EVP News

FYI FRIDAY |Roundup of Timely Regional Events as of April 13

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*LAST CHANCE *

Join us on April 20th at the 2018 Statespersons’ Luncheon

*Registration Closes Today at 5pm (4/13)*

Join us on Friday, April 20 for the 2018 Statespersons’ Luncheon sponsored by APS at EVIT Culinary Banquet Hall for a conversation between Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-5) and Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9) moderated by Jeff Guldner (APS). Individual tickets and table sponsorships are available.

Click here for additional event information and online registration.

**A special thank you to all of our current table sponsors: Alliance Bank of Arizona, AMR, Arizona Bank and Trust, Arizona Public Service Company, Arizona Republic, Arizona State University, Arizona Water Company, ASU Research Park, Banner Health, Blucor Construction, CenturyLink, City of Mesa, Copper Springs Health, Core Construction, Eastmark, Execute To Win, Intel Corporation, Maricopa Community Colleges, Mesa Community College, National Bank of Arizona, Resolution Copper, Salt River Project, Snell & Wilmer LLP, Southwest Gas Corporation, Times Media Group, Town of Gilbert, Town of Queen Creek, Wallace Plese + Dreher and Wells Fargo Bank.



Additional Events/ Meetings Happening Around the #PHXEastValley:

April 14 | Gilbert Global Village Festival | 9 am-2 pm @ 50 E. Civic Center Drive

Gilbert’s Global Village Festival is a multicultural celebration for all ages. The festival brings neighbors together in a friendly, educational way to learn more about each other. Community members, schools, non-profits and service organizations are invited to join us in 2018 for the 14th annual Gilbert Global Village Festival. This family event highlights some of the traditional and contemporary forms of dance, music, children’s activities, arts & crafts and ethnic foods from countries far away on the green open spaces of the Gilbert Civic Center North Campus. Click here to learn more.


April 14 | Eastmark AwesomeFest 2018 | 4-9pm @ The Eastmark Great Park

Join us at Eastmark’s annual community festival that features a community parade, art displays, live music, food trucks, children’s activities and more! General admission tickets are $10 presale and children younger than 5 are free. Day of event tickets are $15 at the gate. Click here to learn more.  


April 25 | East Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Media and Marketing Report | Arizona Golf Resort

On April 25, 2018, the EVHCC Media and Marketing Report will feature a luncheon presentation by the principals for the SkyBridge Arizona project. The event will take place at the Arizona Golf Resort at 425 S. Power Rd, Mesa, AZ 85206 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Those interested in attending please contact Manny Frklich Director of Fund Development and Special Projects at 480.662.2160 or email at mannyfrklich@evhcc.org.


April 26 | 2018 Arizona Governors Prayer Breakfast | 7:30-9am Downtown Hyatt Regency Phoenix

Come share community and unity with fellow Arizonans, business leaders, and elected officials on April 26th. This will be a very special morning of shared vision in the spirit of goodness. The 2018 keynote speaker will be Mr. Steve Fedyski, COO of Pure Flix. Pure Flix is a Scottsdale company known for quality Christian and family films such as “God’s Not Dead” and “Case For Christ.” To purchase tickets visit.


April 28 | Family STEM Day | Apache Junction Public Library

Release your inner scientist, technician, engineer, and mathematician. Explore the Apache Junction Public Library open house with STEM gadgets, hands-on activities, and demos. Local guests include AJPD Forensic Unit, Superstition Mountain Astronomical League, Earthseed Tiny Home, SSS Rocketry, Central Arizona College, and more! For more information, or if you would like to participate as a presenter, contact the library at (480) 474-8555. This event is for all ages, free, and no registration is required. Learn more here.


May 1 | PHX East Valley Angel Investor Initiative — Gilbert, AZ
We are not done identifying, educating, and activating angel investors in the PHX East Valley. Are you or someone you know looking to diversify your investment portfolio? Join us on May 1st as we bring the PHX East Valley Angel Investor Initiative Free Workshops to Gilbert’s University Building. This is the first of three — two hour — workshops designed to give you the knowledge and tools necessary to start investing (wisely).  Learn more and register to attend.


