Chandler Chamber Connect Magazine June 2021

CHANDLER CHAMBER 

Information for Business | Residents | Tourists JUNE 2021 

Celebrating Juneteenth 8 

The significance of “Jubilee Day” 

SRP Preps for Monsoons 10 

Tips for business and residents 

99 Ranch Market 20 

Opens Store in Chandler 

First in Arizona

CHANDLER 

CHAMBER 

Terri Kimble 

PRESIDENT/CEO 

Terri@ChandlerChamber.com 

Mary Ann Przybylski 

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS 

MaryAnn@ChandlerChamber.com 

Barbara Caravella 

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS 

DEVELOPMENT & SERVICES 

Barbara@ChandlerChamber.com 

Carly Hankins 

PROGRAMS & SPECIAL EVENTS 

Carly@ChandlerChamber.com 

Kassidy Sanders 

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS & 

PROGRAMS MANAGER 

kassidy@chandlerchamber.com 

Lyle Bonfigt 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Lyle@chandlerchamber.com 

Article and member information 

submissions will be considered for 

publication if received by the 15th of each 

month for the following month’s edition. 

Get in Touch! 

8 

10 

3 CEO Update 

4 Message from 

Board Chair 

5 Sponsor Feature 

6 Mayor Hartke 

Editorial 

7 Non-Discrimination 

Ordinance 

Juneteenth 

Day 

9 Diversity, Equity 

& Inclusion 

Series 

Arizona 

Monsoons 

13 Strategy for 

Success Webinars 

14 New Members 

14 Renewal Members 

32 

26 Getting to Know 

the Board 

27 Mixers 

28 Chamber 101 

30 Toastmasters 

31 Women In Leadership 

Meet Your 

Match Job Fair 

33 Calendar of Events 

34 Chamber Board 

36 Leadership Institute 

37 Leads Groups 

38 Ambassadors 

40 Sponsors 

480.963.4571 

101 W Commonwealth Ave. 

Chandler, AZ 85225 

info@ChandlerChamber.com 

ChandlerChamber.com 

Get Social 

@ChandlerChamber 

22 

18 Community Awards 

20 Member News 

Camille Casteel 

Retirement 

The Chandler Chamber of Commerce supports business and our 

community by providing vital programs and services that attract 

and retain business while embracing our diversity. 

2 Chandler Chamber CONNECT | June 2021

PRESIDENT | CEO 

UPDATE 

Terri Kimble 

CEO 

PRESIDENT | CEO 

The work of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce is more important now, 

than ever before. 

Every day, we are working hard to be a resource of fact-based data, 

information, and education. We are advocating for policies and strategies that 

will help our members through these difficult times. We are leading by example, by 

following local, state, and federal guidelines. 

Today, we must plan for a robust economic recovery. Now is the time when chambers 

can make the biggest difference and live up to our historical reputation of being your 

champion of business sustainability and resiliency. 

This month marks my 10th year as President/CEO at the Chandler Chamber of 

Commerce. I am very proud to be serving as the longest CEO at the Chandler Chamber 

of Commerce. I am blessed by an astute group of Board of Directors that continue to 

guide and create the vision as we move forward. 

The Chandler Chamber Board of Directors recently adopted its revised Strategic Plan 

for 2021 and Beyond. We are excited about the direction as it is truly a collaboration of 

the Chandler Business community. 

2021 & Beyond Chandler Chamber Strategic Plan 

Introduction 

This document represents an 

intention to advance the Chandler 

Chamber’s reputation by developing 

goals and measurements that 

are ambitious but attainable, are 

fiscally responsible yet continue to 

improve on the quality of policy and 

advocacy on issues facing business 

and the community at large and 

the impact to the community. The 

document provides guidance on the 

implementation and management 

of the strategy using action planning 

to achieve the overarching vision and 

stay true to the mission. This strategic 

plan has the support of the Chamber 

of Commerce Board of Directors, 

members and staff regarding these 

goals and strategies to advance the 

Chamber into the future. 

History 

With a history dating back to 

1912, the Chandler Chamber of 

Commerce has an influential and 

respected voice in the community 

and province. This foundation 

provides an ideal position to 

effectively advocate for their 

members and the business 

environment. Relying on the 

experience and expertise of an 

extensive network of business and 

community leaders, we work with 

all three levels of government, 

various economic development 

entities and other partners to 

ensure the voice of business is 

heard at a local, regional and 

national level. 

The Chandler Chamber of 

Commerce is an award-winning 

organization that continually strives 

to meet and exceed the needs of 

our members. Representing over 

170,000 employees in Chandler, the 

Chandler Chamber of Commerce 

is the third largest Chamber in the 

State of Arizona. The chamber is an 

active business organization engaged 

in policy development and advocacy 

that affects the competitiveness of its 

members and their global reach. 

Purpose of the 

Strategic Plan 

The purpose of this strategic plan is 

to guide efforts in the advancement 

of the Chandler Chamber of 

Commerce. Recognizing that the 

world around us is constantly 

changing, the Chamber has 

developed this strategic plan by 

setting clearly defined goals and 

measurements, and a strategic 

agenda/operating plan to anticipate 

and respond to the ever changing 

business environment to capitalize 

opportunities to advance the 

Chamber. 

The process began with our 

Annual Membership Survey, 

input from key community and 

elected officials, information 

gathered from our industry round 

tables, and Annual Board, Staff 

and Ambassador Retreats. After 

compiling all the necessary data, 

input, and comments, we identified 

the strengths of the Chamber 

to build upon as well as areas of 

opportunity as we designed the plan. 

We also looked at issues related 

to government, community social 

trends that were happening in our 

community, technology, workforce 

needs, and our member/business 

trends. The Chamber is known for its 

strong commitment to the business 

community through engagement and 

strong connections within Chandler. 

Continued on page 25 

Visit us online at ChandlerChamber.com 

3

Jane Poston 

J2 Media 

jane@j2media.tv 

BOARD 

CHAIR 

I t’s hard to believe we’re halfway through 

2021! It’s been a year of change and 

moving quickly for just about everyone. 

The Chamber Board of Directors and staff 

have been changing with the times, and I 

wanted to share a little 

“ 

bit about what the Board 

has been working on and 

what that means to our 

members. 

First and foremost, the 

Ostrich Festival is back 

in a big way! For the first 

time ever we’re holding 

our signature event 

over two weekends and 

including a special St. 

Patty’s Day celebration. 

This has been an 

enormous undertaking as 

We continue to 

offer businesses 

everything from 

education and 

advocacy to 

networking and 

events. 

our committee worked through contracts, 

dates and details to find a way to make this 

work for the community, staff, volunteers 

and partners. We appreciate your patience, 

and hope you’ve marked your calendars 

for March 11-20, 2022! 

Like most businesses this year, the 

board is reviewing internal processes. Our 

Program & Events committee took a hard 

look at everything we do to make sure 

the Chamber is fiscally responsible and 

healthy, while meeting the diverse needs 

of our membership. We continue to offer 

businesses everything from education and 

advocacy to networking and events. 

Meanwhile managing events has been 

a moving target. We’ve transitioned from 

online networking to a hybrid process 

allowing in-person meetings while 

maintaining online access. Our staff deserves 

huge kudos for constantly adjusting to meet 

the needs of all our members. 

The Chamber has 

recently requested our City 

government join other Valley 

communities in passing an 

Anti-Discrimination ordinance. 

Following our How We 

Stand governing document, 

the Board of Directors 

unanimously voted to forward 

on this request as a public 

statement that Chandler 

is committed to a diverse 

and welcoming business 

environment as we compete 

with companies across the globe. 

Finally, if you aren’t aware, the Chamber 

moved to great new space right in the 

heart of Downtown Chandler at 101 E. 

Commonwealth. This location makes 

the Chamber even more open and 

accessible, especially as social distance 

restrictions are easing. 

And that’s just halfway through the 

year! The next six months will be just as 

busy (or even more so), but we’d love to 

hear your ideas as we look at continuous 

improvement. Feel free to drop me a line or 

call the Chamber to let us know how we can 

help you make 2022 a landmark year! 

“ 

10 Years! 

Happy Anniversary 

to our President & CEO Terri Kimble 

who celebrates 10 years at the Chandler 

Chamber this month (June 20th). 

We hope you’ll join us in congratulating 

her on a decade of success and support for 

Chandler businesses. 


CHAMBER SPONSOR 

MEMBERSPOTLIGHT 

Inspired by Love of Medicine 

Chandler High School Student Returns to Roots 

Dr. Osama Niazi, an 

electrophysiologist at the newly 

opened Heart Arrhythmia Center 

at Dignity Health Chandler 

Regional Medical Center, is proud 

to be giving back to his hometown 

and the hospital that inspired him 

to enter the medical field. Back 

in 2002, Dr. Niazi was a student 

at Chandler High School and 

spent the summer volunteering at 

Chandler Regional. Dr. Niazi was 

part of the hospital’s prestigious 

“Volunteen Program” which gives 

aspiring health care professionals 

an inside look of how a medical 

center operates. 

