SEPTEMBER 2014

4 The ‘art’ of downtown Phoenix’s revitalization

5 Incubators help businesses take flight

6 Arizona’s burgeoning biotech industry

7 Coffee industry jolts state’s economy

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AZ winemaster grows a best-in-class vineyard

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Buy tickets attasteofthebiltmore.com

The NB|AZ Corporate Headquarters is located at 6001 N 24th St in Phoenix. Admission includes complimentary valet parking.

National Bank of Arizona to Host Eighth Annual Taste of the Biltmore Thursday, October 2, 2014

NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA (NB|AZ) is excited to

announce its eighth annual Taste of the Biltmore

event, which is scheduled for Thursday, October

2nd from 6 to 9 p.m. at the NB|AZ Biltmore

Corporate Center. This highly anticipated kick-off

to the fall social season will bring the best of the

Biltmore community together to enjoy unlimited food and

wine tastes from over 20 local restaurants.

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Act One

Foundation (AOF), an organization that provides educational

field trips to visual and performing arts centers for Arizona

students. AOF provides transportation and resources

to underserved public school children so that they can

experience art and culture within their communities. In its

inaugural year, AOF benefitted more than 6,000 K-12 public

schoolchildren in Maricopa County.

“NB|AZ Taste of the Biltmore is the perfect way to bring

the community together to enjoy delicious cuisine, while

giving back to the community,” said Jathan Segur, executive

vice president of wealth strategies for NB|AZ. “Each year, the

attendance grows allowing us to offer tremendous support to

our designated beneficiary, and we are thrilled to contribute

to the Act One Foundation for a second year.”

Participating restaurants include some of the Valley’s

most recognized names: Blanco Tacos, Central Bistro, Del

Frisco’s, The Capital Grille, True Food Kitchen, Zinburger Wine

& Burger Bar, amongst many others.

Purchase your tickets in advance for $45 online or $60

at the door. To purchase tickets or to find out more about

the event, including a full list of participating restaurants,

please visit tasteofthebiltmore.com.

NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA has always known one very simple truth: It’s not so much what you do, but how you do it that matters. Since our founding nearly 30 years ago, NB|AZ has been determined to do things differently.

When thinking about ways to deepen our connections with our clients we were resolved to produce a piece worthy of your time. We felt it should foster a sense of community and celebrate what’s right with Arizona.ElevateAZ tells the stories of passionate people across the state

who are making it a great place to live, work and dream. We are proud to count many of these trailblazers as clients and are honored to share their stories. Stories like Eric Glomski’s, the subject of our feature article and the owner and wine master of Page Springs Cellars. Eric believes that wine is a direct reflection of the terrain in which it grows. “People, like grapes,” he says, “are shaped by their environment.”

We couldn’t agree more. Our roots grow deep and stretch across the state. We are proud and privileged to serve the financial needs of the people and businesses of Arizona. We work with so many inspiring Arizonans every day and hope that as you experience ElevateAZ, you will feel as we do…Elevated!

PUBLISHER National Bank of Arizona

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Vance, mark.vance@nbarizona.com

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Michelle Jacoby, michelle@pb-jcreative.com

MANAGING EDITOR Jenavi Kasper, jenavi.kasper@nbarizona.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR, NB | AZ Nick Bradshaw, nick.bradshaw@nbarizona.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PB+J CREATIVE Pamela Norman, pnormandesigns@me.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER Chris Adams, cwadams@me.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bruce Farr, Angela Muñiz

PHOTOGRAPHER Mark Lipczynski, mark@marklipczynski.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Grace Stufkosky

Elevate AZ magazine may contain trademarks or trade names owned by parties who are not affiliated with National Bank of Arizona, Zions Bancorporation, or its affiliates. Use of such marks does not im-ply any sponsorship by or affiliation with third parties, and National Bank of Arizona does not claim any ownership of or make representations about products and services offered under or associated with such marks. Articles are offered for informational purposes only and should not be construed as tax, legal, financial or business advice. Please contact a professional about your specific needs and advice. © 2014 National Bank of Arizona.® All rights reserved.

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ON THE COVERTapping into one of Arizona’s richest resources, Page Springs Cellars uses authentic Arizona oak to make its wine barrels. To read more about this innovative winery in the Verde Valley, go to page 8. Photo by Grace Stufkosky.

