in our wonder-ful community. Maybe you have been putting off a painting project, a mar-keting plan, or updating the infor-mation on your website. Maybe your firm has been putting off research or analysis, or maybe you have a spot for someone in your organization for someone with a fresh outlook or a new energy or perspective. Maybe your employees could not take vaca-tion during the busy winter season,

and your folks are due a long respite. It’s temporary, but all of us have the ability to change lives, one job offer at a time.

For more information on this, please go to www.summerwork-sinyuma.com and put up a job de-scription for a job offer today! I know I am.

You will see a piece in this issue of YumaBIZ about the S. June Pal-lack Awards for Excellence in Edu-cation. The Yuma County Chamber of Commerce has received funding to offer wonderful awards to six dif-ferent individuals in Yuma County that make a difference every day, but these awards are for folks other than teachers. the categories are: School Services Staff, The Business Partner of the Year, Support Staff, Admin-istrator of the Year, School Board Member of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.

We are looking for you to nomi-nate someone who has the passion and lives to inspire our young peo-ple every single day. The Yuma Ro-tary Club has agreed to have their “Teacher of The Year” honoree pres-ent the S. June Pallack Excellence in Education Awards at our ceremony at the Good Morning, Yuma! event on May 12, 2016.

For more information on this, please go to www.yumaexcellence.com and nominate a deserving indi-vidual today.

John Courtis, Executive Director

Giving Respect to Professionals in Education

Mission Statement:“ To Represent Our Membership

By Advocating A Healthy Economic Climate Through The

Effective Use Of Our Unique Regional Resources To Enhance

The Quality Of Life In The Greater Yuma Area.”

Kelly Averitt, Office Manager

If you have questions about yourmembership, or any of our events,please call me at 928-782-2567

MARCH 2016 Volume 2 – Issue 3

Published and direct mailed monthly by the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce.

For information or to ask about submitting articles, call the chamber office at 928-782-2567 or send us an e-mail at [email protected]

928-782-2567180 W. 1st St., Ste A

Yuma, AZ 85364

Yuma County Chamber of Commerce YUMABIZ 3

Sergeant Major Nottingham enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1956. After gradu-ation from MCRD, San Diego, and fol-lowing four weeks of Advanced Combat Training at Camp Pendleton, Private Not-tingham was designated a Rifleman and was assigned additional duties with the Military Police. Corporal Nottingham left active duty in April of 1959 but continued his service in the USMCR.

In October of 1965, Corporal Notting-ham reentered the active Marine Corps. Three months later he departed for Viet-nam. In June of 1966 he was promoted to the grade of Sergeant. He returned to the United States in November of 1966 and was assigned to the Defense Language In-stitute.

Staff Sergeant Nottingham was com-missioned a Second Lieutenant under the Exceptional Leadership Program in May of 1969 and he returned to Vietnam. After a 13 month tour he once again returned to the States and was assigned to the Armed Forces Entrance & Examining Station in Phoenix as the Enlistment Officer. At that time he was promoted to First Lieutenant.

In May of 1971 Lieutenant Nottingham returned to the enlisted ranks as a Gun-nery Sergeant. In September 1976 Master

Sergeant Nottingham was re-designated a First Sergeant. He served throughout the United States until August of 1978 when he was transferred to Okinawa, Japan. He remained there until September of 1979 when he came back to the United States and was ultimately promoted to Sergeant Major.

On December 1, 1992, Sergeant Major Nottingham retired with 30 years of ac-tive duty and 35 years of total service. In January 1993 Art Nottingham accepted a position with the State of Arizona as a Vet-erans’ Benefit Counselor, Arizona Depart-ment of Veterans’ Services.

Nottingham then retired from the Ari-zona Department of Veterans’ Services in 2014. Art is still extremely active in the community, especially when it comes to the Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee and the Yuma Armed Forces Park. Art acts as the Chair of the Armed Forces Park. He helps coordinate all the plaque sales and he mounts them when they are completed.

He also makes sure the American Flag is always in pristine condition and that the park is something to be admired.

Congratulations to our March Member of the Month – Sergeant Major Art Nottingham, USMC (RET)


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BY RANDY NELSON

It is now after the Holidays and we are hopefully staffed up to handle the seasonal visitors with the staff we cur-rently have. We also understand the upcoming exodus of a lot of our cus-tomers from the area and the need to cut back on personnel eventually. It is usually a time where you evaluate your employees and managers to see how motivated they are to help you stay profitable enough to justify their continued employment. You probably already know who you are planning on keeping or releasing once the work slows down.

Handling your HR with your em-ployees is also only half the battle. I would like you to think of all the other people you support through your small business and evaluating their worth to your business. This will give you a lot more decisions to make but may also lead to increased revenue and profits.

Here is a quick list of people you support with your business,

1. Banker2. Accountant3. Insurance Agent4. Supplier5. Website Company6. Advertising Media

7. Uniform Company8. Phone and or Cable Company9. Utility10. Landlord

I could go on and on but just look at each bill you pay. We work with a number of different Companies and organizations and often tell them that everything in business is negotiable, and you need to negotiate. Is the Com-pany doing their best to keep your business? Do they exist to make you more profitable? Are they keeping up with their Professional Development and training? Are you getting better and better results? Do they still want your business?

