Volume 2012, Issue 5

The Chamber Vista A monthly publication of the Sierra Vista Area Chamber May 2012

Volume 2012, Issue #5

“We Mean Business”

An Update from

Executive Director

Amanda Baillie

2

Loan Program for

SSVEC Business

Members

2

Member Spotlight 3

Chamber Staff

Spotlight:

John Hargraves

3

Chamber Calendar 4

Events at A Glance 5

Benefits of Hiring a

Veteran

6

City Partners with

EPA Watersense

6

Member Page 7

Board of Directors/

Chamber Staff

8

Congratulations to the winners of the Chamber’s Business of the Year Awards, presented

in April. The recipient of our first Home Based accolade went to CerendipiTees (Top

Left), a t-shirt printing and design company. Pet boarding facility Goin’ To Grandma’s

(Top Right) won the Small Business award , and the Large Business of the Year was gov-

ernment contractor CGI (Bottom Left). Randy Sueskind (Bottom Right), of Cherry Creek

Radio, was announced as the 2011 Ambassador of the Year.

Annual Installation and Business Awards Dinner

Join us Thursday, May

17th for Wake Up Sierra

Vista. This event allows

you to network over

breakfast, learn something

new about your commu-

nity from local leaders,

and promote your busi-

ness, in just one hour.

Jim Shockey, Dean of the

University of Arizona

South, (pictured right)

will be discussing higher

education

and how

education is

connected

with busi-

ness, work-

force and

economic development in

Sierra Vista and Cochise

County. He will discuss

the challenges facing

higher education and how

partnerships can help to

overcome these chal-

lenges.

Pre-registration is $15 for

Chamber members and

$25 for Non-Chamber

members and at the door

prices are $20 for Cham-

ber members and $30 for

Non– Chamber members.

To pre-register for this

event please visit the

Chamber’s website at sier-

ravistachamber.org.

Network and connect at Wake Up Sierra Vista

This month we are trying

something new at our Busi-

ness At Twilight.

For the first time, this popular

networking event will be

hosted by our neighbors in

historic Bisbee.

In recent months, we have

seen an increasing number of

Bisbee businesses join our

Chamber.

And we are more than happy

to help them market their

goods and services to Sierra

Vista and beyond.

When the Bisbee After 5

group asked if it could host

the BAT, we thought it was a

great idea, and we hope you

will join us in supporting this

active and creative business

association.

Every month, Bisbee After 5 and

its members stage an art walk

where restaurants, art galleries

and retail stores stay open later

than usual and offer culinary

treats to visitors.

The organization is recreating

this event especially for the

Business At Twilight on Thurs-

day, May 10, and we think it will

be a lot of fun.

Due to technical difficulties, the

transportation we had been plan-

ning to provide is now unable to

join us.

However, we are encouraging

our members to car pool for the

short drive to Bisbee to partici-

pate in what we know will be a

highly enjoyable evening.

Those who wish to car pool

should meet at the Chamber at

5:15 p.m. – the first 35 members to

arrive, who would have secured a

place on the bus, will instead be

eligible to enter a drawing to win a

$50 credit toward their annual

membership dues. You must be

present at the drawing in Bisbee to

win.

We will then head to Bisbee,

where more than a dozen busi-

nesses will be waiting to host our

members.

After taking a leisurely stroll

through the historic town, we will

all meet in Peddler’s Alley on

Main Street at 8 p.m. for the usual

drawings and networking, before

driving back to Sierra Vista.

Our monthly BATs are always

well attended, and we hope this

event will be no exception.

Chamber Update by Executive Director Amanda Baillie

“Our monthly BATs

are always well

attended, and we

hope this event will

be no exception.”

Page 2 The Chamber Vista

Zero Interest loan for energy effi-

ciency upgrades*

The Arizona Corporation Commission

has set new energy efficient require-

ments for utilities to help lower energy

consumption for all utilities. This

helps the utilities postpone upgrades

driven by growth and building new

power plants. SSVEC is growing, so

every kWh that we can help you save

will be used by someone new and we

don’t have to expend funds to find en-

ergy for the new guy.

This program is to help businesses

make energy efficiency improvements

in their properties. Perfect for lighting

upgrades, replacing old inefficient

HVAC equipment, loading manage-

ment systems, almost any-

thing. Interest rate is at 0% with no

pre-payment penalties.