Go to ElevateAZ.com to add your name to the subscription list.

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PB+J CREATIVEcontent + photography + design2040 S. Alma School Road, Suite 1-312Chandler, AZ 85286602-821-9164

NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONACorporate Center6001 N. 24th St.Phoenix, AZ 85016602-235-6000

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ON FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, the 2014 Arizona Leadership Forum—with the support of its founding sponsors National Bank of Arizona, the Phoenix Philanthropy Group and the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation—will convene to present, discuss and debate the critical issues facing Arizona.

Corporate, nonprofit and government leaders from across our state will gather to review the progress that has been made in the last year, further clarify the challenges and present opportunities for citizens from every sec-tor to get involved. In the words of 2013 keynote speaker Jim Collins, attend-ees will “seize the opportunity for Arizona to achieve greatness.”

This year’s keynote speaker is Seth Godin, best-selling author and authority on marketing and transformational leader-

ship. Godin and numerous respected community leaders will share their views on how to

elevate Arizona, not by “rebranding” our state, but rather “reclaiming” the brand that is rightfully Arizona’s. Independent, entrepreneurial, caring and forward thinking are the characteristics of a strong Arizona.

National Bank of Arizona is proud to be

the founding partner of this movement

and we encourage every Arizonan to

get engaged and learn more. For more

information, visit arizonaleadership.org.

Seeing the future…

…isn’t so difficult when you’re the one creating it

LEADERSHIP

The Arizona Leadership Forum welcomes keynote speaker Seth Godin, best-selling author and marketer. JILL GREENBERG

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Teeing Up SuccessAccording to Brad Wright, NBAZ commercial banker and former assistant golf

professional at Pine Canyon in Flagstaff, all successful golfers share several

characteristics with successful bankers.

“To be successful in banking and golf, you need to have confidence in your

ability to achieve your clients’ goals, the ability to focus on the specific objec-

tive at hand even when things are rough, a knack for creative thinking to find

the right solution and a competitiveness that fuels your efforts,” he says.

Wright brings these special traits to every client relationship he develops at

NBAZ. To read more about one of those relationships, check out this month’s cover feature on his

client Page Spring Cellars, one of the leaders of the Arizona wine industry.

To learn more about our state’s growing reputation for wine visit arizonawine.org.

FOR THE FIRST TIME in our country’s history, the American workforce is made up of people from these five generations who are bringing their unique perspectives to the workplace. Like many other busi-nesses, National Bank of Arizona faces this exciting challenge to effectively lead, motivate and communi-cate with this cross-generational mix.

NBAZ president and CEO Keith Maio focuses on building multi-generational leaders within the

organization who always bring a fresh point of view and embrace change.

“Listening to perspectives from all generations is vital to building a successful organization,” he says.

To learn more about Maio’s views on cross-

generational leadership, be sure to check out

the September issue of AZ Business Magazine or

visit azbigmedia.com/az-business.

Fresh Perspectives

1 Traditionalists

(born before 1946)

2 Baby Boomers

(born 1946 to 1964)

3 Gen X

(1965 to 1976)

4 Millennials(1977 to 1997)

5 Gen 2020(born after

1997)

A Winning CombinationNational Bank of Arizona is proud and excited to announce that it is now the official bank of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. As part of a multi-year agreement, National Bank of Arizona will offer co-branded Phoenix Suns credit and debit cards as well as Phoenix Suns branded checks.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. We share so much in com-mon with both organizations, particularly in terms of elevating the reputation of our state and celebrating a winning culture,” says Mark Vance, NBAZ vice president of marketing.

In addition to the co-branded credit and checking products, NBAZ will work very closely with the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Suns Charities to provide support and recognize those individuals

and organizations across the state that are helping build a better community.

“We were proud to be named the Phoenix Suns Charities Corpo-rate Partner of the Year for 2014 and we look forward to continuing

that strong relationship,” says Vance.

To learn more about Phoenix Suns Charities,

visit nba.com/suns/suns-charities.

PARTNERSHIP

Brad Wright

Toast to friendsSample wine and cuisine from 20 local restaurants with your friends and neighbors at the eighth annual Taste of the Biltmore, held on Thurs., Oct. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the NBAZ Corporate Center, 6001 N. 24th St., Phoenix.