When most of these other busi-nesses you support first signed you up as a customer they would usually bend over backwards to show you their ap-preciation for your business. Why should that stop? If they haven’t of-fered to cut your prices recently why not ask for a reduction? The worst they can say is no. If nothing else you can al-ways start to ask their competitors for a quote and possibly find someone else who wants your business.

My point is we all try to concentrate on increasing our revenues and pour-ing our resources into developing our employees, and seldom do we look for other service providers. If you decide to keep your supporting professionals they also might realize that they will have to continue to prove to you that they exist to earn your business. And if you do get more for less that extra money should end up in your pocket, right?

It is a Good Time to Fire a Few People


WELCoME To oUR NEWEST MEMBERS

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!7. Uniform Company8. Phone and or Cable Company9. Utility10. Landlord

I could go on and on but just look at each bill you pay. We work with a number of different Companies and organizations and often tell them that everything in business is negotiable, and you need to negotiate. Is the Com-pany doing their best to keep your business? Do they exist to make you more profitable? Are they keeping up with their Professional Development and training? Are you getting better and better results? Do they still want your business?

When most of these other busi-nesses you support first signed you up as a customer they would usually bend over backwards to show you their ap-preciation for your business. Why should that stop? If they haven’t of-fered to cut your prices recently why not ask for a reduction? The worst they can say is no. If nothing else you can al-ways start to ask their competitors for a quote and possibly find someone else who wants your business.

My point is we all try to concentrate on increasing our revenues and pour-ing our resources into developing our employees, and seldom do we look for other service providers. If you decide to keep your supporting professionals they also might realize that they will have to continue to prove to you that they exist to earn your business. And if you do get more for less that extra money should end up in your pocket, right?


Valley of the Sun YMCA announced February 1st that its Yuma Family YMCA branch has partnered with the City of Somerton to assume operations of the James E. Kerley Youth Center from the Somerton Parks and

Recreation Department. The YMCA will continue maintaining the center’s programs and activities, that currently serve 88 children, while enhancing the opportunities for the Yuma YMCA branch to serve outside its walls with programs in the Somerton community. The Valley of the Sun YMCA plans to use the youth center to fulfill its areas of focus--Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility. The youth center, located at 235 W. Canal Street in Somerton, will feature YMCA programs that promote health and wellness. The facility features multiple classrooms, a gaming area with flex space, and an outdoor play area with field access.

Ribbon Cuttings

A statewide rebranding of the workforce development system brought a new name and new possibilities to the offices of the Yuma Private Industry Council Wednesday February 17th. Now known as Arizona @ Work Yuma County, the new name unifies the organization with 12 regional and 47 local centers across the state, which have

been operating as public-private partnerships connecting job seekers with employers wanting to hire and keep qualified workers to fill their positions. For more information on Arizona @ Work, Yuma County you can visit the website www.arizonaatwork.com or you can call them at (928) 329-0990. Photo courtesy of Randy Hoeft and the Yuma Sun

Yuma Airport’s highlights – A glimpse of the past


Ribbon Cuttings

been operating as public-private partnerships connecting job seekers with employers wanting to hire and keep qualified workers to fill their positions. For more information on Arizona @ Work, Yuma County you can visit the website www.arizonaatwork.com or you can call them at (928) 329-0990. Photo courtesy of Randy Hoeft and the Yuma Sun

Yuma Airport’s highlights – A glimpse of the pastYuma, Arizona: In celebration of its

50th anniversary, the Yuma County Air-port Authority has compiled a collection of the airport’s highlights and memories over the decades to share with the com-munity as a monthly publication. This month we’re proud to share memorable events that occurred in the month of Feb-ruary, which certainly appears to be a great month for construction projects.

The earliest February article we have on file is from February 20th, 1931 with the announcement that plans for construction of the Army Airways Operating building at Fly Field (the original name of Yuma International Airport) were received by Everett Johnson, Chairman of the Cham-ber of Commerce Aviation Committee and approved by the County Board of Super-visors. The estimated cost of the single-story 22x24 brick structure was estimated at $5,000.00. It would be located nearby other buildings and used by air corps men who will be stationed at the building at all times.

On February 6th, 1969 steel roof truss-es for the new Yuma International Airport terminal building were being set in place by Arrow Construction of Yuma, a local contractor who was awarded the contract. The new terminal replaced the former ter-minal which burned in late 1968.

In the early 1980s there was much ex-citement and planning on the part of Mr. Ed Routery, a Yuma-area development promoter, in an effort to encourage Boe-ing to locate a flight test and maintenance facility at the airport. Mr. Routery’s inspi-ration for the project came by means of a form letter sent out by Boeing to about 100 airport management groups around the region asking if test operations were feasi-ble at their installations. Mr. Routery and his colleges at Echo Corp wanted to pre-pare a package that included a hangar, of-fices and maintenance facilities, as well as an aircraft parking area. On February 27, 1980, the city planning and zoning com-mission gave a 6-1 approval to zone two parcels off Arizona Avenue and 40th Street as Industrial A.