The Sierra Vista Area Chamber took

advantage of the program to upgrade

its lighting and HVAC systems.

“Over a six month period in 2011 the

Chamber saw a 15 percent drop in its

monthly electricity bill, compared to

the same period in 2010,” said Execu-

tive Director Amanda Baillie. “The

upgrade also allowed the Chamber to

lower it’s monthly billing rate and we

have continued to see the benefits. We

are always looking at ways to provide

more efficient services to our members

and the loan program has helped to do

that.”

Approval of the loan is based on the

following:

Must be a Co-op member for at

least one year

Must own the property or have the

owner as a co-applicant

No more than two late payments in

the last year

Project has to have a reasonable

rate of return (Savings on your electric

and gas bills)

Secured by a lien on the property

For more information, please contact

David Bane at 520-515-3472.

*This is a pilot program with limited

funds and is subject to change without

notice.

Don’t forget that SSVEC also offers

Free Energy Audits, rate checks, and

rebates for high SEER Heat Pumps.

Loan Program for SSVEC Business Members by David Bane, SSVEC

Page 3 Volume 2012, Issue 5

Member Spotlight: Berean Pre-School by Executive Director Amanda Baillie

When Rachel Waterbury joined Be-

rean Pre-School as its Director in

August 2010, there were just six

children enjoying the facility.

Today, that number has steadily

grown to 30 and the school is hope-

ful that will continue to increase in

years to come.

Located at 4699 E. Highway 90 in

Sierra Vista, Berean Pre-School is

housed in the former home of Be-

rean Academy, a local charter

school.

While the original vision was to

have the pre-school act as a natural

pre-cursor to the academy, Berean

Pre-School has since become an

independent entity, which views

itself as more of a cousin of its lar-

ger namesake.

Financed through its tuition fees,

Berean Pre-School mainly caters

for two to five-year-olds, but is also

licensed to care for children up to

the age of 12, which it often does

during its summer programs.

Its two full-time teachers and three

part-time staff are responsible for

instilling the children with Chris-

tian values.

A part of the ministry of Oasis

Foursquare Church, Rachel be-

lieves this is a very positive aspect

of what the pre-school provides.

“A Christian pre-school appeals to

many families,” she said. “We are

teaching the children how to make

good choices, but also how to learn

from the consequences of those

choices. The Character Counts pro-

gram is also a large part of what we

do here.”

Currently licensed for 59 children,

Rachel hopes the facility will con-

tinue to welcome local students and

grow into the spacious classrooms

left behind by the Academy.

For further information on Berean

Pre-School, contact 458-2236 or

visit www.bereanpreschool.com

Would you like your business to be

featured in the Member Spotlight?

Join us at our next Business at Twi-

light for your chance to win this

free benefit.

John was born in Philadelphia, PA. and

grew up as a military dependent. He has

lived in places such as Germany, Ha-

waii, Georgia, Washington, Maryland

and Virginia. After graduating from

high school in Arlington, VA., John was

hired by the local telephone company

C&P Telephone as a Customer Service

Representative while attending Prince George’s College.

He later met his bride of 28 years, Karen. They have two

daughters, Kristina and Kara. He and his family moved to

Brooklyn, NY. for two years and then moved to Sierra

Vista from an early visit through a high school friend.

He accepted a position as an installer with the local cable

company, Desert Cablevision, and rose through the com-

pany to become the Marketing Manager. He stayed on for

seven years through the various company acquisitions, TCI

of Southern Arizona and Cox Communications. After the

last acquisition, John decided to move his family to North-

ern California where he accepted a position as Marketing

Manager of Communications for AT&T Broadband which

later became Comcast. He spent ten years in the San Fran-

cisco area with his family. He and his wife were able to

raise their daughters to complete their undergraduate de-

grees and are currently completing their doctorates. John

and Karen decided that they have given their children a

good start on life and decided to come back to their home

in Sierra Vista.

John has a customer service, sales background and a pas-

sion for marketing. He holds a degree in Business Manage-

ment with an emphasis in Marketing and Sales.

He is the past President of the Sierra Vista South Rotary

Club 1999-2000 and current member of the Sierra Vista

Rotary Club.