“After a long hot summer, it’s great to be able to welcome so many friends, old and new, to our home and enjoy some great food, wine and each other’s company all while benefiting a great cause,” says Jathan Segur, NBAZ executive vice president of wealth strategies.Tickets can be purchased in ad-vance online a tasteofthebiltmore.com or at the door for $60. Admis-sion includes complimentary valet parking. All proceeds benefit the Act One Foundation, a statewide organization that provides perform-ing arts field trips to underserved public schools. Find out more about

Act One at act1az.org.

Hungry for more?Check out these NBAZ events:

Sept. 30Are You Ready for Gen Y?Debunk the myths of this demo-graphic and learn how they can be an asset to your organization. 10:30 a.m. High Country Conference Center, 201 W. Butler Ave., Flagstaff.

RSVP by Sept. 17 at events@nbari-

zona.com

Oct. 30Fraud Detection and Protection SeminarLearn the ins and outs of fraud detection and protection. 11:15 a.m. National Bank of Arizona, Corporate Center, 6001 N. 24th St., Phoenix, AZ

85016, 602-235-6000

UPCOMING

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The fresh ideas that Rainey

and others were hatching swept

through the downtown district like

wildfire.

“It happened literally in weeks,”

Rainey says. “It was a sea change

for Phoenix, the first time I think we

ever felt we had a cultural walking

district. It went from 10 or 15 people

doing First Friday Artwalk, to what

it is today—thousands of people

coming down on a regular basis

to enjoy the downtown area. It

changed people’s perception of

the city—entirely.”

Roosevelt Row, or RoRo as

the arts zone is called, is today

a flourishing cultural oasis in

the city’s urban core, a desirable

stop on the Valley Metro light rail

system where residents and visi-

tors alike regularly flock to enjoy

a fully walkable creative district

with a national reputation for arts

and cultural events, award-winning

restaurants, galleries, boutiques

and live music.

“It’s changed the energy of this

city,” Rainey says, “and brought a

refreshing sense of promise to the

downtown.” Bruce farr

ARTS &CULTURE

IF EVER THERE was a moment in

Phoenix’s recent history when a

number of factors converged to

help jumpstart the downtown’s

revival as a hub for arts, hip retail

and all things cultural, it certainly

might have been in the fall of

1999 when an energized, young

Arizona native named Wayne

Rainey had an epiphany, of sorts.

Rainey, who was then in

his early 30s, had grown up in

downtown Phoenix, where he

nurtured a strong attachment

to and love for the city. Like a lot

of perceptive Phoenix business

people at the time, Rainey, a

professional photographer and

artist, didn’t like what he saw

happening to the Phoenix of his

memory. As he and others observed

it, the city seemed to be evolving

into a colossal, overdeveloped

suburb, leaving downtown

somewhat empty and lifeless.

“I was really frustrated that

Phoenix seemed to have no urban

heart,” Rainey says of that time.

“We were bent on development and

we didn’t do our homework—we

didn’t do any of the infrastructure

work that really builds communi-

ties and gives them their soul.”

So he decided to do something

about it. As a lifelong resident,

he knew he had one significant

advantage working in his favor.

“The great thing about Phoenix,”

Rainey says, “is that if you have

the will and the patience, you can

effect all the change you want.

And you don’t have to be a multi-

millionaire to do it.”

Rainey got the ball rolling by

purchasing an old warehouse on

Roosevelt Street to serve as his

studio, in, as he describes, “one

of the roughest neighborhoods in

the city.” Dubbing it monOrchid, he

transformed the warehouse into an

arts collective of sorts, an arresting

enclave of galleries and studio

space where artists, musicians,

re ~vitality

technology gurus and other

visionary entrepreneurs could work

individually or collectively in what

might be described as a giant,

arts-focused think tank.

Rainey is quick to point out that

he wasn’t driving his vision single-

handedly.

“People like Local First Arizona

founder Kimber Lanning; Greg

Esser, co-founder of the Roosevelt

Row Community Development

Corporation; Cindy Dach of Made

Art Boutique; artist and entrepre-

neur Derick Suarez and a handful

of others were instrumental in

those early days,” he says.

At the same time as he was

getting monOrchid up and run-

ning, Rainey noticed that another

building—a dilapidated 14-unit

apartment complex across the

street—was vacant and, in his

words, was “a blight on the neigh-

borhood.” He purchased that as

well, named it Holgas and, in a deal

with the city, converted two of the

units into prime gallery space and

the others into attractive, afford-

able housing, primarily intended for

struggling artists.