The airport’s land off Arizona Avenue and 40th Street had been used by McDon-ald Douglas in the 1970s and 80s. After

their departure, the infrastructure began to deteriorate. In 2008, the Airport Au-thority established the Defense Contractor Complex and began planning to rehabili-tate existing infrastructure and construct facilities in an effort to encourage the avia-tion industry to the region and provide support to transient agencies who train in Yuma. One of first projects was through a grant received from the FAA on February 17, 2009 to rehabilitate the concrete aircraft parking apron formerly used by McDonald Douglas. The airport would receive anoth-er grant to expand the apron to the west, allowing for additional opportunities.

Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Division had been operating at the airport since 1999. By 2009 their operations had outgrown the space they were working from. With the newly reha-bilitated apron space available, the Airport Authority worked closely with their team to identify solutions for their continued success and growth and on February 20th, 2011, the team of Yuma contractors MAC Electric Inc. and Pilkington Construction were awarded an $8 million contract to build a new complex complete with two new hangars, administration building and site improvements within the airport’s De-fense Contractor Complex.

With CBP and Federal Express mov-ing to new locations within the Defense Contractor Complex, the Airport Author-ity worked to find solutions for other air-port users. One agency in particular was Yuma’s Civil Air Patrol Squadron whose mission is to provide emergency opera-tions, promote aviation safety and help young people learn to fly through their Cadet Program. While the Civil Air Patrol had an aircraft, they did not have a hangar, or appropriate classroom space to accom-modate their Cadet Program. The Airport Authority spruced up the former Federal Express facility which had an adjoining hangar, created a classroom environment complete with flight simulators of a cock-pit to enhance flight training for the Ca-dets. On February 25th, 2012, airport and Civil Air Patrol officials, Cadets and guests celebrated their new home.

Airport Director Gladys Wiggins is proud of the collaborative efforts of the

airport’s board of directors, staff, airport users and community agencies to enhance the future of aviation and the advance-ment of the aerospace industry in Yuma. “By working together we are creating so-lutions and opportunities for continued growth and success, as well as increased customer service. Another great example is our relationship with American Air-lines and the newly installed kiosks at the airport’s terminal on February 16th. The kiosks allow passengers to check-in and print their boarding passes. This was one

of the requests by our frequent flyers. It’s a win-win for all.”

If you are interested in scheduling a tour of airport to learn more about Yuma’s rich aviation history, please give our office a call at (928) 726-5882 and ask for Gen Grosse.


Interested in developing some in-house training? There are several inter-nal training options that may work for

your business. Several of these meth-ods are also low-cost, requiring only staff time and creativity on your part. In return, businesses of all sizes may find these programs lead to enhanced engagement as well as employee skill development. Here are some low-cost training approaches you can try:

• Cross-train workers. This in-volves having employees train one an-other to do different aspects of related jobs. This provides greater flexibility in assigning tasks, and also challenges employees to learn new skills and di-versify their tasks. It can also be highly motivating to employees seeking ca-reer development, particularly young workers just beginning to establish a career path.

• Assign mentors. Match new em-ployees with more experienced staff. Mentoring promotes the leadership development of current employees

and encourages them to support the productivity and success of new work-ers. It also increases satisfaction and retention of new employees, who feel more confident and adapt more quick-ly in their new workplace.

• Low-cost community education. Low-cost community education of-ferings are widely available for very short-term training on topics such as software skills, health and safety, basic legal knowledge and the arts. Contact your local school district office to find your nearest provider.

• Online training courses. Online courses are a great way for employees to learn at their own pace and select

from a wide variety of courses, some of them free or at low-cost.

• Set goals and measure success. Fi-nally, before you embark on any train-ing or mentoring program, be specific about what you and your employees want to achieve. Use performance re-views to measure competency gaps as well as your employee’s desired areas of improvement. Then put your train-ing goals in place.

Need assistance with finding the right training for your organization or with other workforce issues? Contact your Business Service Representative at 928-329-0990 or visit http://www.careeronestop.org/businesscenter/.

Patrick Goetz

Develop Your own Training


Jonathan Lines, head of the Yuma County Republican Central Commit-tee, called the governor’s commitment “unprecedented. He’s told everyone Juan speaks for him. To give (Ciscomani) that much trust and confidence is amazing. The governor wants that communication … concerns are able to be expressed in an immediate fashion instead of the slow world of business and there’s an immediate response.”

As an example, Lines said an applica-tion for a federal certificate of agreement between a private company and Arizona Western College had been languishing on someone’s desk for months. Shortly after Ducey took office, Lines, as chair of Greater Yuma Economic Development Corpora-tion, contacted him and Attorney General Mark Brnovich for assistance and within a short time, considering the complexity of the issue, the certificate was issued.

“They have people who understand Ar-izona is not the great state of Maricopa,” Lines said. “The gov-ernor really wants to represent everyone. And he chose wisely in choosing Juan.”

Ciscomani was born in Hermosillo but moved with his family to Tuscon while a young boy and grew up there. After graduating from the University of Arizona, he was selected by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute to participate for a year in a Public Policy Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C. He also led the Uni-versity of Arizona Take Charge America Institute’s outreach and youth financial literacy efforts in 2006. Joining the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2011, he served as vice president in charge of the organization’s outreach efforts with mem-bers, sponsors, community leaders and af-filiate Hispanic chambers in Sierra Vista, Douglas and Nogales.