John joined the Chamber staff in July 2010, as the Market-

ing / Membership Director.

John is responsible for the acquisition and the retention of

Chamber members, assisting members with marketing, as

well as member webpage setups, ribbon cutting events, and

presenting our Chamber 101 orientation class.

Chamber Staff Spotlight - John Hargraves

Page 4 The Chamber Vista

Schedule of Events

May 5 - West End Fair, 11 a.m. -

6:00 p.m.

May 8 - Legislative Affairs Com-

mittee meeting 8:00 a.m. - 9:00

a.m.

May 9 - Ambassadors Meeting

Luncheon, Morning Glory Café,

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

May 9 - Free Resource Day, Si-

erra Vista Chamber, 1:00 p.m. -

3:00 p.m.

May 10 - Business at Twilight,

Bisbee After 5, 5:00 p.m. - 8:00

p.m.

May 16 - Leadership Graduation

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

May 17 - Wake Up Sierra Vista,

Pueblo Del Sol, 7:30 a.m. - 8:30

a.m.

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

MAC

3 4 5

West End

Fair

6 7 8

LAC

9 Ambassa-

dors/ Free

Resource Day

10

BAT

11 12

13 14 15 16

Leadership

Graduation

17

Wake Up

Sierra

Vista

18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

May 2012

Business At Twilight

Thursday, May 10

Bisbee, AZ

Due to mechanical problems, the Bisbee Trolley is unable to transport members to Bisbee for the

May 10 Business At Twilight.

However, we are encouraging everyone to car pool by meeting at the Chamber between 5:00 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.

The first 35 members who would have secured a seat on the trolley will instead be eligible to enter a drawing for a

$50 credit toward their membership dues. You must be present at the drawing in Bisbee to win.

Drawings will be held in Peddler’s Alley on Main Street at 8:00 p.m.

Event: Stroll through historic Bisbee beginning at Screaming Banshee Pizza and ending at

Peddler’s Alley at 8:00 p.m. for networking and raffles Attendees are encouraged to these Chamber Members:

Screaming Banshee Pizza, Chocolate, Finders Keepers, Exquisite Designs, 55 Main Gallery, Divine Teas &

Novelties, Jewelry Designs by Owen, PanTerra Gallery, Vixen Metal Gallery, Bisbee Oil, Optimo Hatworks,

Bisbee Coffee Company

HOSTED BY:

Page 5 Volume 2012, Issue 5

Did you know that you can place your

business card size ad in the Vista for

only $50 per issue or your logo

for $25!!!

Sign up for 12 issues and save

$100 on a business card ad and $50 on a

logo placement.

Events at A Glance

For upcoming events please visit us at www.sierravistachamber.org/events

Clockwise from top left: Leadership - Law

Enforcement Day, Sierra Vista Food Co-Op - 1

year Anniversary Ribbon Cutting Ceremony,

April’s Business at Twilight sponsored by Nova

Home Loans, Randy Sueskind - 2011 Ambassa-

dor of the Year, CGI - Large Business of the

Year, Mary & Glenn Baxter –Goin’ to

Grandma’s - Small Business of the Year,

Cheryl Cervantes - CerendipiTees - Home

Based Business of the Year, Chamber Staff at

the Annual Installation and Awards Dinner

Page 6 The Chamber Vista

What employer would not want to hire a

job applicant who is accustomed to work-

ing evenings and weekends, comes with

an ingrained work ethic, is able to assimi-

late information quickly, can plan effec-

tively, and build new relationships easily?

Military veterans stand ready to serve.

In this time of economic turmoil when

jobs are scarce and so many of our vets

are returning from overseas conflicts,

utilizing your armed services workforce

can help an employer see cost savings in

recruitment and training of good employ-

ees. The military equips its members with

skills and attributes that are particularly

valuable in this economy. Hiring a vet-

eran could be the smartest personnel deci-

sion you make. What makes a veteran

such a sought after employee? Here are a

few reasons why:

Work Ethic: The work ethic of veterans

is unparalleled due to the need to depend

on each other for their lives. Every mili-

tary person knows that their life and suc-

cess depends on their team mates. As a

result, the work ethic of veterans is vastly

stronger than the normal civilian work

ethic. People who have served in the mili-

tary are used to working long hours in

non-traditional environments.