As a dynamic agent of change, Wayne Rainey has found his ‘bona fides’

➺ First Fridays. Downtown Phoenix’s signature art event includes art gallery tours, compelling exhibits, live en-tertainment and local vendors. Monthly.

➺ Third Fridays. Like its older sibling, Third Fridays is focused more on the arts-focused crowd, including collectors and art aficionados. Monthly.

➺ Art Detour. A two-day event featuring studio tours, pop-up galleries and exhibits, bike and walking tours, kids activities and local food trucks. Spring 2015.

➺ Art d’Core Gala. Annual formal affair filled with music, dancing, food and drink, as well as a virtual tour of downtown art spaces. Spring 2015.

For more of downtown’s art scene, check out these events*:

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« Roosevelt St »

N 7th St

4th St

3rd St

E Portland

E Garfield

1 monOrchid

2 Modified Arts

3 FilmBar

4 MADE Art Boutique

5 five15 arts

ROOSEVELT ROW ARTS DISTRICT Also known as RoRo, this creative district in downtown Phoenix is known for its arts and cultural events, restaurants, galleries and boutiques. Here are just a few stops along the way:

*Events subject to change.

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Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication

TRAILBLazERS

A SAMPLING OF AZ'S HATCHERIES

1 Innovations Science and

Technology. Businesses: Amkor, Fairchild Semiconductor.

2 TechBA Arizona. Businesses:

Technology-focused startups in Mexico.

3 BioAccel. Businesses:

Stimwave Tech-nologies, Yolia Health.

4 Tallwave. Businesses: Sooh

Media, Wholesalefund.

5 Seed Spot. Celebrate

Autism, Box Play for Kids.

OVER THE PAST few decades, the proliferation of small business startups in Arizona has occurred at a startling pace. In fact, just a few years ago, CNN’s Money magazine called Arizona “a sizzling spot for startups,” and listed it among the top 10 most entrepreneurial states.

Part of Arizona’s success in fostering new business has to do with a slew of business incubators that have sprung up throughout the state, with the express purpose of helping grow startups in a variety of ways.

As a metaphor for what they do, the term “incubator” couldn’t be more appropriate. Like a climate-controlled environment designed to nurture and protect newly-hatched chicks, business incubators have created facilities that take fledgling businesses under their protective wing, supporting them in their early growth stages. The incubation takes many forms, among them subsidized rental space, business and management counseling, shared office space and even access to capital.

“When incubators succeed, the results can be spectacular,” notes Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council. “Arizona has many innovation programs that have served as strong catalysts for our local startups, and two of the most successful ones come out of our universities.”

As Zylstra explains, the Arizona Center for Innovation from the University of Arizona has helped emerging companies such as DemeteRx Pharmaceuticals develop novel therapeutics to sensitize tumors. And Arizona State University’s Venture Catalyst incubator has been ranked as one of the best university incubators in the world, having launched Jobing.com and other notable companies.

“The really good news is that there’s a lot of collaboration in Arizona’s innovation ecosystem as a

the hatcheryBusiness incubation in Arizona is growing as fast as the businesses it helps take wing

whole,” Zylstra adds. “Collectively, they have set a clear mandate to be on the forefront of creating new wealth in our state and building a sustainable economy with high paying jobs.”

A few years ago, as the incubators’ success rate accelerated, the state created an association to help balance and support the services they provide. The Arizona Business Incubation Association (AzBIA) was founded in 2011 as a way to help share information and services among the growing crop of Arizona incubators. The association currently boasts more than 20 members all over the state, from NACET, the Northern Arizona Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology in Flagstaff, to the Arizona Center for Innovation in Tucson.

While AzBIA members all share one overarching goal, they’re widely diverse in their particular missions. Phoenix-based TechBA Arizona, for instance, is a business accelerator program designed to support technology-focused Mexican businesses as they attempt to enter global markets.

Another member, Seed Spot, is a nonprofit incubator located in downtown Phoenix focused on helping local entrepreneurs turn their ideas into successful ventures—a format like many incubators, but with a twist.

“Seed Spot is focused exclusively on social entrepreneurs: those launching products or technologies that improve people’s lives or communities,” says co-founder and CEO Courtney Klein. “We do not take equity in the ventures we work with—entrepreneurs leave owning the same percentage they came with.”