Following this e xperience, Dr. 

Niazi went on to earn a medical 

degree from A.T. Still University 

of Health Science. He then went 

on to complete his residency 

and cardiovascular disease 

fellowship at Rutgers New Jersey 

Medical School, and cardiac 

electrophysiology fellowship 

at New York University Medical 

Center. 

After eight years on the East 

Coast, Dr. Niazi was ready to come 

home. When he returned to 

Chandler, he had the opportunity 

to help develop the Heart 

Arrhythmia Center at Dignity 

Health Chandler Regional Medical 

Center. He says it’s a full circle 

experience to be able to now treat 

complex cardiovascular conditions 

in patients at the same hospital 

that ignited his love of medicine. 

To learn more about the Dr. Niazi 

and the Heart Arrhythmia Center, 

CLICK HERE. 

Former Chandler High student, Dr. Osama 

Niazi. 

St. Vincent de Paul 

receives check from 

Ginger Monkey 

Charity Cook Off 

Terri Kimble awards Mike 

McClanahan with St. Vincent 

de Paul a check for winning 

the Ginger Monkey Gastropub 

March Madness Charity Cook Off. 

Monique Hughes (far left) and 

Jackson Armstrong (far right), 

both with Ginger Monkey. 

The Ginger Monkey sponsored 

Charity Cook Off event was 

held in March. Terri selected St. 

Vincent de Paul as her charity for 

the event. Congratulations to all. 


5

FROM 

THE 

MAYOR 

Chandler Mayor 

Kevin Hartke 

One of my first major 

accomplishments as Mayor 

was launching the first-ever 

Strategic Framework with 

Council in 2019. Over the past 

two years, City staff has taken 

direction from this framework to 

create, reimagine and execute 

several projects and initiatives 

throughout the community that 

add to Chandler’s exceptional 

quality of life. 

Through the challenges and 

events that occurred in 2020, 

and with the addition of two 

new Councilmembers, Council 

identified a need to update 

this framework to better 

reflect the emerging needs and 

priorities of our residents and 

businesses. The original five 

areas of focus included infill 

and redevelopment, innovation 

and technology, mobility, 

neighborhoods and quality of life. 

Some of the major changes to the 

updated framework 

include: 

• A more 

prominent 

commitment to 

diversity, equity 

and inclusivity 

through an 

update to 

Chandler’s Brand Statement; 

• Broadened the focus area on 

infill and redevelopment and 

renamed it, “economic vitality,” 

to ensure as our community 

continues to grow, so do our 

tools and practices; 

• A more distinct focus 

on higher education, 

workforce development and 

entrepreneurship programs 

to feed a talent pipeline 

for employers and create 

opportunities for residents. 

It was important to Council 

that we celebrate Chandler’s 

history and diversity by making 

it a major part of the foundation 

that guides us as we plan for 

the future. A high quality of 

life, diverse job opportunities 

and safe neighborhoods are at 

the forefront of our priorities. 

Through public and private 

partnerships, participation at 

the state and national levels 

and constant civic engagement, 

we will continue to invest in the 

necessary improvements and 

changes to remain a community 

of innovation. 

You can view the Strategic 

Framework and performance 

dashboard online at chandleraz. 

gov/StrategicFramework. 

“ 

“...we will continue to invest in 

the necessary improvements 

and changes to remain a 

community of innovation. 

Chandler Chamber Business and 

Relocation Guide 

We invite you to read our Chandler Chamber 

Business and Relocation Guide, this has been 

a great way to feature various companies, and 

have their voice be heard through our business 

profiles, ad spaces, and the listing of members in 

the directory. Our business resource represents 

over 170,000 employees within the Chandler 

Chamber businesses. 

To view this year’s Business and Relocation 

Guide, CLICK HERE 

Printed copies will be available this month 


Chamber Encourages 

Non-Discrimination 

Ordinance 

All people living, working, and visiting the City of Chandler 

unequivocally deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. The 

Chandler Chamber of Commerce asks you to institute an antidiscrimination 

statute promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion 

in our city, as described in the Chamber’s 2021 How We Stand 

Legislative Guide. 

Following other Arizona cities which have adopted anti and nondiscrimination 

ordinances, Chandler is now the largest city in Arizona 

without an ordinance. Instituting an antidiscrimination statute 

would build on the significant measures Chandler’s Diversity Office 

has taken to promote an inclusive community, and clearly signal to 

businesses and individuals that we are committed to protecting the 

rights of all people. 

For the Chamber, which represents the interests of more than 

170,000 people employed by businesses operating in Chandler, 

instituting an anti-discrimination statute is essential to the continued 

vitality and competitiveness of our City within the Phoenix 

Metropolitan Area. Entrepreneurs and businesses consider many 

factors in deciding where to invest, and the city of Chandler should 

continue to meet those needs through its leadership and policy. 

On behalf of the members of the Chandler Chamber of 

Commerce, we ask the City of Chandler to institute an antidiscrimination 

ordinance to formalize our commitment to equality, 

diversity, and inclusion for the benefit of all of us living, working, and 

enjoying all the City of Chandler has to offer. 

We would like to work with the Mayor, Council, and staff to 

collaboratively develop a thoughtful and fair ordinance that 

addresses the needs of our city and of Chandler’s business 

community. 

The time is right for Chandler to step 

forward as a leader in respecting the value 

of each citizen and continuing to foster an 

inclusive and respectful community. 

How to Contact Chandler Elected Officials on 

Non-Discrimination Ordinance 

We encourage a personally written email sent to: 

Mayor Kevin Hartke | kevin.hartke@chandleraz.gov 

Vice Mayor Mark Stewart | mark.stewart@chandleraz.gov 

Council Member Christine Ellis | christine.ellis@chandleraz.gov 

Council Member OD Harris | od.harris@chandleraz.gov 

Council Member Rene Lopez | rene.lopez@chandleraz.gov 

Council Member Matt Orlando | matt.orlando@chandleraz.gov 

Council Member Terry Roe | terry.roe@chandleraz.gov 

Copy the Chandler Chamber of Commerce at 

info@chandlerchamber.com 

LEARN MORE HERE 

Inclusion and equality are 

fundamental rights and every citizen 

of Chandler deserves to be treated 

with dignity and respect. 

This ordinance reinforces our 

commitment to diversity, equity and 

inclusion within our community. 

This ordinance strikes a fair and 

reasonable balance of supporting 

inclusion in the community while 

protecting the first amendment rights 

of businesses and associations. 

The approval of this ordinance is a good 

business practice as demonstrated 

by the adoption of similar policies by 

Chandler’s large employers such as Intel, 

Paypal, NXP, Wells Fargo, Chamber of 

Commerce, and many others. 

Adoption of this ordinance will spur 

economic development. 

Approval of this ordinance adds 

Chandler to a growing list of other 

Arizona cities who have adopted a 

similar ordinance including Phoenix, 

Tucson, Flagstaff, Tempe, Winslow, 

Sedona, and, most recently, Mesa. 

While the values of diversity and 

inclusion are inherent in Chandler, the 

ordinance manifests the commitment 

of Chandler to these values. 

This ordinance reflects Chandler’s 

commitment to the movement 

for inclusion and protection of 

fundamental rights that we see 

moving through the nation. It places 

Chandler at the forefront of this 

movement. 

Chandler remains a great place to 

live, work, and play with adoption 

of this nondiscrimination ordinance 

substantiates Chandler’s commitment 

to these ideals. 

The Chandler Human Relationship 

Commission has expressed a need for a 

non-discrimination ordinance to further 

Chandler’s commitment to inclusion 

and to support our diverse citizenry. 

The Chandler Chamber supports the 

adoption of a non-discrimination 

ordinance as an added value for 

economic development in Chandler. 

THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A NON-DISCRIMINATORY ORDINANCE 


7

CHANDLER CHAMBER DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION 

WHY WE CELEBRATE 

JUNE 

TEENTH 

FREEDOM 

DAY 

ALAFIA LONG | PAYPAL 

1865 

On Monday morning, June 19, 1865, a Union 

Major General by the name of Gordon Granger 

reached his destination of Galveston, Texas 

with a very important task at hand. He was to 

immediately assume control of 2000 soldiers 

and convey a simple message to the 250,000 

enslaved people who had yet to receive the 

news:” You are free!” 

Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation 

had made it true on January 1, 1863, 

but the actual enforcement of 

the Proclamation relied on 

Union troops advancing in to 

Confederate territory. Two 

and a half years later, General 

Granger’s Galveston arrival 

signaled the beginning of the 

end of the legality of slavery, 

liberated the most remote 

slave state in the Confederacy, 

and gave us the “Juneteenth” 

holiday. 

Affectionately referred to as “Jubilee 

Jubilee 

Day 

Celebrate 

Freedom 

6/19 

Day,” Juneteenth is observed and celebrated 

annually on June 19 throughout the United 

States, as a day of joy, freedom, and jubilation. 

While early celebrations doubled as politically 

themed rallies and voting tutorials for freed 

men, modern Juneteenth celebrations are 

centered on family and togetherness, evident in 

the holiday’s gatherings. 

Juneteenth’s importance is often understated, 

as the day commemorates one of the 

single greatest turning points in 

American history, one that changed 

the lives and futures of Black 

Americans for generations to 

come. 

The Chandler Chamber’s 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

committee embraces this 

celebration of freedom and 

would like to encourage everyone 

to join in the spirit of family and 

jubilation for the Juneteenth holiday. 

8 Chandler Chamber CONNECT 

| June 2021

DIVERSITY 

EOUITY 

INCLUSION 

SERIES 

Law Enforcement & Diversity 

Thursday, June 15 | 8:00 am to 9:30 am 

This month the DEI Committee will be hosting a Roundtable 

on “Law Enforcement and Diversity,” where we will be joined 

by local Public Safety leaders to discuss the importance of 

remaining committed to diversity and inclusion while serving 

and protecting the community. 

REGISTER 

CHANDLER 

CHAMBER 

DIVERSITY, EQUITY 

& INCLUSION 

SPONSORED BY: 

Visit us online at ChandlerChamber.com 9

Preparing for 

ARIZONA 

MONSOONS 

Advice from SRP 

1 

Monsoon season in 

Arizona is here. Stay 

informed about outages. 

SRP customers have many ways to 

stay informed during an outage: 

• Sign up for free outage alerts. 

We’ll text or email you if 

the power goes out in your 

neighborhood. Get notified 

about outage causes, about 

estimated restoration times and 

when power is restored. 

• Download the SRP Power mobile 

app on iOS or Android. Use the 

app to report an outage, or use 

the interactive outage map to 

see areas without power, the 

number of customers affected, 

the outage cause and estimated 

restoration times. 

• Bookmark the SRP outage map. 

It’s a great resource to check for 

outage updates and details. 

• Follow SRP on Twitter and 

Facebook to get live updates 

during big storms. 

Whichever communication 

options you prefer, be sure to sign 

up, download, bookmark or follow 

now so that you’re ready if and 

when the power goes out. 

2 

Create a storm safety kit. 

Before the first storm hits, prepare 

an outage safety kit that includes 

the items below: 

• First-aid kit: Be sure to include 

your family’s prescription 

medications. Make sure items 

in the first-aid kit are in usable 

condition. 

• Flashlights: Ensure the batteries 

are good. 

• Battery-powered phone charger: 

Keep your mobile phone 

charged during an outage. 

• Bottled water: Have at least 1 

gallon per person. 

• Coolers or ice chests: You’ll need 

these if the outage is lengthy. 

Don’t forget any other essentials 

that may be important to your 

family. 


3 

Prepare your home for an 

outage. 

Once your storm safety kit is 

prepared, take these additional 

preventive measures around your 

home: 

• Install surge protectors to 

safeguard valuable electronic 

equipment, such as computers 

and home entertainment 

systems. 

• Know where to find each utility 

shut off, electricity, water and gas. 

Know how to turn each off, and 

have the proper tools to do so. 

• If you have an automatic garage 

door, check the instructions or 

check with the manufacturer 

to learn how to open the door 

manually (without power). 

4 

Know what to do during 

an outage. 

If an outage does occur, stay calm 

and follow these important tips to 

stay safe: 

• Turn off all major appliances, 

including your computer, air 

conditioner, TV and other media 

Top 5 Wettest 

Monsoon 

1. 9.56”/1984 

2. 9.31”/1911 

3. 7.45”/1946 

4. 7.30”/1939 

5. 7.20”/1896 

Top 5 Driest 

Monsoon 

1. 0.35”/1924 

2. 0.51”/1914 

3. 0.61”/1993 (tie) 

3. 0.61”/1932 (tie) 

4. 0.66”/2019 


11

equipment, and dishwasher. 

This will help SRP restore 

power more quickly while 

protecting your equipment from 

voltage fluctuations and circuit 

overloads when power returns. 

• Turn off all lights except one 

to indicate when the power has 

been restored. When power is 

restored, wait a few minutes 

before turning on lights and 

appliances, and turn them on 

one at a time. 

• For an extended outage, find the 

nearest heat relief station. 

5 

Remember important 

storm safety tips if 

you’re outdoors. 

While the best way to stay safe 

during a storm or outage is to stay 

in your home, here are some tips if 

you find yourself outdoors during 

a storm: 

• Minimize driving in an outage 

area, if possible. If you must 

drive through an outage area, be 

careful at all intersections. Treat 

intersections with inoperable 

traffic signals as four-way stops, 

and proceed with extra care. 

Stop at all railroad crossings, as 

the barriers may not be working. 

Proceed only when you are sure 

the tracks are clear. 

• If you see a downed power line, 

stay at least 100 feet away. 

Electricity can travel through the 

ground. DO NOT touch downed 

power lines or try to move them. 

Call 911 to report the locations 

of downed power lines. SRP, 

along with area police and fire 

departments, will respond with 

urgency to these situations. 

• If a power line hits your car 

while you are in it, stay inside 

the car until professional help 

arrives. If your vehicle catches 

fire and you must leave it, 

avoid making contact with 

the vehicle and the ground at 

the same time. Jump from the 

vehicle, landing with both feet 

together. Shuffle or hop away, 

keeping both feet in contact 

with each other until you are at 

least 100 feet from the vehicle. 

This may help prevent your 

body from becoming a ground 

path between energized and 

grounded areas or objects. 

• Do not swim during a storm. 

Lightning can strike bodies of 

water. 

• Maintain and trim trees to keep 

them healthy and a safe distance 

from power lines. If you see a 

tree growing close to a power 

line, don’t try to trim it yourself. 

Call SRP at 602-236-8888. 

• Trim dying or broken limbs that 

could dislodge during a storm 

and harm a person, damage 

property, cause outages or even 

fires. 

And finally, keep our 

phone number handy: 

(602) 236-8888. If you 

ever lose power or have 

questions, give us a call. 

https://srp.net/enews 


Strategy 

for Success 

GET CONNECTED 

WEBINARS 

June 10 

Ergonomics in your Workspace 

Corporate fitness and ergonomics specialist Drew 

Saenz will educate and coach you through postures 

and movements that will improve your physical 

wellbeing and prevent injury/fatigue. You will also 

walk away with a clear picture of how often you need 

to stand throughout the day and the movements that 

help prevent head, neck, and low back pain. 

SPEAKER: 

Drew Saenz 

Team Up Wellness 

Registration link 


How to Discover Your Zone of 

Genius and Stay There 

This fun and engaging webinar will spark 

personal productivity, professional development 

and employee engagement. 

SPEAKER: 

James Madison 

On Purpose Life 



Encore: Why Social Media is 

Like a Cocktail Party with Digital 

Media Experts 

SPEAKER: 

Mark Stewart 

Concept2Completion 


Brought to you in part by: 

Industrial Development Authority of the 

City of Chandler 


13

NEW 

MEMBERS 

MAY 

All Dry Services of 

Phoenix and East Valley 

3451 E Lynx Pl 


myalldry.com 

Arizona Elite Commercial 

2425 S Stearman Dr Suite 120, 


azelitecre.com 

Arizona Elite Properties 

2425 S Stearman Dr #120, 


arizonaeliteproperties.com 

Becky Jackson, LLC 


Elite Coffee Bistro 

2425 S Stearman Dr 


elitecoffeebistro.com 

FrazzFree 

P O Box 7475 


frazzfree.com 

Healthcare 

Solutions Team 

965 N. McQueen Rd. 


myhst.com/agent/kevin-tamlyn 

Jackie Wright 

(World Vacation Services) 