***Upcoming EVP Committee Meetings Open to All Members***

April 17 | 10:30 AM: Advocacy & Government Relations Committee at University of Phoenix – Click here to RSVP via email

April 26 | 4 PM: Aviation & Aerospace Committee at Orbital ATK in Gilbert,AZ – Click here to RSVP via email

May 8 | 8 AM: Economic Development Committee Meeting – Click here to RSVP via email

 

 

FYI FRIDAY |Roundup of Timely Regional Events as of April 6

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PHX East Valley Headlines You Might Have Missed:

  • Maricopa County Community College District Announces Four New College Presidents Read More
  • Park University Announces New Campus Center in Gilbert, Arizona’s Heritage District Read More
  • ASU-Starbucks Progress Update Read More
  • National Bank of Arizona Exec Earns Honor Read More
  • FirstBank Pumps Free Gas to Boost Arizona Gives Day Read More
  • Arizona Focusing on Keeping Top Working Talent in State Read More
  • Report: Arizona Ranks #5 for Economic Momentum Read More

Upcoming Regional Events:

April 6 | 19th Annual Chandler Jazz Festival | 5-10PM

Come and enjoy a spectacular weekend of great Jazz in a variety of outdoor venues. All performances are free. While you enjoy many of the free performances you can also visit the galleries, restaurants and shops that make Downtown Chandler a great place to visit. The downtown area has plenty of free parking available. And you may want to bring a blanket or lawn chair to enjoy the outdoor performances. Click here for more info.


April 12 | Arizona Rising in the Age of Agility presented by the Arizona Chamber | 9AM-12:15PM

This event brings together business executives, educational leaders, and policy influencers to create a vision for the future of the modern workplace. Join the Arizona Chamber for a dynamic conversation that will include insights from APS, Pivot Manufacturing, Western School of Science and Technology, Universal Technical Institute, Galvanize and more. Click here for additional information 


April 14 | Gilbert Global Village Festival | 9AM-2PM @ Gilbert Civic Center North Campus

Gilbert’s Global Village Festival is a multicultural celebration for all ages. The festival brings neighbors together in a friendly, educational way to learn more about each other. Community members, schools, non-profits and service organizations are invited to join us in 2018 for the 14th annual Gilbert Global Village Festival. This family event highlights some of the traditional and contemporary forms of dance, music, children’s activities, arts & crafts and ethnic foods from countries far away on the green open spaces of the Gilbert Civic Center North Campus. Click here to learn more.


April 14 | The Eastmark AwesomeFest 2018 | 4-9PM @ The East Mark Great Park

Join us at Eastmark’s annual community festival that features a community parade, art displays, live music, food trucks, children’s activities and more! General admission tickets are $10 presale and children younger than 5 are free. Day of event tickets are $15 at the gate. Click here to learn more.  


April 20 | 2018 Statesperson’s Luncheon, Sponsored by APS | EVIT Culinary Banquet Hall
Join us on Friday, April 20 for a conversation between Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-5) and Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9) moderated by Jeff Guldner (APS). Individual tickets and table sponsorships are available. Click here for additional event information and online registration.
Registration deadline is Friday, April 13th and seating is limited.

**A special thank you to all of our current table sponsors: Alliance Bank of Arizona, AMR, Arizona Bank and Trust, Arizona Republic, Arizona State University, Arizona Water Company, ASU Research Park, Banner Health, Blucor Construction, CenturyLink, City of Mesa, Copper Springs Health, Core Construction, Execute To Win, Intel Corporation, Maricopa Community College District, Mesa Community College, National Bank of Arizona, Resolution Copper, Salt River Project, Snell & Wilmer LLP, Southwest Gas Corp, Times Media Group, Town of Gilbert, Wallace Plese + Dreher and Wells Fargo Bank.


April 28 | Family STEM Day | Apache Junction Public Library

Release your inner scientist, technician, engineer, and mathematician. Explore the Apache Junction Public Library open house with STEM gadgets, hands-on activities, and demos. Local guests include AJPD Forensic Unit, Superstition Mountain Astronomical League, Earthseed Tiny Home, SSS Rocketry, Central Arizona College, and more! For more information, or if you would like to participate as a presenter, contact the library at (480) 474-8555. This event is for all ages, free, and no registration is required. Learn more here.