As for what the incubator explosion means for Arizona, Klein says the creativity and innovation is just what our economy needs.

“We need more innovation, creativity, art, dreams, design and impact to really put [Arizona] on the map,” she says. “Entrepreneurs gather around other entrepreneurs, creatives go where creativity breeds, and investors flock in that direction.”   Bruce farr

Seed Spot, a nonprofit incubator in downtown Phoenix, is focused on helping social entrepreneurs turn ideas into successful ventures.

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Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication

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B IOSCIENCE AND biotechnology, two of the fastest-growing health-related industries in the country, have a welcome—and expanding—presence in Arizona. More than 100,000 Arizona-based medical professionals in 850 facilities are using biotechnology to

address innovative healthcare treatments for such diseases as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and autism. With targeted medicine-based research and diagnostic tools, they’re also helping to bring more advanced and affordable drugs to the medical marketplace.

The list of Arizona-based bioscience researchers and practitioners is lengthy, but some of the most high profile include Barrow Neurological Institute, the Biodesign Institute at ASU, BIO5 at the University of Arizona, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, and the Arizona Cancer Center. They are joined by a cadre of clinical research partners, business incubators with bioscience-specific resources, patient advocacy groups and economic development partners.

One key area of biotech research and diagnostics is genomics, the study of the human genome or genetic “map.” This exciting new field of research and practice is showing impressive results in the treatment of complex diseases.

sixth“c”

Arizona-based TGen (short for the Translational Genomics Research Institute) is one of the most progressive facilities of its kind in the United States. Founded in 2002, the nonprofit facility is under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey M. Trent, an internationally recognized scientist seeking breakthroughs in genetic research that ultimately lead to advances in treatment of a variety of diseases.

TGen’s $46 million state-of-the-art building forms the cornerstone of the Phoenix Biomedical Campus (PBC), a bioscience and medical research center that is home to TGen and other biomedical-related research, academic and clinical programs. TGen’s work has been dynamic, to say the very least.

In January 2012, a skin cancer drug tested by TGen in partnership with Scottsdale Healthcare received full approval by the FDA. Vismodegib (marketed under the name Erivedge) is showing enormous potential in the treatment of inoperable basal cell carcinomas.

TGen will also use its genomic expertise to aid the Neuroblastoma and Medulloblastoma Translational Research Consortium (NMTRC) in important clinical trials aimed at finding

treatment strategies for children with neuroblastoma, a rare pediatric cancer.

In addition, patients at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare were among

the nation’s first to participate in a study to determine the safety and effectiveness of drugs designed to treat advanced pancreatic cancer. This also resulted in FDA approval of Abraxane for advanced stages of this disease.

As a part of its strategy, TGen is establishing critical partnerships with key representatives in academia, government agencies, and clinical and corporate entities in Arizona and around the world. For example, in cooperation with the University of Arizona, TGen’s MindCrowd.org is an interactive online study of Alzheimer’s disease, which has already drawn more than 32,000 partici-pants from the U.S. and more than 100 countries.

At the core of TGen’s work, however, is the increasing significance of the human genome, and its efficacy in furthering treatment and cures for diseases that were long considered nearly lost causes.

“The human genome will be the textbook of medicine for the next 100 years,” says Trent.   bruce farr

az Works

biotech boom

Nghia Millard, who works in TGen's Cancer and Cell Biology Division, performs a test to identify proteins in a brain cancer sample.

BIOSCIENCE BY THE NUMBERS

22 PERCENTincrease in employment in bioscience-related fields since 2007

23,545

employed in 1,300 bioscience firms in 2012

409 MILLION dollars in bioscience-related R&D expenditures by state academic institutions in 2012

1,400 bioscience-related patents issued since 2009

Source: Arizona Bioindustry Organization

Burgeoning biotech industry is putting Arizona on the medical map

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Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication

How coffee will take its place among Arizona’s leading economic resources H

ALF A DOZEN people are

standing around a table

slurping coffee from

spoons. They’re at the

Press Coffee Roasters

roastery in Phoenix,

sampling eight different

bean varieties and roast profiles in

a process called “cupping.”

The noisy tasters are a

seemingly random, yet telling,

cross section of the state’s ever

growing coffee industry, which is

positioned to become the sixth “C”

of Arizona’s five resources: copper,

cattle, cotton, citrus and climate.