2820 S Alma School Rd 

Ste 18 PMB 486 


jackiewright.inteletravel.com 

Fairway Independent 

Mortgage Corporation 

- Mark Deacon 

55 N Arizona Pl, #103 


facebook.com/ 

markdeaconmortgages 

Mr. Rodgers Handyman 

Services LLC 


Neighborhood 

Loans West 

25 S Arizona Pl, Ste 510 


neighborhoodloanswest.com 

Oasis Senior Advisors of 

Southern Phoenix 

2834 S Greenwood 

Mesa, AZ 85212 

oasissenioradvisors.com/ 

southern-phoenix 

Stover Strong 

Insurance Brokers 

3800 S Alma School Rd, Ste. 107 


stoverstrong.com 

Team Up 

Health & Fitness 

1525 S Higley Rd, #104 

Gilbert, AZ 85296 

teamupwellness.com 

USA BMX 

298 S McQueen Rd 


usabmx.com 

NOTE: New Members as of 

5/25/2021 

MEMBER 

RENEWALS 

MAY 

Academy Mortgage 

Corporation 

1750 E Northrop Blvd, Ste 230 


academymortgage.com/about-us/ 

team/karizurn 

Member for 10 Years 

Achen-Gardner 

Construction, LLC 

550 S 79th St 


achen.com 


Alaska USA Federal 

Credit Union 

1990 E Ray Rd 


alaskausa.org 


Alliance Bank of Arizona 

3033 W Ray Rd 


alliancebankofarizona.com 


Artistic Landscape 

Solutions, LLC 

PO Box 6083 


facebook.com/ 

artisticlandscapesolutions 


AVID Consulting, LLC 

124 N. California Street #36 


avidconsultingaz.com 

Member for 1 Year 

Bell Bank Mortgage 

- The Starks Team 

4435 E Chandler Blvd, Ste 201 

Phoenix, AZ 85048 

DelaneyStarks.com 


Bin There Dump That - 

East Valley 

343 N Gilbert Rd 


gilbert.bintheredumpthatusa.com/ 

dumpster-rental-chandler 


BKD’s Backyard Joint 

980 E Pecos Rd #5 


bkdsbackyard.com 



Bonded Logic Inc. 

24053 S Arizona Ave, #151 


bondedlogic.com 


Chandler Farms LLC 

1620 E Country Ln 


chandlerfarmsaz.com 


Chapman BMW - 

Chandler 

7455 W Orchid 


chapmanbmwchandler.com 


Classy Closets 

1251 S. Nelson Dr. 


classyclosets.com 


Comfort Systems USA 

Southwest 

6875 W Galveston St 


csusasw.com 


Dan DiPomazio, CPA, PLLC 

1820 E Ray Rd Ste A113 


dipomaziocpa.com 


El Dorado High School 

3000 N Alma School Rd 


edhswolverines.com 


Fans Across America 

Charitable Foundation 

78 W Ray Rd, Ste 3 


fansacrossamerica.org 


Finance of America 

Mortgage 

275 E Rivulon Blvd Ste 200 


financeofamerica.com/RCrawford 


Fit Society AZ LLC 

2920 S Alma School Rd 


fitsocietyaz.com/ 


Fulton Ranch Towne 

Center, the Promenade 

at Fulton Ranch 

20789 N Pima Rd, #210 

Scottsdale, AZ 85255 

fultonranchshopping.com 


Gila Springs Apartments 

PO Box 63021 

Irvine , CA 92602 

gilaspringsapartments.com 


Guymon Law, PLLC 

1839 East Queen Creek Rd #3 


guymonlaw.com 


Hatfield Medical Group 

595 N. Dobson Rd., Ste D-65 


hatfieldmedicalgroup.com/ 


J2 Media 

PO Box 214 


j2media.tv 


JDR Realty 

- Debra L Schinke 

2458 S Salida Del Sol 



JX Nippon Mining & 

Metals USA, Inc. 

125 N Price Rd 


nmm-jx-group.com 


KW Commercial 

- Greg Wood 

103 W 4th St 

Benson, AZ 85602 


La Ristra 

140 N Arizona Ave 


laristraaz.com 


Legal Shield 

-Dane Everts 

10461 E Abilene Ave 


legalshieldassociate.com/deverts 


Macy’s 

3107 W Chandler Blvd 


macys.com 


MassageLuXe 

(Desert Spa, LLC) 

10652 E Pampa Ave 


massageluxe.com 


Mayo Clinic Primary Care 

San Tan 

1344 E Shea Blvd 


mayoclinic.com 


Nations Lending 

459 N Gilbert Rd A-110 


nationslending.com 


NXP 

1300 N Alma School Rd, MD: 

CH401 


nxp.com 


Parkland Memory Care 

3500 S Arizona Ave 


parklandmemorycare.com 


Photo Fusion Studio 

600 N 4th St #144 


photofusionstudio.com 



15

Pro-Energy Electric, LLC 

700 W. Bentrup St. 


proenergyelectric.com 


Pure Barre Chandler 

2413 W Musket Way 


purebarre.com/az-chandler 


Randy Kiesel, CPA PC 

180 S Arizona Place, Ste 202 


rckieselcpa.com 


Red Rock Cabinet 

Company 

5865 W Ray Rd, Ste 2 


redrockcabinets.com 


Retirement Insurance 

Specialists 

2181 E Pecos Rd, Ste 2 


rismedicare.com 


Salt River Project 

PO Box 52025 


srpnet.com 


Sonesta Select Phoenix 

Chandler 

920 N 54th St 


sonesta.com 


Southwest Value 

Partners 

7600 E Doubletree Ranch Rd, 

Ste 210 


swvp.com 


Southwestern 

Retirement Planning 

Advisors, Inc. 

3800 S Alma School Rd #123 


swretire.com 


Staples 1392 

2840 E Germann Rd 


staples.com 


Staples 1399 

4240 S Arizona Ave 


staples.com 


Toyota Financial Services 

PO Box 5012 


toyotafinancial.com 


TruWest Credit Union 

1990 W Elliot Rd 


truwest.org 


TurbineAero 

50 South 56th Street 


turbineaero.com 


Weddings to Infinity 

P.O. Box 3205 


weddingstoinfinity.com 


WingSpan Business 

Investments 

60 E Rio Salado Pkwy, Ste 900 

Tempe, AZ 85281 

wingspancorp.com 


NOTE: Renewal Members as of 

5/25/2021 

SAVE 

THE 

DATE 

Annual Chandler Chamber 

CHARITY GOLF 

TOURNAMENT 

Friday, September 24 


Don’t miss the opportunity to play at this Phil Mickelson golf property. 

Discover the desert oasis at Ocotillo Golf Club, a premier golf destination 

offering stunning golf links designed by renowned course architect Ted 

Robinson and is a recipient of Golf Digest’s 4 1/2 Star Best Places to Play 

Award. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Chandler Chamber Community 

Foundation Scholarships, helping to send students to college! 


17

JUNE 4, 2021 

TICKETS ON 

SALE NOW! 

BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY! 

CLICK HERE 

Community 

Awards 

Congratulations 

WINNERS! 

Micro Business of the Year 

Crystal Clear Results 

Small Business of the Year 

Steven M. Vogt, 

CPA, EA 

Medium Business 

of the Year 

Ginger Monkey 

Gastropub 

Large Business of the Year 

Northrop Grumman 

CHANDLER 

CHAMBER 


James R. Snedigar Public 

Service Award 

Lieutenant Zac 

Cummard 

Business Diversity in 

Action Award 

ICAN: Positive 

Programs for Youth 

Veterans Advocate 

of the Year Award 

Antrim Air 

Chandler Cup Award 

Dignity Health 

Community Cup Award 

Gila River Hotels & 

Casinos 

Chamber Cup Award 

Tyler Conaway 

CUSD Educator of the Year 

Heidi Gass 

CUSD Support Staff 

of the Year 

Pati Ramirez 

CUSD Administrator 

of the Year 

Lyndsay Hartley, 

MSN, RN 

Red Apple Educator 

of the Year 

Marianne Heim 

Red Apple Support Staff 

of the Year 

Kelly Clausen 

Red Apple Administrator 

of the Year 

Matthew FritzMiller 

Ambassador of the 

Year Award 

Kathleen Banister 

Chandler-Gilbert 

Community College 

Scholarship Recipient 

Cary McKinney 




Liliana Simpson 




Naomi Sullivan 


19

MEMBERNEWS 

AvAir honored with 

Innovative Approach to 

Wellness 

The Phoenix Business Journal 

named AvAir the 2021 Healthiest 

Employer – Micro Category Winner. 

Before the pandemic, AvAir’s 

approach to employee wellness 

included group and one-on-one 

sessions with a personal trainer, 

consultations with doctors and 

meal prep from a local company. 

After about a month of working 

from home, AvAir was able to come 

back to their offices in the spring 

of 2020, following CDC guidelines. 

AvAir then worked with its personal 

trainer on how to hold classes 

again. The team used apps to work 

with the personal trainer and to do 

group workouts. 

Mike Bianco Recognized 

as CEO of the Year 

industry moving and have played a 

critical role in creating solutions to 

help airlines throughout the 

pandemic.” 

