Though it has changed since 1963, Manzanita Elementary School has spent the last five decades preparing students for future endeavors and encouraging community engagement.������

In the Kingman Unified School District, Manzanita Elementary School serves grades kindergarten through fifth.��

Lindsay Wolsey, Manzanita Elementary principal, explained the school serves 750 to 800 students depending on the year, and about 65 percent of the students are on free and reduced lunch.����

“The people care for each other here, it’s a family. I think that’s one of the things that’s really helped us maintain the qualities that we have here at this school from the very get-go. We’ve had a great group of people who have trained the next generation and those people have stuck around here for years and years,” said Scott Taylor, outgoing principal of Manzanita Elementary.

Taylor held the position for three years and will be the principal of Lee Williams High School – also in the Kingman Unified School District – in the upcoming school year.����

The Kingman community works with Manzanita students through a variety of programs including reading groups, gardening lessons and art lessons.��

“We are really blessed to have a community that supports our school in a lot of different aspects,” Wolsey said.

Taylor explained that Manzanita holds charitable events and the students are encouraged to help raise money, and the school always receives support from community members.��

“We live in a fantastic town, Kingman is an amazing town and we have a lot of very generous people who have helped us out throughout the years- community members, business owners,” he said. “When we have a need, we have found that people have just stepped up to the plate.”

Manzanita Elementary is a recipient of state provided Results Based Funding, and used it to purchase Chromebooks for third through fifth grade students and built a computer lab.����

incentivizes traditional district, magnet, and charter schools to grow their impact and serve more students by offering additional per-pupil funding for “A”-rated public schools, with added dollars for those getting results in low-income communities.

“You know, money’s always tight and when we received that money we were able to put a lot of that money back in the classroom and try to make sure that students had one-to-one instructional technology,” Taylor said.����

Manzanita also used the funding to ensure its students continued to have instruction from talented teachers.��

“I think that culture really helps retain teachers. I think that the [Results] Based Funding was really nice to be able to reward our teachers for their time that they’ve been here at Manzanita and the growth they’ve shown in student learning,” Wolsey said.��

“We were able to continue to attract and retain people by giving stipends out and helping those people out who have been really loyal to our school for many, many years. It also helped us bring in some new people by giving some small sign-on bonuses,” Taylor said.

The funding is not the only factor that attracts and retains teachers and staff members.��

“You know, our teachers will do anything for each other and go to great lengths to support one another- not just our teachers, our staff,” Wolsey said. “So, everyone from leadership to custodians to parent educators, everybody is here to do what’s best for kids. So, I think that culture really helps retain teachers.”

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The West Valley’s Arizona Charter Academy is one of five recipients of a grant from the A for Arizona Expansion Fund. The school will put the money toward expanding and renovating its facilities.��

The A for Arizona is designed to accelerate the growth of Arizona’s best public schools – district, magnet and charter schools – especially those in low income communities. It provides targeted grants to ‘A’-rated schools.

The Arizona Charter Academy (ACA) stood out to A for Arizona for its dedication to a high-minority student population and its A-rated academic performance.����

“We’re a mission-driven school. And, really our passion is to defy the odds. We have a lot of high poverty minority students that we believe every student is entitled quality education regardless of their zip code and every student can learn,” said Melissa Holdaway, ACA CEO.��

Founded in 2001, ACA is located in Surprise and serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade.��

ACA plans to provide more students with a high-quality education thanks in part to support from the Expansion Fund.��

“Our plans for expansion include a two-story 12-classroom building, which will help us accommodate 200 more students. Along with, we’re going to re-do our playground to make a more usable play space, so our students have more access to that,” Holdaway said.

“And, we’ve also done some tenant improvements where we’ve created larger classrooms or classrooms that were smaller to become more effective for students,” she added.����

ACA is located in the Surprise Original Town Site, which is a high-poverty area. More children in the economically disadvantaged area will have access to the ACA’s high-quality education when the school expands.����

“I think it’s critical that we look at high quality schools and we fund those schools in order to continue to give excellence to all students. Arizona, we have our work cut out for us and I believe it’s so critical that we find excellence, we replicate that excellence and we give students what they deserve,” said Heather Henderson, ACA chief academic officer.��

“There just continues to be a need for a school like ours that really focuses on students and excellence and providing not only that quality education, but kind of all those extracurricular activities, and leadership development and training, and community involvement- all those things I think are a part of who we are,” Holdaway said.