“I appreciate Gov. Ducey making sure our voice is heard by putting a person in a position of authority we can share con-cerns of all aspects of the community,”

Lines sad. “Juan has been in Yuma four or five times in the last few months to get to know the community and understand our needs. And as director for Sonora, too, he fits perfectly with Yuma’s wanting to have a closer relationship with Mexico.”

Muthart said one issue the agriculture community shared with Ducey during the governor’s February visit to Yuma was how to complain about requirements “that don’t make sense” to a state agency that has a “hammer over us” without fear of reprisal.

“Who do we go to?”Ducey said he wanted to hear about

such issues, Muthart said. “That’s why this guy will be good for us.”

Phil Townsend, owner of a local pes-ticide adviser business, said he’s told the governor that his greatest fear at the start of a new fiscal year is: “Can I afford to com-ply with everything I have to do and stay in business? The cost of business is astro-nomical. And I never know what agency will walk in the door I didn’t even know had authority over my business.”

He continued: “Ducey understands that the goal is to do away with all the re-dundancies that con-strain business … to make it easier to do business in Arizona. Cut the red tape and bureaucracy so busi-ness isn’t shackled with the constraints of government.”

John Courtis, executive director of the Yuma Coun-ty Chamber of Commerce, agreed and pledged that the business organization would do what it can to spread the word that Yuma does indeed have the ear of the governor.

“We need to get better in helping the folks in the field, not just agriculture, but business, banking, the military and tour-ism,” Courtis said. “The cost of compliance is killing business. Ducey took that seri-ously. And several agencies are doing simi-lar things. It just gets out of hand. Ducey want to just get government out of business but he needs information – facts, dates and times. Juan is the guy to go to. If we can be collaborative, we can move the needle a little.”

from a wide variety of courses, some of them free or at low-cost.

• Set goals and measure success. Fi-nally, before you embark on any train-ing or mentoring program, be specific about what you and your employees want to achieve. Use performance re-views to measure competency gaps as well as your employee’s desired areas of improvement. Then put your train-ing goals in place.

Need assistance with finding the right training for your organization or with other workforce issues? Contact your Business Service Representative at 928-329-0990 or visit http://www.careeronestop.org/businesscenter/.

Develop Your own Training

We will talk every week about all the good stuff going on in Yuma County

and introduce new Chamber members. Presented by Armijo Insurance, State Farm, we will also give you updates on what's

going on in Yuma.

Please listen in every Wednesday from 8 - 9 am on KBLU 560AM for “Chamber Chatter.”

CONNECTS continued from page 1

Juan Ciscomani Director of

Southern Arizona/SonoraOffice of the Arizona Governor

400 W. Congress. Suite 504,Tucson, AZ 85701

Office (520) 628-6585Cell (520) [email protected]


YUMA, Ariz. – In the weeks since ACHIEVE Human Services ushered in a groundbreaking business venture, commu-nity support has flourished.

Through established alliances with the Social Enterprise Alliance and Workability International, ACHIEVE Human Services, Inc. has embarked on a social enterprise solution that fosters the enterprise philoso-phy—resulting in the creation of ACHIEVE Enterprise Services (AES).

AES, a business enterprise solution spe-cializing in computer and electronic recy-cling, opened its door to the public on Janu-ary 9, 2016 with more than 100 city leaders, officials and community members in atten-dance.

The event showcased the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new AES facility and pro-vided equipment demonstrations and facil-ity tours for event attendees.

ACHIEVE’s collaboration with interna-tionally-based RECOSI, a European non-

profit agency specializing in social enter-prises like AES, has launched ACHIEVE into international partnerships and col-laboration towards a more global recycling solution.

United with the development of AES is the creation of more highly-technically skilled employment opportunities and job skills training for individuals with all types of disabilities, inclusive of Wounded War-riors.

Although ACHIEVE is not formally en-gaged with the Wounded Warrior program, the Agency supports, encourages and ad-vocates for the employment of Wounded Warriors—many of whom are currently employed at ACHIEVE.

According to a release by the U.S. De-partment of Labor Bureau of Labor Statis-tics, 17.1 percent of people with disabilities were employed in 2014 compared to 64.6 percent of those employed without a dis-ability—a significant gap that ACHIEVE

works diligently to minimize with programs and services offered in Yuma, Lake Havasu City, Casa Grande, Parker and Kingman.

Creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities, community part-nership and environmental responsibility are significant priorities for ACHIEVE—one example is the ‘Pay it Forward’ initiative of giving back to the local community, one computer at a time.

In addition to carrying out community outreach, AES received its first donation of 18 pallets of computer and electronic equip-ment from the City of Yuma, signifying the necessity of partnership between commu-nity agencies.

Partnership within the community also requires searching for and finding ways to meet the needs of the citizens. Customers looking for services other than recycling and refurbishment have options when pa-tronizing AES. In addition to computer and electronic recycling and refurbishment, Asset Recovery and Information Security Management services are also offered.

The Asset Recovery service dispatches a team to the desired location to pick up the computer and/or electronic equipment. Those who wish to personally bring their items to

AES may also do so between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Fri-day at 3220A East 40th Street.