Zovio Receives 2021 

‘Working Together’Award 

from City of Chandler 

Zovio, an education technology 

services company that works with 

higher education institutions and 

employers to deliver educational 

programming and benefits, 

received a 2021 Volunteer 

accomplishments, and relationships 

with the city, nonprofit partners, 

and those in need. It is awarded 

to 10 individuals and only one 

organization each year. “Giving back 

has always been a top priority at 

Zovio,” said Jennifer Love Bruce, 

Zovio’s VP of community relations. 

“We are very proud to offer 16 

hours of paid time off every year to 

volunteer, and over the years, our 

employees have taken advantage 

of that benefit to donate more 

than 160,000 hours of their time 

to the community.” In the past 

Airline Economics’ Aviation 100 

Awards Recognizes Top Leaders in 

the Aerospace Industry and named 

Chandler-based AvAir CEO, Mike 

Bianco, as “CEO of the Year.” CEO of 

the Year is judged on the 

performance of the company over 

the past 12 months, personal 

involvement with deals, expansions, 

agreements and suppliers. “It’s an 

honor to be named as a top ten 

industry leader alongside 

prominent figures in aviation and I 

believe it shows that the industry 

understands the importance of the 

aviation aftermarket,” said Mike 

Bianco, CEO of AvAir. “Companies 

like AvAir are necessary to keep the 

SanTan Brewing Company On A Mission To 

Reduce CO2 Emissions 

SanTan Brewing Company has invested in an Earthly Labs System 

that recaptures the carbon dioxide that is naturally produced by 

the fermentation of beer. The CO2 is then stored as a liquid and 

repurposed to carbonate SanTan beers. SanTan has also installed a 

nitrogen generator which will purify the ambient air and eliminate 

the use of CO2 for purging aluminum cans, kegs and tanks at its 

production facility. The combined use of these two new pieces of 

equipment will reduce SanTan Brewing’s CO2 emissions by over 50% 

per year, resulting in 500 metric tons of CO2 that will no longer be 

added to Earth’s greenhouse gas emissions. 

For more information: https://santanbrewing.com 

Recognition Award from the City 

of Chandler in the category of 

“Working Together.” The award 

recognizes impact to the local 

community through gifts of time, 

year, Zovio stepped up to address 

many of the needs created by the 

pandemic. This includes donating 

$25,000 to the Arizona Coronavirus 

Relief Fund, sponsoring the 


Chandler Chamber of Commerce’s 

#BusinessStrong COVID-19 relief 

program, and providing executive 

leadership and online learning 

materials to the Chandler Unified 

School District to support virtual 

learning for students as they 

transitioned to online learning. 

Mickelson Golf 

Properties Raised 

$25k for Fallen Officer 

Christopher Farrar 

Mickelson Golf Properties pledged 

to donate all green fees from 

rounds played on Tuesday, May 4th 

at McDowell Mountain Golf Club, 

Ocotillo Golf Club and Palm Valley 

Golf Club to benefit the family 

of Fallen Chandler Police Officer 

Christopher Farrar. They announced 

that they raised $22,208 from the 

day’s green fees from the three 

clubs. On Monday, May 10th, 

Mickelson Golf Properties coowner, 

Steve Loy, presented a check 

for $25,000 to Angela Harrolle, 

President/CEO of the 100 Club 

of Arizona, to directly benefit the 

Farrar family. 

Crexendo VIP: Business 

Communications with 

100% Uptime Guarantee 

Crexendo recently announced the 

planned acquisition of NetSapiens, 

who, according to Frost & Sullivan, 

is the 4th largest and fastest 

growing business communications 

platform on the market with over 

1.7 million users on their platform. 

VIP lets you communicate with 

Video, Interactions, and Phones. 

Video, voicemail, messaging, 

SMS, fax, integrations, Team Chat, 

and mobile, browser and desk 

phones give you the power to 

communicate in the most effective 

ways for your business. Click for 

more information. 

Seton Catholic 

Preparatory to Start 

eSports Team in Fall ‘21 

A 2017 National Blue Ribbon 

School, Seton Catholic Preparatory, 

has announced its plan to form 

and launch a full-fledged eSports 

program when the 2021-22 school 

year starts. The eSports program 

is in response to the growing 

opportunities available to students 

through interscholastic gaming, 

and Seton will be searching for 

coaches over the next few months. 

The program will offer many of 

the popular competitive gaming 

titles, including the AIA-sponsored 

games of Rocket League, League of 

Legends, Madden ’21 and FIFA ’21, 

along with others that will allow 

students to participate in online 

tournaments. ESports also gives 

students another opportunity to 

earn scholarships to college. 

99 Ranch Market offers large selection of Asian groceries 

99 Ranch Market, the leading Asian grocery store chain, opened its first store in the Grand Canyon State, in 

Maricopa County’s city of Chandler. 99 Ranch Market’s new location will make 1 of the top 10 largest cities 

in Arizona its home and is only a short drive away from the heart of Downtown Chandler. The store’s grand 

opening was Saturday, May 29. The store is located at the cross streets of North Dobson Road and West 

Chandler Blvd. All customers are invited to get the first-hand experience of a 44,085 square foot 99 Ranch 

Market. The store departments include: 

• Grocery: 99 Ranch is known 

for its unique Asian dry grocery 

selections, the most popular 

snacks, the authentic sauces 

• Produce: 99 Ranch offers a wide 

range of fresh vegetables/fruits 

• Premium selections of meat 

and poultry from USDA 

inspected facilities. 

• Live Seafood: With over 400 

selections of live and frozen 

seafood 

• Full-Service Bakery and Hot Deli 

Ribbon cutting held Saturday. 


21

Chandler Unified Superintendent 

CAMILLE 

50 

CASTEEL 

RETIRING AFTER 

Years 

As a child, Camille Casteel aspired to be a 

teacher. She played the instructor role as a 

preschool child by practicing on her dolls or 

younger siblings. 

She fulfilled that goal in 1971 when she was hired to teach first grade at 

Erie Elementary in the Chandler School District. Little did she know at 

the time, she was a budding young leader. This month the community 

pays tribute to the most influential person in CUSD’s storied history 

as Dr. Camille Casteel retires after serving the community for 50 years, 

including the last 25 as superintendent. 

Camille’s career as a first grade teacher lasted until 1983, when she 

was named principal at a new school built in the far reaches of the 

Chandler District, Weinberg Elementary. A local news story emphasized 

the fact that she was the first female principal in the Chandler School 

District. The school flourished under her enthusiastic leadership and 

was recognized for two consecutive years as the top elementary school 

in the state by the Arizona Board of Education and later as a nationally 

recognized school by the United States Department of Education in its 

first nationwide Elementary School Recognition Program. 

The superintendent at the time, Dr. Ted Perry, quickly realized this 

young woman was an exceptional leader and he invited her to move to 

a district level position of assistant superintendent in 1986. Though she 


insisted she would rather remain 

a principal for the rest of her 

career, she was convinced to join 

the district office leadership team 

where she served until 1996 when 

she was named the district’s first 

female superintendent. 

Camille’s years as 

superintendent were largely 

years of hyper growth for the 

City of Chandler, and for the 

80 square mile school district 

which actually includes portions 

of five municipalities, though 

the majority of the district 

is in Chandler. In 1996, there 

were 15 schools in the district 

and the student population 

was approximately 16,000. 

During her tenure, the district 

expanded to include nearly 

46,000 students and is currently 

the second largest employer 

in the city of Chandler with over 

5000 employees. Dr. Casteel and 

her team managed the extreme 

pace of growth by building 28 

schools and ensured parity in 

older schools with the completion 

of over twenty major renovation 

projects. An astute fiscal manager, 

she garnered multiple grants to 

assist in the implementation of 

district priorities and created 

multiple partnerships with entities 

such as Intel. She enthusiastically 

supported working with the cities 

of Chandler and Gilbert to offer 

amenities to students as well as to 

the community through projects 

such as the Center for the Arts, the 

“ 

Dr. Casteel and 

her team managed the 

extreme pace of growth 

by building 28 schools 

and ensured parity in 

older schools with the 

completion of over 

twenty major renovation 

projects. 

“ 

Perry and Hamilton libraries and 

swimming pools. 

A leader is often judged by his/ 

her response to the challenges she 

faces. If so, Camille has certainly 

scored high on the scale. When 

the legislature approved the 

concept of charter schools, she 

met the potential threat with 

determination. Even though there 

are over 25 charter schools within 

the CUSD boundaries vying for 

students, Camille has kept the 

district thriving and growing. 

When demographic trends 

reduced the population in the 

older areas of the district, she 

recognized the financial impact 

of operating schools designed 

for a much larger population. 