They are: a local consumer looking

to bring coffee to Arizona’s office

break rooms, a new roaster who

rents time on Press’s equipment,

the Press Coffee roasting team,

and Press owner Steve Kraus.

Kraus was one of the first to

bring the concept of “third wave”

specialty coffee to Phoenix when

he opened his first shop in 2008. At

that time, national franchises had

Arizonans in the habit of ordering

a daily dose of customized coffee

drinks. Third wave—a movement

to produce high-quality coffee

through improved growing,

harvesting and processing

techniques—was taking it to the

next level, focusing on bringing out

distinct flavors in coffees during

the roasting and brewing process.

In the passing six years, Press

Coffee has moved from its original

location to the Scottsdale Quarter

and now leases a roasting facility

in Phoenix. It is set to open a

coffee shop in an innovative

apartment complex and is helping

a pair of new roasters start their

own company.

“It’s a natural process for

Arizona to grow in coffee. Specialty

coffee is being recognized more

and more by the consumer, and

there is a lot of information out

there to learn,” Kraus says.

In September, Press is planning

to open a shop in the Skywater

Luxury Apartments in Tempe as part

of a number of amenities for the

residents. The complex looks at a

coffee shop as no different than a

pool, says Kraus. It’s a concept that

was unheard of just a few years ago.

It’s also what makes Arizona’s

coffee leaders like Kraus so open

to helping new roasters into the

industry. Press is leasing time

on its roasting equipment to

newcomers Nom de Plume

Roasters. Owners Niko Kovacevic

and Harlin Glovacki left their jobs

as baristas to move into roasting

because they wanted to share

what they had learned.

With costs of top-of-the-line

FOOD &DRINK

sixth“c”th

e Harlin Glovacki (left) of Nom de Plume Roasters and Alex Mason of Press Coffee sample coffees at a cupping at Press’s roastery in Phoenix.

roasters and other equipment

starting at $50,000, Glovacki sings

the praises of coffee leaders like

Press and Cartel Coffee, based in

Tempe with locations in Scottsdale

and Phoenix.

“We couldn’t be in a position we

were in without them,” he says.

“A few years ago, you might

have been able to get by on a

lesser quality roaster,” says Kraus.

“But now the demand is for quality.

Harlin and Niko have a great busi-

ness plan and model. They need to

use a high-quality roaster.”

Alex Mason, Press general

manager, explains that where spe-

cialty coffee is now, new roasters

in the market are not competition.

“There is differentiation in the

source of your coffee and your

roast profile,” he says. “Also, every

customer out here is creating a

new base. More specialty shops

will open more people’s eyes to

what specialty coffee is.”

Kraus’s eyes, on the other

hand, are always on what’s next

not only for coffee, but also for

Press. He’s looking for locations

for a flagship store and as is

expanding both in Arizona and

out of state.

“There are markets that are

still untapped,” he says.   Angela

Muñiz

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Eric Glomski is pouring a glass of wine and talking about rocks. He started Page Springs Cellars 10 years ago the way most entrepreneurs do—with long hours, personal investment and sweat. For Glomski, that meant turning over stones as he tilled the historic land around the spring the winery is named for. ¶ As he relates these beginnings, we think of the Robert Frost poem at the same time: “Good fences make good neighbors.”

Story Angela Muñiz Photos Mark lipczynski

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For Glomski, this is not just a literary reference, but also a real parallel to his life and business. For him, the past decade has been about community and home, pride and passion.

“What makes a place home is landscape and peo-ple,” he says. “A spiritual, emotional connection.”

From the earthThe wine he is pouring is an example of what he’s talking about. The Landscape is a blend of Petite Syrah, Syrah, and Mouvedre all grown on the estate. The deep, evolving flavors are a representation of the volcanic earth and waters that create the Page Springs terrain. This is Glomski’s driving passion for the winery.

“Wines are about places and grapes,” he says. “Arizona became home when I felt connected to a place and grew as a human being.”

That connection and growth meant moving impediments, from rocks to preconceptions. Glomski has been a leading force in putting Arizona and the Rim Country on the international wine map.

As he’s strived to use Arizona’s natural resources, he’s created a range of partnerships with local farms and businesses to create award-winning vintages. The accolades have brought people from around the world to the small town of Cornville.