Information Security Management pro-vides a secure and certified method to re-moving secure data from a computer. Hard disk shredding and secure data wiping pro-

vide customers ease of mind when looking to donate computers to AES.

For a nominal fee, a detailed report cer-tifying the secure data removal is also avail-able for purchase.

In recycling computers, AES also ad-dresses the increased need to ensure haz-ardous materials stay out of local landfills. In fact, every computer or electronic item that enters the AES facility is recycled or re-used—from the largest to the smallest piece of hardware.

Corporate social responsibility is not a new concept for ACHIEVE. For more than 50 years, ACHIEVE has successfully served the Yuma community in the development and delivery of innovative programs de-signed to strengthen the individuals served with all types of disabilities and build stronger communities by creating business ventures that stimulate economic growth through the enterprise model.

Currently, in addition to computer and electronic recycling and refurbishment, ACHIEVE also offers bulk mailing servic-es, catering, secure document destruction, grounds maintenance, car wash, vending and custodial services—a full-spectrum of services for individuals and agencies in Western Arizona.

For more information, please visit the ACHIEVE websites at www.achievehs.org and www.achievees.org; call us at 928-341-0335 or email [email protected]. Be sure to also ‘like’ the ACHIEVE Facebook pages to stay current on the latest specials and happenings.

ACHIEVE Human Services Launches Yuma’s First Non-profit Computer and Electronic Recycling Enterprise

Book Your Winter Events, Stress Free, Right Here at Yuma Golf & Country Club

Contact us today (928)[email protected]

The Club provides a classic and elegant feel with beautiful views of the course.• Quality service • Experienced chefs • Affordable prices •

Experience the club regularly with our affordable, flexible membership options


Meagan is a Realtor, and true busi-ness professional. She has special-ized experience in Real Estate sales and Community Management. Af-ter attending the University of Okla-homa where she studied Business and Administrative Leadership, she began her career in Military Com-munity Management working with the Department of Defense. Later, she became a licensed Realtor from the Arizona Academy of Real Estate. Throughout her career Meagan Han-non has developed compassion and understanding for the individualized needs of every client she encounters. You can find her at Keller Williams Realty, in Yuma.

Profile: Ambassador of the Month - Meagan Hannon

Maggie Cummings has been on the Board of Directors since March of 2015. Maggie is not a Yuma na-tive per se but she is pretty close living and working in Yuma for 30 years. In 1990 she became a full time employee at her husband’s chiropractic office, Cummings Chiropractic. She mans the front desk and performs all of the administrative duties at this thriving practice. In addition to her work there she has also been a Certified Health Coach for several years. In Novem-ber of 2015 she established Green Oa-sis. Green Oasis offers Purium health products. Purium offers a full range of organic, plant based, vegetarian and vegan friendly core nutrition supple-ments for all ages.

When Maggie isn’t busy serving on the Board or working one of her two jobs she is giving back to the commu-nity she loves. She is obviously very

involved in the Chamber, but she also devotes herself to BNI, 78 Crime Stop-pers, and Fort Yuma Rotary to name a few.

Profile: Board Member of the Month - Maggie Cummings

BOOTH SPACE IS AVAILABLE

Your Yuma County Fairgrounds (928)726-4420

Your Event Could Be Here!

“Get Your Happy On” March 29 — April 3, 2016

You can have your business, school, church or non-profit organization featured in front of tens of thousands of people for only $350.00 in the busy Theater Building

Call us today to get information on using the many facilities of The Yuma County Fairgrounds. Groups of 70 to 7,000 can have an event in the Theater Building, the rodeo grounds, or you can have a huge outdoor festival, BBQ or rally on the midway grounds.

You can start planning for your open entries for the annual Yuma County Fair. Open entries include horticulture and floriculture, home economics, crafts and hobbies, foods, fina arts, student arts, china painting and photography. You may enter your items in the fair on Saturday, March 19 or Sunday, March 20, 2016. Call for details!

vide customers ease of mind when looking to donate computers to AES.

For a nominal fee, a detailed report cer-tifying the secure data removal is also avail-able for purchase.

In recycling computers, AES also ad-dresses the increased need to ensure haz-ardous materials stay out of local landfills. In fact, every computer or electronic item that enters the AES facility is recycled or re-used—from the largest to the smallest piece of hardware.

Corporate social responsibility is not a new concept for ACHIEVE. For more than 50 years, ACHIEVE has successfully served the Yuma community in the development and delivery of innovative programs de-signed to strengthen the individuals served with all types of disabilities and build stronger communities by creating business ventures that stimulate economic growth through the enterprise model.

Currently, in addition to computer and electronic recycling and refurbishment, ACHIEVE also offers bulk mailing servic-es, catering, secure document destruction, grounds maintenance, car wash, vending and custodial services—a full-spectrum of services for individuals and agencies in Western Arizona.

For more information, please visit the ACHIEVE websites at www.achievehs.org and www.achievees.org; call us at 928-341-0335 or email [email protected]. Be sure to also ‘like’ the ACHIEVE Facebook pages to stay current on the latest specials and happenings.