Accordingly, she repurposed 

three schools in that area, 

using a process dedicated to 

ensuring that those affected 

by the changes were included 

in the decision-making. The 

success of all three repurposed 

schools has been stunning. 

Her previously mentioned 

efforts to compete with charter 

schools has resulted in a wide 

variety of choice for parents 

within the district, such as 

traditional elementary schools, 

leadership academies, STEM 

diplomas, two gifted academies, 

sports academies, dual language 

programs and many more choices. 

So, too, a leader may be judged 

by his/her efforts to contribute 

to the community. Dr. Casteel’s 

compassion and empathy for 

others is a well known facet 

of her character and has been 

made manifest in many ways. She 


23

created a Child Crisis Fund funded 

primarily through voluntary staff 

donations so that children and 

families undergoing major illness 

or trauma can receive financial 

assistance. The San Marcos Family 

Resource Center was opened in 

1995, followed by the Chandler 

Care Center in 2010, a cooperative 

effort between the school district 

and community partners to 

provide medical, dental and social 

services for under and uninsured 

families. She has served on many 

boards and organizations, such as 

the American Heart Association, 

the Dignity Health Foundation, the 


and the Chandler Chamber of 

Commerce Foundation Board. 

And, those who frequent her 

office know that on her desk, she 

keeps a list of staff members and 

students who are going through a 

hard time. She keeps them in her 

thoughts, perhaps calling them 

occasionally, or writing a note to 

them and most certainly, offering 

a prayer for them. 

Dr. Casteel attributes much 

of the district’s success to the 

strategic plan, Journey 2025, and 

how it has been implemented. 

It may look like a typical 

organizational plan, with a 

mission, vision, core values and 

a commitment for the district 

to be recognized as a “premier 

district of choice recognized at 

the national level.” But it may 

be unique in the manner of its 

execution. It is safe to say that 

nearly every district employee 

is aware of the plan as well as 

the metrics by which success is 

measured. Complete transparency 

is an important component, and 

the public can view the entirety of 

the plan as well as the metrics and 

outcomes by viewing the district 

website. Certainly, this district 

has achieved a stellar reputation, 

earning an “A” grade for each of 

the years that school districts were 

graded through the Arizona Learns 

program. Niche.com, a statisticsbased 

organization, ranks the 

Chandler School District as the 

number one district in the state. 

It would be difficult to overstate 

the impact of Dr. Casteel’s strong, 

steady leadership on the district. 

Eddie Basha, one of the Chandler 

District’s strongest supporters 

summed it up well in a personal 

note to Camille in which he said, 

“In your note to me, Camille, you 

said that Chandler Schools has 

been the best thing to happen to 

you professionally. I have to tell 

you the reverse is even truer: you 

are the best thing ever to happen 

to Chandler schools.“ 


2021 & Beyond Chandler Chamber Strategic Plan from page 3 

Appreciating accomplishments 

enables a focus on the positive and 

easy identification of attributes and 

achievements that can be leveraged 

in moving forward. Strategic Priorities 

and action planning led to the 

development of this strategic plan. 

Our Strategic Priorities: 

• Be Member Driven 

• Be the Chamber of Influence 

• Be the Champion of our 

Community 

• Be an Organization of Excellence 

• Be the Place for Advancement & 

Innovation 

This new strategic plan will 

provide a direction and vision 

for our committees and member 

investors with the intention of 

strengthening our organization 

internally thereby allowing us to 

impact our community in a positive 

manner. 

Mission Statement 


Commerce supports business 

and our community by providing 

vital programs and services that 

attract and retain business while 

embracing our diversity. 

Vision Statement 


Commerce will be acclaimed as 

a leader and catalyst to facilitate 

business prosperity and foster a 

premier community. 

Values 

The operations and decisionmaking 

processes of the Chandler 

Chamber of Commerce are guided 

by a set of organizational values. 

The Chamber’s Board of Directors, 

Committee Chairs and Staff are 

expected to exhibit each of these 

values while acting in their capacity 

as a representative of the Chamber. 

The values listed below are not to 

the exclusion of other values, traits, 

responsibilities and expectations 

of staff, committee, and board 

members. The values are meant 

to provide a framework to achieve 

organizational vision, mission, and 

goals. With this in mind, we will 

incorporate our values into our 

messages and actions. 

• Be Advocates – We will advocate 

on behalf of our members for a 

fair and equitable environment 

that empowers business towards 

success. 

• Be Collaborative - We will 

welcome opportunities for 

cooperation and inclusion in our 

community. We will work towards 

a common vision. 

• Be Engaged – We will create 

opportunities for involvement 

and listen to the needs of our 

members. 

• Be Professional – We will exhibit 

attributes of highly-regarded 

professionals and offer our talent 

and expertise for the betterment 

of our community. We will act 

with integrity and adhere to 

the highest ethical standards in 

everything we do 

• Be Innovative – We will invest in, 

guide and support innovation 

that matters to our members and 

our community 

Our Strategic Priorities - 

at a Glance 

BE MEMBER DRIVEN 


Commerce will create value 

that will exceed member 

investment and ensure retention 

and continued growth through 

educational programming, 

networking opportunities and 

business advocacy, recognizing 

that businesses join chambers for a 

variety of reasons. 

BE THE CHAMBER OF INFLUENCE 


Commerce has a powerful voice 

that is used to influence both 

political and economic decisions 

on the local, state, and federal 

level. It is critically important for 

this organization to continue to be 

the voice of our local businesses 

to ensure that our local and 

state policies and regulations are 

beneficial to business everywhere 

and our membership base. 

BE THE CHAMPION OF OUR 

COMMUNITY 


Commerce will be a leader in 

promoting the area’s business 

attributes, as well as a catalyst for 

identifying and solving community 

challenges through collaboration 

with business, government, and 

residential interests. 

BE AN ORGANIZATION OF 

EXCELLENCE 

A Chamber of Commerce that 

operates at its maximum potential 

provides the greatest benefit to 

its members and employees. The 


will achieve operational excellence 

through the implementation 

of best business practices, 

enhanced financial stability and 

accountability to ensure future 

viability and an environment that 

promotes the engagement and 

professional development of its 

volunteers and staff. 

BE THE PLACE FOR 

ADVANCEMENT IN OUR 

COMMUNITY 

Our community thrives on the 

success of business. To ensure our 

business leaders are successful, 

we will provide a roadmap to 

the resources available in the 

community. In addition, having 

a place to develop relationships 

is vital to the advancement of 

business as well as the community. 


Commerce must be the navigator 

and chart the course for developing 

leaders and connecting them to 

resources within the community. 


25

Getting to 

know the CHAMBER BOARD 

DUNSTON SIMPSON 

Cox Business 

Dunston Simpson has over 20 

years’ experience unleashing 

sales talent both as an 

individual contributor, trainer, 

and now as a technology leader 

for Cox Business. 

Dunston enjoys family, 

friends, and is always pursuing 

experiences worthy to the communities he serves 

and traveling abroad. Additionally, over the past 

12 months, Dunston has transformed his ability to 

connect with those virtually and volunteering time 

with current and future entrepreneurs. 

KURT JOHANSEN 

Western State Bank 

Kurt has lived in Arizona for 

more than 50 years and in 

Chandler since 1996. In 1989, 

Kurt started his banking career 

at United Bank of Arizona 

and over the past 30+ years, 

Kurt has remained in banking, 

currently working as Director 

of Commercial Lending for 

Western State Bank here in Chandler. Kurt and his 

wife Stacy have 3 kids, all attending Chandler public 

schools. In addition to serving on the Chandler 

Chamber Board of Directors, Kurt serves on the 

Chandler City IDA Board and is currently in his 

seventh straight year of serving on the board for the 

Chandler Compadres. 

GREG FONTAINE 

Air Products and 

Chemicals 

With more than 30 years in 

manufacturing, Greg Fontaine 

is committed to serving his 

customers, team members, and 

community. As an accomplished 

site manager of one of the 

largest U.S. based industrial gas 

facilities within the Air Products 

and Chemicals fleet, Greg remains focused on safety, 

integrity, continuous improvement, and managing a 

diverse work team. 

With a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration 

and in Leadership & Management from Ottawa 

University, Greg is energized by opportunities to grow as 

a leader in a challenging Air Separation market. He has 

a tremendous passion for excellence and truly enjoys 

sharing his knowledge and experiences with others. 

Having raised five children, he appreciates the 

importance of balancing a successful career with 

being a supportive husband, father, and mentor. Greg 

is also an Army Veteran. 

SALLY PUTNAM 

NOW Financial 

Sally Putnam is a CERTIFIED 

FINANCIAL PLANNER TM , 

Certified Divorce Financial 

Analyst, founder and owner 

of NOW Financial, a Chandler 

based Financial Planning firm. 