This sleepy town was once on its own road less traveled, a detour on the drive to Sedona with its oasis-like beauty overshadowed by its neighbor’s famous red rock formations. Now, tour buses bring Sedona visitors down for daily tastings and Phoenicians make the trek up the rim for special releases or a break from the heat.

Guests are invited to walk the property and wander through the vines, the herb garden and past the Page Spring. Most congregate on a large patio overlooking Oak Creek and the swimming hole where all of Glomski’s children learned to swim. It’s a sampling of all the ingredients Glomski works into his wines.

Strong as oakBut there are two pieces yet to come. Glomski continues to turn ideas in his head like rocks on his land. He’s been slowly building a supply of oak barrels from Arizona’s one dozen species of oak.

“Barrels are like skin,” he says. “Putting wine in barrels is about aging—breathing—not about oak flavor.”

He continues with an example. “Aging a wine in a stainless steel barrel creates a tight, edgy, fruity wine. It’s young, like a teenager. An oak barrel creates a soft, balanced, wiser wine.”

Glomski explains that an oak barrel is a conduit that enhances where a wine is from. Just another step in creating a distinctive Arizona terroir.

A bright ideaGlomski is also putting one of Arizona’s brightest resources into action: solar power. The winery is building solar panels in its parking area that will generate 85 percent of the energy for the estate. This is a project he couldn’t have taken on without help, and he credits National Bank of Arizona for being a partner in his ideas while letting him maintain his business philosophies.

“NB | AZ has been an amazing partner. They don’t beat us up when we want to do a cool project like solar,” Glomski say. “To buy this property, I sold my house and rented in Sedona. To grow to this size…” His voice trails off for a moment. “It’s amazing to grow horizontally without new business partners.”

NB | AZ has worked with Page Spring Cellars since 2008. Commercial banker Brad Wright, who leads the account and has been working closely with Glomski, explains that for large-scale solar project, NB | AZ has a designated solar group that assists with tax credits and other financial needs.

For small businesses, there is a leasing program. This is the partnership Page Springs and NB | AZ have for the cellar’s project. NB | AZ is financing 100 percent of the costs in an equipment lease-to-own loan with contractor Solar Equipment. In seven years, Page Springs will own the panels and take over managing and running them.

Natural leaderWright says it’s the perfect fit for Page Spring’s size and Glomski’s management style.

“Eric likes to do things on his own, which is part of his success,” Wright explains. “Management is the key. Eric treats his employees so well. He can withstand different things, and is there 24/7. He lives across the street from the property and he’s right there picking grapes, crushing, doing it all.”

The Arizona wine industry is young, but [Page Springs] is the best in class in what they do, Wright continues.

“That’s why we’re comfortable in growing with them. They are a driving force in the Arizona wine industry and we’re looking forward to seeing what Arizona wineries do. Eric has put us on the map,” he says.    

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Page Spring Cellars 1500 N. Page Springs Road, Cornville 928.639.3004 pagespringscellars.com

Arizona is ripe with wineries and vineyards in the Sonoita, Willcox and Verde Valley wine trails. Here are just a few. For a complete list, visit arizonawine.org.

SONOITA/ELGIN

Callaghan Vineyards, Elgin

Dos Cabezas WineWorks, Sonoita

Flying Leap Vineyards, Elgin

WILLCOX

Pillsbury Wine Company

Sand-Reckoner Vineyards

Lawrence Dunham Vineyards

VERDE VALLEY

Arizona Stronghold, Cottonwood

Caduceus Cellars, Jerome

Four Eight Wineworks, Clarkdale

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Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication

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At Page Springs Cellars, owner Eric Glomski is committed to keeping things local. He uses Arizona's natural resources— such as wine barrels made from Arizona's dozen species of oak (below, right), and fresh ingredients from local farms for the winery's tasting room menu (below,left)—to not only to celebrate the state's high-quality products, but also to support local businesses and boost Arizona's economy.

Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication

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Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication

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Tucson, AZ HOTEL CONGRESS

Steeped in history, the Hotel Congress has become the foundation of downtown Tucson’s economic growth. In recent years, the area around the iconic landmark has seen an influx of arts, entertainment, retail and dining establishments, bringing a fresh, energetic vibe to one of Arizona’s most historic places. Photo by Mark Lipczynski