ACHIEVE Human Services Launches Yuma’s First Non-profit Computer and Electronic Recycling Enterprise

12 YUMABIZ March 2016 Yuma County Chamber of Commerce YUMABIZ 13

Committee UpdatesLEGISLATIVE AFFAIRSNext Meeting, Monday, March 14th, NoonOld City Hall Conference RoomPlease RSVP for lunch

The Legislative Affairs Committee met on February 9th.

This meeting was well attended and a lot of information was exchanged. Glad-ys Wiggins the Director of the Yuma International Airport stated that the Arizona Airport Authority is tracking all bills related to aviation but it is still early in the session. The YCAA, MCAS, and YPG all spoke about drones and they all seemed to share the same consensus. Rules and regulations regarding using drones on the bases and the airport are being established and they are a looking to the FAA to establish firm regulations. As of right now any damage done by a drone will be considered endangerment. We also found out that a bridge is be-ing built over Fortuna Wash. This will

keep people from being stranded out at YPG when we have a big rainfall. YPG is also continuing to be a strong partner in STEM education. They are going to host 100 to 150 school age kids in the near future. They will be able to view science and engineering jobs first hand. Councilman Gary Knight shared items that the City Council has been working on so far in 2016. They include: approv-ing the replacement of $250,000 of light-ing at Sanguinettti Park, the RFP for the false alarm service went out and it was awarded to a company out of Maryland that will make all of its money off of the fines and nothing else, a liquor license for Hooters was granted (it will be going in to the Logan’s location), H2A at Ave A & 12th Street high density 12/apt is being looked at, public rezoning of NW cor-ner of 24th Street and 9E is the final step, and the City of Yuma is underfunded for public safety personnel. They are go-ing to start the budget much earlier this year. Councilman Gary Wright shared

that the hands free ordinance seems to be working and easy to enforce. City Attorney Daniel White reported the at-torney’s office is tracking several bills that will have an impact on the City including Rep Mitchell’s residential tax bill and the burdensome public record request bill. County Supervisor Russell McCloud said that the County Supervisor Association is also supporting the bill against bur-densome public record request. County Supervisor Russ Clark reported that the overpopulation burro is a problem in La Paz, Mohave, and Yuma County. There are currently 3x the legal allow-ance in these areas. He also shared that Senator Don Shooter is working behind the scenes to get the funding restored for the JTED. The County is also look-ing into a tax to help support YCIPTA/YCAT. Randy Nelson from Arizona’s SBDC, AWC informed everyone that Daniel Corr from Scottsdale Commu-nity College has been selected as the next President on AWC. Lastly John Courtis spoke about meeting Juan Ciscomani the Governor’s Southern Arizona Office Di-rector. Ciscomani is very willing to lis-ten to the people of Yuma and is sincere when he says he wants to make things better. Areas discussed included the cost of compliance and issues with ADOT. There is talk of trying to combine or even eliminate agencies if necessary. John also shared that he will be at the Capitol on February 29th and he plans on going up to Phoenix at least once a month this year. If any member has an issue they’d like addressed please call, 782-2567 or email John at [email protected] and let him know.

BoARD oF DIRECToRSNext meetingTuesday,March 15th, 3PMOld City Hall Conference RoomMembers Welcome

Chairman Adrian Elder welcomed new Board Members Anna Chaulk of APS and Elyse Tera of SouthWest Inte-grated Wellness.

When the Board got to the motion items there were eight new members that

were approved pending payment. They are: Sonoran Cycles, LaJoy Enterprises, Pure Image Ultra Sound, The Press Café and Bistro, DoTerra Essential Oils, HDS Safety and Compliance, 78 Crime Stop-pers, and Yesco. John Courtis then gave his Director’s report. The first thing he spoke about was a new program that the Chamber, NexGen, and GYEDC have come together to develop “Sum-mer Works in Yuma.” This is a program designed to create retention of teach-ers. All too often teachers leave Yuma in the summer to seek supplemental employment and a lot of times they do not return thus creating a teacher short-age. Summer Works in Yuma will have a website that allows local employers the ability to post temporary summer posi-tions that teachers can apply for over the summer. The hope is that the commu-nity can help keep teachers employed in the summer and then they will still be in Yuma when the school year begins. It is also a way to show the local teachers that the community cares about them. John then spoke about the S. June Pallack Education Excellence Awards. These awards have been designed to highlight those that work within the schools but aren’t teachers. Awards are going to be given to exceptional Support Staff, Ser-vice Staff, Volunteers, Board Members, Administrators, and Business Partners. Matt Molenar has designed the website www.yumaexcellence.com. You can go to that website and learn more about the awards and submit a nomination for someone you feel is worthy. The awards will be presented by the 2016 Teacher of the Year at the May 12th Good Morning Yuma. Next John introduced the idea of the “Lunch and Learn Series” he is going to do this year. A ‘Lunch and Learn’ is a quarterly luncheon that will be open to members to attend. It will have one speaker/presentation that will provide you with information and or skills to improve yourself. The first one is ten-tatively scheduled for March 24th and the speaker will be Dave Gonzales. He will be speaking about Work/Life Bal-ance. Other ‘Lunch and Learns’ will oc-

cur in June, September, and December and sponsorships are available if you are interested. Finally, Governor Ducey’s State of the State Address was discussed. Overall it was a great success. The Gov-ernor gave his Address which seemed to be well received.