May 1 | PHX East Valley Angel Investor Initiative — Gilbert, AZ
We are not done identifying, educating, and activating angel investors in the PHX East Valley. Are you or someone you know looking to diversify your investment portfolio? Join us on May 1st as we bring the PHX East Valley Angel Investor Initiative Free Workshops to Gilbert’s University Building. This is the first of three — two hour — workshops designed to give you the knowledge and tools necessary to start investing (wisely).  Learn more and register to attend.


Upcoming EVP Committee Meetings:

FYI Friday | Roundup of Timely Regional Events as of March 30th

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April 3 | Chandler Mayor’s Listening Tour | 6pm @ Frye Elementary School

Join Chandler Mayor Jay Tibshraeny for his 2018 Listening Tour. During the event, residents will have the opportunity to meet the Mayor, City Councilmembers, Neighborhood Advisory Committee members, City staff from several departments/divisions, including Police, Fire, Parks and Recreation, Streets, Water, Code Enforcement and more.  Additional details found here.


April 4 | PHXEV Healthcare Council | 7:30am-9:30am @ Adelante Healthcare Mesa
Join us on Wednesday, April 4 for a discussion of the State of Arizona’s response to the opioid addiction crisis. Representatives of Terros Health will be presenting information on new opioid prevention and treatment strategies, attendees will also hear an overview of the Vitalyst Health Foundation Community Health improvement initiatives and presentations on trends in medical transport/ambulance services and the challenges of meeting behavioral health service needs of East Valley residents. Finally, the new President/CEO of the world-renowned Barrow Neurological Institute, Dr. Michael Lawton will discuss his vision for the future of this vital health care asset that serves critical needs of patients from throughout the world. There is no cost to attend, but online registration is requested. Click here to register.

 The meeting is open to East Valley Partnership (EVP) members, Chamber of Commerce members, community and government leaders. We encourage you to forward these meetings details on to anyone in your organization that is interested in healthcare issues of regional or national significance.


April 14 | Eastmark AwesomeFest 2018 | 4-9pm @ The Eastmark Great Park

Join us at Eastmark’s annual community festival that features a community parade, art displays, live music, food trucks, children’s activities and more! General admission tickets are $10 presale and children younger than 5 are free. Day of event tickets are $15 at the gate. Click here to learn more.  


April 20 | 2018 Statesperson’s Luncheon, Sponsored by APS | EVIT Culinary Banquet Hall
Join us on Friday, April 20 for a conversation between Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-5) and Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9) moderated by Jeff Guldner (APS). Individual tickets and table sponsorships are available. Click here for additional event information and online registration. Registration deadline is Friday, April 13th and seating is limited.

A special thank you to all of our current table sponsors: Alliance Bank of Arizona, Arizona Bank & Trust, Arizona State University, Arizona Water Company, Banner Health, CenturyLink, Copper Springs Health, Core Construction, City of Mesa, Execute to Win, Maricopa Community College District, Mesa Community College, National Bank of Arizona, Salt River Project (SRP), Southwest Gas, Times Media Group, Town of Gilbert, Wallace Plese+Dreher, and Wells Fargo Bank.


May 1 | PHX East Valley Angel Investor Initiative — Gilbert, AZ
We are not done identifying, educating, and activating angel investors in the PHX East Valley. Are you or someone you know looking to diversify your investment portfolio? Join us on May 1st as we bring the PHX East Valley Angel Investor Initiative Free Workshops to Gilbert’s University Building. This is the first of three — two hour — workshops designed to give you the knowledge and tools necessary to start investing (wisely).  Learn more and register to attend.


***Upcoming EVP Committee Meetings***

April 3 | 7:30 AM: Education/Business Committee at Empire Southwest – Click here to RSVP via email

April 17 | 10:30 AM: Advocacy & Government Relations Committee at University of Phoenix – Click here to RSVP via email

April 26 | 4 PM: Aviation & Aerospace Committee – Click here to RSVP via email

EVP Tied to Region’s Growth Over 35 years

The East Valley in the early 1980s was starkly different from what it is today.