Proven Leadership: Veterans were put

into leadership roles at early stages of

their time in the service. The real world

leadership developed in the military is

well beyond that of a similar person in a

civilian job.

Team Players: From the early stages

initial training, all members of the mili-

tary are used to working in a team envi-

ronment. Some teams are small, others

very large, but all members of the team

know that their individual efforts are to

support the team in reaching the larger

objective.

Training and Education: Today's mili-

tary veteran has been trained in nearly

every occupation imaginable, with a

strong emphasis on technology. Most of

the training schools of the military that

teach technology, leadership, sales, man-

agement and operations surpass those

available to civilians.

Immediate Contributor: Veterans,

through their proven experiences in the

military, become valuable contributors

from day one of employment. Veterans

are used to being challenged, encouraged

to demonstrate initiative, think quickly on

their feet and give recognition for per-

formance to those who earn it.

Physically fit and and drug free: Which

translates into less sick days.

Levelheaded: Members of the military

are trained to remain calm in the face of

initial stressors and to analyze and evalu-

ate a situation before reacting. This leads

to levelheaded thinking when faced with

a stressful work environment.

How Do You Find Qualified

Veterans?

Contact your local Workforce

Development Office.

Benefits of Hiring a Veteran by Robin Mitchell - Cochise County Workforce Development Center

The City of Sierra Vista has teamed

with the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program

to help residents save water for future

generations and reduce costs on their

utility bills. Residents are encouraged

to do their part to save water by replac-

ing their high flow toilets to low flow

WaterSense labeled toilets. The City’s

Toilet Rebate Program offers City resi-

dents up to $100 per toilet to replace

their pre-1994 toilets with high-

efficiency models as certified by EPA’s

WaterSense.

“The goal of EPA’s WaterSense pro-

gram is to help Americans save water

and money by offering simple ways to

reduce water use though water-efficient

product choices,” says Sheila Frace,

Director of the EPA Office of Water’s

Municipal Support Division. “Using

water more efficiently can help delay

the need to create more supplies, saving

communities money and resources, as

well as ensuring that water will be

available for future generations.”

The City of Sierra Vista has offered

toilet rebates of up to $100 per toilet for

the past 10 years, for city residents who

replace older, high flow toilets with

new toilets that use 1.6 gallons or less

per flush. As an EPA WaterSense Part-

ner, the City is adjusting its Toilet Re-

bate Program requirements. Only high-

efficiency toilet models certified by the

EPA WaterSense Program are eligible

for the City’s rebates. WaterSense la-

beled toilets cannot use more than 1.28

gallons per flush, which is 20 percent

less water than the current federal stan-

dard.

The average home, retrofitted with wa-

ter-efficient fixtures, can save 30,000

gallons per year. If one out of every 10

homes in the United States upgraded to

water-efficient fixtures, it could save

more than 300 billion gallons and

nearly $2 billion annually.

The City currently has funds for the

Toilet Rebate Program and is now ac-

cepting registration forms. Forms are

available online at

www.SierraVistaAZ.gov (search

“Toilet Rebate”).

City Partners with EPA WaterSense

Page 7 Volume 2012, Issue 5

Thank You to These Members for Renewing Their Commitment to The Business Community:

A Special Welcome to Our New Members!

Applebees - (520) 459-1664

Bisbee Coffee Company - (520)

432-7931

Bisbee Olive Oil - (520) 432-4645

Buffalo Corral BBQ

Frye’s Ultimate - (520) 335-1210

Kelley’s Hair Company -

(562) 852-3336

Kestrel Graphic Design -

(520) 586-1766

Kissed By A Cake Pop -

(480) 399-3147

Nu-View! Window Cleaning -

(520) 255-2124

Optimo Hatworks - (520) 432-4544

Vixen Fine Art Metal Gallery

Westover Garage Door Service -

(520) 227-4536

4 Paws Inn, Inc.

Above Board

Best Western Mission Inn

Carmelita Apartments

Century– 21 Frank McMullan

Cochise College Sierra Vista Cam-

pus

Cool Dreams Custom Window

Tinting

E.F. Edwards Financial, Inc.