In addition to delivering that he met with the local Mayors and Councils, the Sheriffs of Arizona, and a select group of individuals involved in business and ag-riculture.

AMBASSADoRSNext meeting Wednesday, March 23rd, 11:30AMOld City Hall Conference RoomMembers Welcome

Chandra Olague began the meet-ing by announcing that the commit-tee has gained 2 new members, Trevor Umphress of Amberly’s Place and Jerry LoCoco of A.T. Pancrazi Real Estate. Chandra then went on to say that she has 3 more applications she is waiting

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12 YUMABIZ March 2016 Yuma County Chamber of Commerce YUMABIZ 13

were approved pending payment. They are: Sonoran Cycles, LaJoy Enterprises, Pure Image Ultra Sound, The Press Café and Bistro, DoTerra Essential Oils, HDS Safety and Compliance, 78 Crime Stop-pers, and Yesco. John Courtis then gave his Director’s report. The first thing he spoke about was a new program that the Chamber, NexGen, and GYEDC have come together to develop “Sum-mer Works in Yuma.” This is a program designed to create retention of teach-ers. All too often teachers leave Yuma in the summer to seek supplemental employment and a lot of times they do not return thus creating a teacher short-age. Summer Works in Yuma will have a website that allows local employers the ability to post temporary summer posi-tions that teachers can apply for over the summer. The hope is that the commu-nity can help keep teachers employed in the summer and then they will still be in Yuma when the school year begins. It is also a way to show the local teachers that the community cares about them. John then spoke about the S. June Pallack Education Excellence Awards. These awards have been designed to highlight those that work within the schools but aren’t teachers. Awards are going to be given to exceptional Support Staff, Ser-vice Staff, Volunteers, Board Members, Administrators, and Business Partners. Matt Molenar has designed the website www.yumaexcellence.com. You can go to that website and learn more about the awards and submit a nomination for someone you feel is worthy. The awards will be presented by the 2016 Teacher of the Year at the May 12th Good Morning Yuma. Next John introduced the idea of the “Lunch and Learn Series” he is going to do this year. A ‘Lunch and Learn’ is a quarterly luncheon that will be open to members to attend. It will have one speaker/presentation that will provide you with information and or skills to improve yourself. The first one is ten-tatively scheduled for March 24th and the speaker will be Dave Gonzales. He will be speaking about Work/Life Bal-ance. Other ‘Lunch and Learns’ will oc-

cur in June, September, and December and sponsorships are available if you are interested. Finally, Governor Ducey’s State of the State Address was discussed. Overall it was a great success. The Gov-ernor gave his Address which seemed to be well received.

In addition to delivering that he met with the local Mayors and Councils, the Sheriffs of Arizona, and a select group of individuals involved in business and ag-riculture.

AMBASSADoRSNext meeting Wednesday, March 23rd, 11:30AMOld City Hall Conference RoomMembers Welcome

Chandra Olague began the meet-ing by announcing that the commit-tee has gained 2 new members, Trevor Umphress of Amberly’s Place and Jerry LoCoco of A.T. Pancrazi Real Estate. Chandra then went on to say that she has 3 more applications she is waiting

to be turned in. By the next meeting we should have at least 30 Ambassadors. She then went on to commend the team for the excellent job they did at the January Good Morning Yuma. Every-one was working and making sure the members were taken care of and there was a real sense of comradery. The upcoming events were then discussed. The March 10th Good Moring Yuma will be sponsored by AWC, but it will still be held at the Pivot Point Confer-ence Center. April’s Good Morning Yuma will then be sponsored by Am-berly’s Place. Flora Llamas then spoke about the February Mixer that will be held at the Yuma International Airport. There will be tours, special giveaways, and drink tickets.

Then next month the mixer will be held at Academy Mortgage and it will be a combined Chamber Mixer/Cus-tomer Appreciation Event. As of right now the Chamber two ribbon cuttings scheduled, one is March 10th at 4:00 PM for the Cocopah Casino Gift Shop

and the other in on April 20th for Cen-patico. It was also announced that Jeff Ahuactzin will be co-chairing Good Morning Yuma with Valerie Millsom. Also Rita Megui and Shirley Epke will be helping Flora with the Mixers. Mea-gan Hannon and Edward Arvizo will continue to coordinate the ribbon cut-tings. Maggie Cummings, Chair of the Membership Committee attended this meeting to inform the Ambassadors of the application process that is now if effect. The process follows these basic steps: 1. The application is filled out and the Code of Ethics is signed, 2. the busi-ness references are checked, 3. provided those are positive the potential member is recommended to the Board for ap-proval, 4. the Board takes a vote to ap-prove the member, 5. once the applicant has been approved and the dues have been paid that business is considered a member, 6. an Ambassador reaches out to that potential member to let them know that they’ve been approved and gives them a brief orientation on the

Chamber. Once they are considered a member they are eligible for all of the benefits such as soapboxes, ribbon cut-ting, and advertising in YumaBIZ.

MILITARY AFFAIRSNext Meeting, Wednesday, March 30th, 7:00 AMAmerican Legion Post 19, 2575 S. Virginia Ave.

At the time of publication this com-mittee had not met yet.

A summary of the February meeting will appear in the next edition.