She is privileged to serve 

her clients with any of their 

financial planning needs and questions. She has a 

passion for helping those who are going through the 

divorce process and assist them getting back on track 

financially as well as emotionally 

In 2020 Sally was honored by the Chandler 

Chamber of Commerce and named the Micro 

Business of the Year! 

In her spare time, you can find Sally rooting for 

the Denver Broncos or Arizona Cardinals, yes in that 

order! She loves playing with the dogs, hiking, biking 

and supporting the community whenever possible. 


MIXERS 

CHANDLER CHAMBER 

NETWORKING 

Join us in-person to promote 

your business to fellow 

Chamber members. 

Wake Up Chandler 

Wednesday, June 9 

8 am to 9 am 

This is a great opportunity to grow your business. Be 

prepared to give a 30 second commercial about your 

business. Meet, connect, and network with other 

members. The deadline to donate door prizes is noon 

the day before the event. 

Contact: barbara@chandlerchamber.com 

with your door prize information. 

REGISTER 

SPONSORED BY: 

Business After Business 

Thursday, June 17 

4 pm to 5:30 pm 

Current, active, registered Chamber 

members are eligible for the 

Chamber Cash Pot now at $3,900! 

This is a great opportunity to meet and connect with 

other members of the Chamber. You must be present 

to qualify for the $3,900 and be registered by 12noon 

the day of the event. 

The deadline to donate door prizes is noon the day 

before the event. 

Contact: barbara@chandlerchamber.com 

with your door prize information. 

REGISTER 

SPONSORED BY: 


27

CHAMBER101 

LEARN | GROW | SUCCEED 

JUNE 24 | 8:00 - 9:00am 

This is a great way to put your business 

on the fast-track to success! 

Learn how the Chamber can help you make connections, and gain 

access to valuable resources and educational programming. Meet 

the Chamber staff, ambassadors and committee members. 

Network in breakout rooms to talk about 

your business and share ideas. 

REGISTER 

Sponsored in part by the Industrial Development of the City of Chandler 


Same-Day Cash Back | More Ways to Use Points | New Fandom Card | Exclusive Sports HQ Offers 

@PlayAtGila | PlayAtGila.com | 800-WIN-GILA 

Owned and operated by the Gila River Indian Community 


29

Does speaking in public 

make you nervous? 

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit organization designed 

to help individuals become better communicators through 

leadership training and public speaking. This virtual opportunity 

is available to Chamber members and the public. Attendees 

will learn about the benefits and value of being a Toastmasters 

member, discuss the charter process, and have the opportunity 

to submit their applications for membership. 

Meetings are held virtually, every 1st and 3rd 

Tuesday of the month at 7 am. 

Attendees will learn to: 

• Combat the fear of public speaking 

• Build confidence 

• Sharpen leadership abilities 

• Improve improvisation 

• Expand one’s network 

Nothing will improve your presentation skills more than practice. 

Engaging in public speaking opportunities whenever possible gives 

people an increased command of their delivery impact. Joining a 

Toastmasters Club is an invaluable opportunity to practice public 

speaking skills regularly in a safe, supportive environment. 

CLICK HERE for more information 

CONNECT 

CONTACT US 

Your Business! 

Advertise your business in the monthly Chamber 

eMagazine, CONNECT! Reach thousands of businesses 

each month in digitally published electronic magazine. 

1/4 Page: $100 

1/2 Page: $200 

Full Page: $375 

All Ads Include Digital Link(s) 

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MONTHLY DEADLINES—SPACE: 15th | Art: 25th 

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must commit 

space to 3, 6 

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consecutively. 


Congratulations to these amazing recipients: 

Shannon Clark, Attorney; Jeff Delp, CUSD; Tom Escabedo, ICAN; 

Shawn Hancock, Chandler Police Department; Steve Hewitt, CUSD; 

Pankaj Likhmania, Consultant; Tudor Melville, Suntech Circuits & Hope 4 Life; 

Milben Mesias, Coach; Shawn Mitchell, CUSD & Chandler4Change; 

Junior Spivey, Living Your Dream Foundation; Carlos Vargas, Chandler Fire Department; 

Scott Veach, Chandler Police Department; Kiran Vedantam, Makutu’s Island 

HYBRID EVENT 

Meet the 2021 Chandler Lifestyle 

Magazine Men of Chandler 

Tuesday, June 15 | 11:30 am to 1:30 pm 

Join us for an in-depth look into Chandler Lifestyle 

Magazine’s Men of Chandler. These incredible men 

bring their stories to life filling everyone with 

admiration and inspiration. 

REGISTER 

Choose to attend 

virtually or in-person 

CHANDLER 

CHAMBER 

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP 

SPONSORED BY: 


31

EETMATCH 

YOUR 

V I R T U A L 

JOB 

FAIR 

Chandler businesses 

are hiring, and we want to 

help connect job seekers 

in the community with 

the job of their dreams! 

CLICK HERE to visit our 

virtual job board and 

view positions that are 

currently available. 

Are you hiring? Send the following info to marketing@chandlerchamber.com to have 

your openings added to our job board, and shared with the community. 

Company Logo | Title of Position(s) Available | Link to apply OR email to send resume 


JUNE 

CALENDAR 

OF EVENTS 

JUNE 4 

5:00 pm – 7:30 pm 

2021 Annual Community 

Awards Ceremony 

Join us for the virtual party of 

the year! We will be honoring 

this year’s award recipients 

in a brand new virtual event 

platform! Guests will have 

the chance to celebrate the 

outstanding businesses and 

individuals and network with 

each other! New this year- each 

attendee will receive a party 

pack in the mail to continue 

the celebration at your home 

or office- with a raffle ticket for 

fun prizes included! 

Register to receive the link & 

special instructions. 

JUNE 9 

8 am – 9 am 

Wake Up Chandler Mixer 

Start the morning by 

networking with other 

businesses and be prepared to 

give a 30 second commercial. 

Click on registration link for 

details and guidelines. 

Sponsored by Steven M. Vogt, CPA 

and Video Chat Game Show. 

JUNE 10 

10 am – 11 am 

Strategy for Success 

Webinar 

“Ergonomics in your 

Workspace” 

Speaker: Drew Saenz, 

Team Up Wellness 

Sponsored in part by the Industrial 

Development of the City of Chandler. 

JUNE 15 

8 am – 9:30 am 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 

Roundtable 

“Law Enforcement & Diversity” 

The Diversity, Equity, and 

Inclusion committee is excited 

to present our next quarterly 

roundtable, a panel discussion 

with local Public Safety leaders. 

Sponsored by Toyota Financial 

Services, PayPal, Intel, Wells Fargo, 

Edward Jones -Terri McKibbin, APS, SRP 

11:30 am – 1:30 pm 

Women in Leadership 

“2021 Men of Chandler” 

Meet the incredible men who 

make Chandler a better place 

to live, work and raise a family. 

This month’s event will be 

a hybrid event. Click on 

registration link for details and 

guidelines. 

Sponsored by PayPal, Toyota 

Financial Services, Intel, Soho63, Gila 

River Hotels & Casinos, Wells Fargo 

and the Industrial Development of 

the City of Chandler. 

JUNE 17 

10 am – 11 am 


Webinar 

“How to Discover Your Zone of 

Genius and Stay There” 

Speaker: James Madison, 

On Purpose Life 



4 pm – 5:30 pm 

Business After Business 

Join us for Business After 

Business. Click on registration 

link for details. Attend in 

person, network and win door 

prizes and more! 

Sponsored by Price Mortgage, 

CertaPro Painters Business and 

Commercial Services, and Video Chat 

Game Shows 

JUNE 24 

8 am – 9 am 

Chamber 101 

Learn how the Chamber can 

help your business grow and 

succeed during this virtual 

program. 

Sponsored by the Industrial 


10 am – 11 am 


Webinar 

“Encore: Why Social Media 

is Like a Cocktail Party with 

Digital Media Experts” 

Speaker: Mark Stewart, 

Concept2Completion 



REGISTER HERE 

and pick your event from 

the calendar 


33

CHAMBER 

BOARD 

TWENTY TWENTY ONE 

Jane Poston 

J2 MEDIA 

2021 Board Chair 

Terri Kimble 

CHANDLER 

CHAMBER 

President/CEO 

Rick Heumann 

CMA 

Incoming Board 

Chair 2022 

Molly Bell 

GODADDY 

Immediate Past 

Board Chair 

Richard Amoroso 

SQUIRE PATTON 

BOGGS 

Legal Counsel 

Ex-officio 

Jackson 

Armstrong 

GINGER MONKEY 

GASTRO PUB 

Crystal Blackwell 

CRYSTAL CLEAR 

RESULTS, LLC 

Hilen Cruz 

SALT RIVER 

PROJECT 

Jason Dawson 

LOCAL LISTING PRO 

Greg Fontaine 

AIR PRODUCTS 

AND 

CHEMICALS, INC 

. 