Enchanted Dragon Tattoo

Kiwanis San Pedro Club, Just Kids,

Inc. Foundation

M & M Auto Paint Supplies

Patricia Turner

Pizza Hut Italian Bistro

Pizzeria mimosa

SAIC

Sierra Vista Personnel

Sierra Vista Food Co-Op

Sierra Vista Herald/ Bisbee Daily

Review

Southwest Pawn

Executive Club Members American Family Insurance

Arizona Water Company

Best Buy

Booz Allen Hamilton

BrightStar

CACI, Inc.

Campstone Transfer, Inc.

Castle & Cooke, Inc.

Castle & Cooke Mortgage, LLC

CGI

Cherry Creek Radio

City of Sierra Vista

Coca-Cola Refreshments USA, Inc.

Cox

Data Systems & Technology, Inc.

Dental Village

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriot

Farmers Insurance - Ginny Francis

Garden Terrace Assisted Living Home

General Dynamics Information

Technology

Horizon Moving Systems of Sierra

Vista, Inc.

Huachuca Mountain Insurance Agency

KKYZ Radio

Landmark Café

Lawley Automotive Center

Lawley’s Team Ford

Life Care Center

Long Realty Co.

Longhorn Restaurant

Mall at Sierra Vista

ManTech Telecommunications & Info

Systems

Mission Essential Personnel (MEP),

LLC

Mobile Marketing Blueprint

Nathan Williams, Law Office

National Bank of Arizona

New Frontier Animal Medical

Center

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Patio Pools & Spas

Pioneer Title Agency

Pueblo del Sol Country Club

Restless Wings Photography

Rosemont Copper Company

Salient Federal Solutions

Sentrillion

Sierra Vista Ace Hardware

Sierra Vista Herald Bisbee Daily Re-

view

Sierra Vista Regional Health Center

SMPLFY IT

Southeastern Arizona Contractors

Association

Southern Arizona Media

Productions

Southwest Gas Corporation

Southwestern Eye Center

Stachel & Associates, P.C.

STG Inc.

Stilwell’s Learning Center, LLC

Suburban Extended Stay Hotels

Sulpher Springs Valley Electric Coop.

Sun Canyon Inn

TDY Housing, LLC

TMS - Ty Media Services

TownePlace Suites by Marriott

University of Phoenix -Sierra Vista

Campus

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Waddell & Reed Financial

Advisors, David Burnett

Wayland Baptist University

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Windemere Hotel & Conference

Center

Want to reach over 1,000 potential

customers for $50 a month?

Call 520-458-6940

To Find Out How!

21 E. Wilcox Dr.

Sierra Vista, AZ. 85635

The Chamber Vista is a publication of the Sierra Vista Area Chamber 21 E. Wilcox Drive, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 (520) 458-6940, Fax: (520) 452-0878

www.sierravistachamber.org Mission Statement The Sierra Vista Area Chamber promotes business and provides leadership for the improvement of the community. 2012-13 Board of Directors Executive Officers Chairwoman - Dee Dee Hoeft, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Past Chairman - Frank Gonzalez, Lawley Automotive Treasurer - Michael Benson, TDY Housing Secretary - Jean Giuffrida, Long Realty Member at Large - Rick Shelley - Horizon Moving Systems Board Members Elsie MacMillan - Sierra Toyota Ken Cecil - Mall at Sierra Vista Phil Vega - Sierra Vista Herald / Bisbee Daily Review Randy Sueskind– Cherry Creek Radio Pamela Anderson - Landmark Café Jack Blair - Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative Anita Farrow - National Bank of Arizona Joe Stroud - Edwards Financial, Inc. Nancy Nash - Stuff ‘N Baskets Nathan Williams - Nathan Williams, Law Office

Sierra Vista Area Chamber PRESORTED

STANDARD

US POSTAGE PAID

HEREFORD, AZ

PERMIT NO. 29

CURRENT RESIDENT OR

Chamber Staff Executive Director - Amanda Baillie, abaillie@sierravistachamber.org Membership & Marketing Director- John Hargraves III, jhagraves@sierravistachamber.org Communications Director - David Elkins, delkins@sierravistachamber.org Office Manager - Leah Hastings, officem@sierravistachamber.org Events Coordinator - Diane Erwin, derwin@sierravistachamber.org Administrative Assistant - Leah Barnes, info@sierravistachamber.org