TRANSPoRTATIoN CoMMITTEENext MeetingThursday, March 31st, 10:30 AMChamber Office, 180 W 1st Street, Ste A

At the time of publication this com-mittee had not met yet.

A summary of the February meeting will appear in the next edition.


aps.com

BY ANNA CHAULK

This month I got to enjoy one of my favorite events in Yuma: Midnight at the Oasis – full of cool cars, nostalgic music, delicious food, and plenty of sun that our town is famous for.

APS is proud to be a long-time spon-sor of the Caballeros de Yuma, the orga-nization that hosts the event. This year, in addition to supporting the organiza-tion financially, we also had our 1915 Detroit Electric car on display, one of 13,000 electric cars built by the company from 1907 to 1939.

As a history buff, I love learning about how electricity use has changed over the decades. But at APS, we are all about preparing for how electricity use will change in the future.

One of the changes we are preparing for is our customers’ adoption of electric vehicles.

As an organization, we are embracing this change ourselves by electrifying our own fleet. We have implemented a new standard of replacing our fleet vehicles with electric alternatives where econom-ically feasible.

My column last month focused on how we are modernizing our grid, which will provide cleaner and more reliable

energy. The modernization of our fleet —from sedans to bucket trucks— is an-other important step we are taking to re-duce our carbon footprint.

[YouTube video]In addition to the environmental

benefits, the fleet will be more efficient and last longer. Plus, our bucket trucks will operate more quietly which makes inspecting and repairing power lines safer for our linemen and less disruptive for our customers.

Our electrical vehicle expertise dates back to the 1960s when we were the first utility to commercialize quick-charging capabilities, reducing charging time from hours to minutes. We remain com-mitted to helping electric vehicle owners get up to speed and safely plugged in.

If you are thinking about electrify-ing your own fleet, you’ll want to con-sider the electric impact on your home or business.

Here are some other things to con-sider:

• plug-in hybrid or battery electric car

• how much you drive on a typical day

• whether your home or business’ electrical panel and wiring are config-ured for charging your car battery

• the best service plan for charging your car

• the best time of day to charge your car

• whether you need to hire a contrac-tor or secure permits for any electrical upgrades

To learn more about how we’re help-ing to clear the air, one vehicle at a time, please visit aps.com/next. If you are con-sidering buying an electric vehicle for your own home or business, visit aps.com/cars for information that may help.

Thinking of an Electric Vehicle? APS is Leading by Example


Thinking of an Electric Vehicle? APS is Leading by Example

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Arizona will not move its clocks forward in observation of Daylight Savings Time, but that does not mean residents and visitors are any further away from fun under the Yuma sun!

Should you find yourself wonder-ing what to do, VisitYuma.com is a great resource for Yuma information and our calendar of events is always loaded with an ongoing list of ac-tivities worth checking out. Would you rather have the latest happen-ings sent directly to your email in-box? Click over to VisitYuma.com and subscribe to our free, weekly e-newsletter which spotlights upcom-ing events for the week ahead.

While you’re on the net checking out our website, get in on the fun that is taking place at our social me-dia site! The official Facebook page

of Yuma Visitors Bureau features daily content showcasing Yuma photos, events, giveaways, discounts and more.

You see; we told you there is a lot going on in Yuma throughout March! For more listings, go online to VisitYuma.com or stop by the Yuma Visitor Information Center at 201 N. 4th Avenue to speak with our knowledgeable and friendly staff and to purchase Yuma memorabilia at the Yuman Interest Gift & Souve-nirs shop.

Yuma Fun Springs into March!

So Much More in March:Mar. 1 – Flash Cadillac concert (Historic Yuma Theatre)Mar. 3 – Historic Downtown Trolley Tour (Sanguinetti House Museum)Mar. 3 – Thursdays at the Theatre (Historic Yuma Theatre)Mar. 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 – Village Jazz Series (Yuma Palms Regional Center)Mar. 3 thru 6 – 24th Annual Midnight at the Oasis car show (Desert Sun Stadium)Mar. 4 thru 6 – 10th Annual ARTrail (Yuma Art Center)Mar. 5 thru 6 – Kids Day (Yuma Swap Meet)Mar. 8 – Culinary Arts International Dinner (Arizona Western College)Mar. 8 & 15 – World Adventure Film Series (Yuma Civic Center)Mar. 11 – Tribute to Elvis concert (Yuma Civic and Convention Center)Mar. 11 – O Canada! Tribute Concert (The Palms RV Resort)Mar. 12 – Yuma Area Art Educators Association Art Auction (Yuma Art Center)Mar. 16 – The Four Freshmen concert (Historic Yuma Theatre)Mar. 17 – St. Patrick’s Celebration & Gates Riot Reenactment (Yuma Territorial Prison)Mar. 17 – Ghost Trolley Tour (Sanguinetti House Museum)Mar. 19 – Yuma County Founders Day (Sanguinetti House Museum)Mar. 19 – Dedication of “History of California” (Museum of History in Granite)Mar. 26 – Music on Main (Historic Downtown Yuma)Mar. 29 thru Apr. 3 – Yuma County Fair (Yuma County Fairgrounds)


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Governor Ducey Connects with Yuma Ag Leaders

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Transcript of Governor Ducey Connects with Yuma Ag Leaders