The region was the 90-pound weakling to Phoenix. Major traffic arteries beyond County Club Drive were almost nonexistent. Cities fought over scant opportunities for development. The Pentagon was letting Williams Air Force Base die a slow death.

 Amid this bleak and unpromising scene, a small group of business executives began meeting in 1982 at the Mesa Holiday Inn – then an exciting addition to a region dominated by cut-rate motels.

They formed the East Valley Partnership because they saw the region as a land of opportunity unrealized.

Some of those executives gathered two weeks ago at the same Holiday Inn to reminisce over the battles and the struggles that helped make the region what it is today.

Six men and two women who chaired the East Valley Partnership board at various times over the last 35 years were joined by its two former directors and a legendary former county supervisor and legislator who had worked closely with them all.

Segments of their conversation will be aired during the partnership’s 35th anniversary celebration at its annual organizational meeting in June.

The executives, many of whom are retired from their jobs but still active in the community, offered an informal timeline of the East Valley’s evolution – and a look at the challenges the region faces if that evolution is to continue over the next 35 years.

While they were asked to talk about their one-year term at the helm, many had been with the partnership since its inception and recalled that challenges over the last 3½ decades.

And they grew the partnership to include a broad spectrum of education, business and community leaders.

Countering Phoenix’s Clout

“One of the reasons the partnership was first born was that we in the East Valley weren’t getting any respect,” said Joannie Flatt, a public relations specialist and one of the leaders in the campaign that produced the Mesa Arts Center.

She and several other partnership leaders recalled how they lobbied to get an East Valley representative on the state Transportation Board, a five-member panel that exercises a huge influence on what highway projects get funded in Arizona.

“The big issue back in 1983 the Phoenix clout,” recalled Mesa attorney David Udall. “We were the East Valley nobodies. We needed to develop clout. Our principal function was to become a counterbalance to Phoenix clout.”

Looming large over the conversation were the late supermarket magnate Eddie Basha and the late Charles “Chuck” Walheim, a former publisher of the old Mesa Tribune who died three years ago.

Both men drove the partnership to push for more political influence on state boards so that more highway money would flow into the region.

“The East Valley had no freeways, no courthouse,” said Tom Freestone, a former Maricopa County supervisor and judge who was so busy he had no time to formally join the partnership.

Nevertheless, he worked closely with Basha and the partnership on a wide range of issues, such as securing a second East Valley seat on the five-member county board of supervisors.

It paid off.

When a judge told a Mesa official that it would be “over his dead body” that the region would get a permanent full-time court so citizens and police weren’t forced to travel to Phoenix, Freestone’s reaction changed the jurist’s mind.

“I said, ‘Fine, then the courts won’t be getting any more money,’” recalled Freestone, whose board controlled the judges’ purse strings.

Base Closing Poses Challenge

Freestone also recalled how East Valley cities would squabble – to the region’s detriment – over projects and potential large employers.

“We had to neutralize the situation so we could get things done. The towns were at rivalry,” he said.

A big challenge – and opportunity – to the East Valley’s growth came in 1991 when the Pentagon closed Williams Air Force Base.

Cattle rancher Chuck Backus recalled how the then-new Gov. Fife Symington asked him to join a committee to study its reuse.

That study eventually produced two landmark developments for the far East Valley – the birth of Williams Gateway Airport and Arizona State University’s Polytechnic Campus, both of which today are major economic centers for the region.

Kerry Dunne, the partnership’s first executive director, recalled how Walheim in the 1990s saw how Japan’s economy was thriving, so he had an idea to lure Japanese investments to the region.

Walheim arranged for America West Airlines to supply a 747 that flew to Japan.

“He filled it with Japanese investors and when they landed at Sky Harbor, every company that had a helicopter loaned it for us to take them for a tour of the East Valley,” Dunne said, adding:

“Then we took them to Superstition Springs Golf Course and it looked like a scene from ‘Apocalypse Now’ with all these helicopters coming in.”

Heightened Economic Focus

Former Mesa Schools superintendent Jim Zaharis recalled an equally strong campaign “to get the movie industry here.”

“We really tried to bring the movie industry here,” Zaharis said. “We found people were living here and commuting to the West Coast.

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