Kate Ford 

PAYPAL 

Lori Gallegos 

FIRST CREDIT 

UNION 

Michael Garza 

PAYROLL CONTROL 

SYSTEMS 

Dr. Craig Gilbert 

CUSD 

Ralph Guariglio 

ARIZONA 

RESIDENTIAL 

& COMMERCIAL 

REALTY 

Mayor 

Kevin Hartke 

CITY OF CHANDLER 

Ex-officio 

Dezbah Hatathli 

ARIZONA 

DEPARTMENT OF 

TRANSPORTATION 

Kurt Johansen 

WESTERN STATE 

BANK 

Justin John 

ALLIANCE BANK 

OF ARIZONA 

34 Chandler Chamber CONNECT | January 2021

Andrea Marconi 

FENNEMORE CRAIG 

DOWLING AARON 

Steve Murphy 

HORSESHOE BEND 

ENERGY 

Warde Nichols 

ARIZONA STATE 

UNIVERSITY 

Brian Peters 

TOYOTA FINANCIAL 

SERVICES 

Dr. Greg Peterson 

CHANDLER- 

GILBERT 

COMMUNITY 

COLLEGE 

Mahes Prasad 

US BANK 

PRIVATE WEALTH 

MANAGEMENT 

Sally Putnam 

NOW FINANCIAL 

Linda Qian 

INTEL 

CORPORATION 

David Ralls 

COMMIT AGENCY 

Laura Robertson 

BANNER DESERT, 

CARDON 

CHILDREN’S 

MEDICAL CENTER, 

BANNER OCOTILLO 

Deliah Rose 

GILA RIVER 

HOTELS & CASINOS 

Joan Saba 

SABA’S WESTERN 

WEAR 

Chamber 

Foundation Liaison 

Ex-officio 

Jerry Sanniec 

LASER CREATIONS 

Dunston 

Simpson 

COX BUSINESS 

SOLUTIONS 

Mark Slyter 

DIGNITY HEALTH 

CHANDLER 

REGIONAL 

MEDICAL CENTER 

Delaney Starks 

BELL BANK 

MORTGAGE 

THE STARKS TEAM 

Judge Jay Tibshraeny 

MARICOPA 

COUNTY JUSTICE 

COURT SAN 

MARCOS DISTRICT 

Ex-officio 

Farah Tuten 

NXP 

SEMICONDUCTORS 

Jessie Vaca 

COMPASS 

CHRISTIAN 

CHURCH 


35

CCCF LEADERSHIP 

INSTITUTE 

Issue Day Focuses on Media and Personal 

The Chandler Chamber 

Community Foundation 

Leadership Institute Class 37 

completed another successful 

Issue Day, in a hybrid format- with 

participants attending either 

in-person or virtually! May’s 

Issue Day highlighted Media. 

The focus on this session was to 

provide an understanding of how 

media and personal branding are 

critical to maintain successful 

communication, and how to 

leverage various platforms to 

deepen your impact as a leader. 

The class had the opportunity 

to meet with the Chandler Police 

Department and Chandler Fire 

Department Public Information 

teams to learn about the 

critical communication with the 

community regarding public 

safety. Later on, the class had 

the opportunity to attend a 

workshop with Mark Stewart, 

Concept2Completion which 

focused on ways to elevate 

one’s personal brand, and ways 

to continually contribute as 

thought leaders through various 

online platforms. Following this 

workshop, the class toured the 

City of Chandler studio and 

received a behind the scenes 

look at the production process 

of both live and pre-recorded 

programming. The day concluded 

with the group’s fourth Diversity, 

Equity & Inclusion workshop, 

facilitated by Tyler Conaway 

with PayPal, which focused on 

the importance of inclusivity 

as it pertains to employee 

engagement, brand management, 

and marketing initiatives. 

SPONSORED BY: 


LEADS 

GROUPS 

In-Person Meetings 

Chandler Chamber leads groups are designed 

to stimulate business development in the 

community. The groups offer a forum for members 

to build relationships with other members that 

will generate sales leads, educate potential 

customers about member 

businesses and expand 

networking opportunities. 

This opportunity offers 

the ability to do business 

with people you know, 

CHANDLER 

CHAMBER 

like and trust. Email info@ 

chandlerchamber.com for 

more information. 

Wednesday Morning 

Leads Group 

7:30 am – 8:30 am 

Wednesday Ocotillo 

Lunch Leads Group 

11 am – Noon 

Wednesday Lunch 

Leads Group 

Noon – 1 pm 

Thursday Morning 

Leads Group 

7:30 am – 8:30 am 


37

MEET OUR CHANDLER CHAMBER 

AMBASSADORS 

Angie Poirier 

Tatum Insurance 

Kathleen Bannister 

Mountain Sage Realty 

Christine Wenger 

Nations Lending Mortgage 

Sally Putnam 

NOW Financial 

Ambassador 

of the Month 

Congratulations 

Renee Richeson 

of Signarama Chandler, the 

Chandler Chamber May 

Ambassador of the Month! 

Outstanding Ambassadors for May 

THANK YOU to all the Chandler Chamber Ambassadors for 

their dedicated efforts in helping to support Chamber members 

and the business community. Kudos to the following ambassadors 

for their extra efforts in May: 

Crystal King 

Arbonne International 

Interested in becoming 

a Chandler Chamber 

Ambassador? Develop 

new business contacts 

and increase community 

recognition! Must be an 

active member of the 

Chandler Chamber for at 

least 3 months. CLICK HERE 

for more information. 


AMBASSADORSPOTLIGHTS 

Get to Know the Chandler Chamber Ambassadors 

Seth Tucker 

Price Mortgage 

602-799-7721 

www.pricemortgage.com 

Seth is a mortgage broker with Price Mortgage. He 

has built his reputation on establishing trust, being 

dependable and efficient. He’s an avid reader, and 

always up to date, working diligently to make sure you 

are treated fairly with speed and accuracy. Seth lives in 

Chandler with his wife, Ashley and their two sons. Seth 

is fluent in Spanish, and also knows an out of this world 

salsa recipe. In his spare time, he enjoys quick trips to 

Northern Arizona with his family. Seth is very active in the 

Chamber, being an active ambassador, sponsor, and he is 

currently going through the Leadership Class. 

Michael Garza 

Payroll Control Systems 

480-325-4045 

www.pcspay.com 

From Bakersfield, CA, Michael moved to Arizona in 2000. 

After holding positions raising capital, sales, retail, and 

B2B, Michael started a job with Payroll Control Systems in 

2013 and is celebrating his 8-year anniversary. Fortunate 

to grow with the company, Michael moved from team 

leader to regional manager, to the director of sales and 

marketing position. He is passionate about being able to 

help businesses. He enjoys being a mentor, team leader, 

and trainer. Joining the Chamber in 2012, it wasn’t long 

after that he was recruited to be an Ambassador. Michael 

currently serves as an Ambassador, co-chairs the Ostrich 

Festival, and is one of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. 

Harvey Gibson 

Landings Credit Union 

480.967.9475 X1038 

Fax 480.966.3026 

Harvey Gibson serves as the Business Development 

Officer at Landings Credit Union, where he has been 

employed since 2003, helping members achieve their 

financial goals. He joined the Chandler Chamber of 

Commerce and the Ambassadors Committee in 2000. 

He has volunteered at numerous chamber events and 

has served on several nonprofit boards in the community. 

Harvey grew up in suburban Kansas City earning a B.S. 

degree in Education at Missouri State University before 

moving to the valley in 1990. Harvey enjoys history, 

bicycling and woodworking. Harvey and his wife Dara and 

their grandson Haydan live in Tempe. 

Tim Boyles 

Weichert Realtors – 

Courtney Valleywide 

480-776-7066 

https://timothy-boyles. 

courtneyvalleywide.com 

Tim Boyles was in the corporate world of accounting 

before switching careers to become a licensed realtor. He 

brings the same commitment and professionalism from 

the corporate world to helping his clients through the 

entire process of buying or selling a home. Tim has been 

married 13 years to his wife Karla and host exchange 

students on a yearly basis from all over the world. Tim is 

actively involved with the Chandler Chamber and been a 

member since 2018. Tim is a veteran who proudly served 

his country in the Air Force. 


39

SPONSORS THANK 

YOU 

CHANDLER INDUSTRIAL 

DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Chandler Chamber Connect Magazine June 2021

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