ACA works with the business community and nonprofit community to receive funding and resources that benefit students.��

“We value the community and it’s not us against them or ‘What do we do by ourselves?’” Henderson said. “It’s ‘What do we do together to create an amazing place?’”

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The Scottsdale-based real estate team, The Jason Mitchell Group, recently launched a program that will give back to those who serve our country.��

The Jason Mitchell Group’s Exclusive VA Rewards Program gives active-duty military and veterans in Arizona 30 percent of the real estate commission when they buy or sell a home with the group.��

Jason Mitchell, president of the real estate team, explained that the program is a good way for the real estate group to help active-duty military and veterans. “Look, we don’t just want to be somebody that helps you with real estate, we want to be somebody that actually contributes back to you for everything that you’ve done for us,” Mitchell said.����

The program participants can use the 30 percent received from the commission toward closing costs, title fees, pre-paid fees, lender fees or buying down their interest rate.

This program is geared to help program participants purchase or sell a home, but it also benefits the state’s overall economy.��������

“It allows more opportunity for the state of homeownership. And, when people buy a home, it’s great for the economy because they go to Home Depot and buy carpeting. It’s great because they need landscaping,” Mitchell said. “Buying a home is probably the most important thing in the economy- one of them at least.”��

Selling, purchasing and keeping up with a home often requires services and goods, benefitting a variety of businesses.������

The Jason Mitchell Group’s goal is to save veterans in Arizona $1 million but plans to continue the program after that goal is met.����

Mitchell explained the real estate group receives referrals from partner organizations and is accustomed to paying referral fees at closing.

Because the group is used to paying the fee, Mitchell wanted to find a way to help others.����

“For us, it’s not about trying to make every dollar in a transaction,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell hopes the program will result in more transactions, which will help the real estate group and the active-duty military and veterans who are buying or selling a home.��

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Question: What is your professional background?
Answer: I’m the senior director for government relations, external affairs. That’s fancy language for I do lobbying for the company at the local, state and federal levels. I’ve been doing that for a long time here- over 25 years- and economic development has been a very big part of that. And so, it’s a great combination of the two and I’ve been doing that for, like I said, over 25 years here at Tucson Electric Power–UniSource Energy, we have three sister companies. Tucson Electric Power is the most known here headquartered in Tucson. We have two sister companies that provide services- gas and electric- in Santa Cruz, Mojave County, Yavapai, Coconino, Navajo counties. We’re all over the state.��

Q: What is your role with the Arizona-Mexico Commission?
A: Well, I joined the Arizona-Mexico Commission as an individual member in the late eighties-early nineties. I’m not exactly sure when that happened, but I’ve been around close to 30 years as a member of the Commission. When I joined Tucson Electric Power, we joined in a much different manner and we became partners of the Commission back in ’92. So, since then I’ve been a member of the board of directors having been appointed to serve in that capacity. I’ve enjoyed that tenure and it’s been very fulfilling because of the mission of the Commission. It aligned very closely with what Tucson Electric Power is all about with respect to trade. We’re inextricably tied to our service territories and because our service territory really depends on the economic well-being of the region, we found that participating in the Commission was very beneficial. We made great contacts through the Commission, through its plenary sessions, through its conferences as well as the networking opportunities that were available to use. [It] allowed us to actually enter into some business opportunities in Mexico as well as in the U.S. that we wouldn’t have otherwise had a chance to form. It’s been very helpful. So, having said that the most important part, though, is the trade relationship. We’ve focused very, very much so on the trade relationship and making sure as an infrastructure company- you don’t think of us as an infrastructure company, but we are- that the basics of trade are ports of entry, highways, rail connections and such. We focus on making sure that Congress has been very aware of those infrastructure needs as well as the staffing needs for those facilities so that commerce can continue to flow as quickly as possible and as efficiently as possible. All of that helps our economies grow. We have a great dependency between us as a state, as a country with Mexico as our biggest trading partner. So, that’s a very important consideration as a company here that our economy continues to grow.��

Q: Why do you think the work the Arizona-Mexico Commission does is important for Arizona?
A: Well, Mexico is Arizona’s largest trading partner. With Tucson located so close to ports and to the border, we have seen it firsthand that the trade relationship is very important for Arizona. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are dependent upon it and as a result, we can’t stress the importance of that trade relationship. As an infrastructure company, we can’t pull up our poles and wires and find a better economy, so we focus on what makes the economy thrive here. One of the key elements and critical parts of our economy here is the trade relationship. So, we have found that to be the reason why we should be involved with the Commission. Since the early nineties when I joined the company we became a full partner with the Arizona-Mexico Commission to see what we could help with and more importantly if there were opportunities for us to participate in the trade relationship. We have been fortunate to form alliances with manufacturers in Sonora to import poles for a while and such so that we have actually participated in that trade relationship directly.��

Q: Why is it important for Arizona to focus on maintaining and continuously building a relationship with Mexico?
A: It was said 60 years ago that God created us as neighbors and so we should be good neighbors. Good neighbors look at opportunities for mutual benefit. So, our governors back in 1959- Fannin as well as Obregon- realized that doing business was a great relationship. But, they recognized immediately that our relationship was much deeper than that. The foundation has been basically because of the regional proximity, but more importantly the cultural similarities and the cultural overlap of our region has been very beneficial to creating great opportunities for trade. As a neighbor you look at the strengths of each partner and you try to build on those. It’s important for us then to focus on ‘OK, how can we continue to grow that trade relationship?’ And, we’ve been very sophisticated as a commission in pursuing new committees that will touch on subjects that are of great importance on both sides of the border. And, whether it was in real estate, whether it was in education, public health, more recently in emergency management mutual aid aspects have been very important to furthering the relationship between the two entities. It’s not only about business- it’s about education, it’s about creating a safer environment for our entire region which has been possible as a result of this great platform that we’ve had available.����

Q: The Arizona-Mexico Commission is celebrating its 60th anniversary. What do you think has been its biggest achievement in the last 60 years?
A: We are neighbors and there’s a great opportunity with your neighbors to look for mutual benefit. And, I think that over time we’ve realized that in order for us to be successful, we needed to do deeper dives into some of the particular issues that were either obstacles to trade or just simple challenges that we have as a region that needed to be addressed. We’ve been very successful by forming binational committees with great private sector and public sector expertise that have co-chaired and come up with solutions to problems as well as creating new opportunities for trade to expand. That’s been, I think, our biggest asset for those 60 years- that we’ve tackled tough issues, we’ve come up with solutions and we’ve implemented very workable, practical solutions that have been successful in a variety of areas. Whether it’s in sports, whether it’s in education, whether it’s in health, real estate, we’ve touched on a variety of subjects that are very important. As we become more and more sophisticated, the transportation sector will be critical for our success. Mining will continue to grow and expand. We see the future is very bright, but we have built that future on a platform through hard work, trust and a very mutually beneficial relationship where one side has benefitted as much as the other. That, I think at the end of the day, we are all very pleased that the relationship has continued to grow and will continue to grow over the next 60 years. So, I’m very optimistic that the platform we have today is going to be the platform for the future and create new opportunities for our citizens on both sides.��

Q: What is your top priority for 2019?
A: First and foremost, we need to let the world know that the Arizona-Mexico Commission is a unique creature that has been around for 60 years. Very few organizations continue to grow and evolve over a 60-year period, six decades, unless they were relevant. We have found that the underpinning of that trade relationship between Arizona and Sonora and the U.S. and Mexico has a lot of challenges, but here we have a structure that offers us an opportunity to vet issues and come up with solutions. And, I think it’s a unique structure, I think it’s an envy of all the other states on the border. And, it’s the envy of the other states that share a common border with Canada that see this organization as a unique way to further the trade relationship. And, I must give credit- it’s always been led by the governor and I’ve served with many governors. Governor Ducey has been a champion for that trade relationship and I’m very proud to know that he is wholeheartedly in support of furthering that trade relationship. So, as a business person he is seeing the benefits of it. But, he also sees in his vision that the trade relationship goes way beyond just the business trade. It’s infrastructure, it’s about good policy and it’s about making sure that those policies do not get in the way of the trade relationship.����

Q: What is your favorite memory with the Arizona-Mexico Commission?
A: As a long-time member there are many, many great memories. I think the memory of seeing our leadership of the two states continuously recognize the value of the trade relationship, the cultural relationship, the family relationships that exist and not eroding those relationships- building on those. Every governor that has served in those six decades have realized that and have grown that relationship over time. So, I’m proud to see that our leadership has always found the Commission an important platform upon which to exercise that relationship.��

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?
A: The networking opportunities that have been available for all participants or members of the Arizona-Mexico Commission or the Sonora-Arizona Commission from Sonora that participate. The networking opportunities have been tremendous. We do have formal meetings and then we have breaks. And, during those breaks, during the social hours or during the dinners that we’ve conducted, a tremendous amount of business has been transacted. Opportunities have been identified, new relationships have been formed that have led to new opportunities for our region, which has been a really exciting part of who we are. And, that is to have had an opportunity to have an organization that has allowed that to flourish. So, that’s been a real exciting part of our involvement.��

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COMMERCIALCafé ranked Phoenix as the eighth-best city for startups in the U.S. for populations above one million.����

Phoenix was recognized for its talent affordability, cost of living and co-work cost.��

Phoenix also saw the fifth-largest growth in number of millennial residents among the country’s largest urban centers,” according to COMMERCIALCafé.����

Phoenix followed right behind San Antonio in the ranking and beat Philadelphia and New York City.������

One of Greater Phoenix’s successful startup stories is Integrate Inc.��

Founded in 2010, . “combines technology, data, services and integrations to fuel the best demand marketing programs and drive revenue acceleration through unity,” according to its website.����

The Scottsdale-based company has grown since its founding nine years ago.��

Integrate acquired Akkroo, a platform that provides leads to sales teams, for $34 million earlier this year.��

Another startup that found success in Phoenix is Kazzit Inc., which was founded in 2015.

Kazzit is an online comprehensive wine guide that features more than 10,000 wineries on its platform.��

“As the first and only comprehensive worldwide winery guide, we unite winemakers, restaurateurs, collectors, educators, and consumers from across the globe,” according to Kazzit’s website.��

Phoenix welcomes startups, especially those that are tech-related, with campuses like .��

“Galvanize is a dynamic learning community, bringing industry and education together on one campus,” said Diana Vowels, Galvanize general manager.

Galvanize is a learning community for technology that is both a school and coworking space.��

The school has about 100 students and the coworking space caters to 120 companies, with about 450 employees across those companies.

“Phoenix has experienced tremendous growth in the past 10 years, and technology is leading the way, diversifying the economy and driving growth,” Vowels said. “I’ve seen firsthand the progress we’ve made, but it’s not enough. Galvanize is positioned to help Phoenix get to the next step, by providing resources, talent and innovation to help Phoenix complete on the global stage.”

COMMERCIALCafé, developed by Yardi Systems, is a commercial real estate blog that can be used as a resource by industry professionals.��

It released a ranking for top U.S. startup cities for populations above one million, between 500,000 and one million, and below 500,000. The rankings can be found .

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As mining continues to grow in the state, industry professionals and education leaders are working to prepare the future workforce for career options.

“There is a demand for mining professionals, and it is important for us to maintain a close connection to the future workforce. Our industry continues to become more competitive and sophisticated every day,” said Kyle Bennett, Rio Tinto Kennecott communications principal advisor.

Rio Tinto was founded in 1873 and is one of the world’s largest metals and mining corporations. Its subsidiary, Resolution Copper Company, is leading Resolution Copper Mining with BHP Copper, Inc.����

Resolution Copper Mining is a proposed copper mine set to supply copper to support technological and environmental innovation, located near Superior, AZ.��

Building a Talent Pipeline

The team behind Resolution Copper works to create a talent pipeline between the mining industry and the future workforce.

��“Since the inception of our scholarship program in 2002, we have awarded 172 scholarships totaling $674,000,” said Bennett. “As a community partner, Resolution Copper is committed to the investment in local communities and the development of local economies and workforce.”

He explained the program includes scholarships for Native Americans, leadership scholarships and general scholarships.����

“Being a part of mining allows you to work with a diverse and talented group of people from all over the world to collaborate on new technologies and techniques that will continue to drive mining into the future. There are also a lot of career advancement opportunities,” Bennett said.��

Resolution Copper partnered with Northern Arizona University’s (NAU) Department of Applied Indigenous Studies for the Indigenous Nation-Building Education course series.��

“Through this partnership, over 45 unique Native and Indigenous nations and communities have benefited from 29 projects crafted to meet their specific needs via the Indigenous Nation Building Education Course Series,” Bennett said.����

The company also partnered with NAU for the Tribal Leadership Initiative activities for 2017-2018.

Bennett explained that the initiative “is a multi-component program dedicated to expanding the capacities of Indigenous nations and communities.”

A Healthy Workforce��

The University of Arizona (UA) is working to make mining a healthier career option for the future workforce.��

Miners can be exposed to diesel particulate matter, which affects the heart and lungs, and toxic vehicle emissions.����

A research team at the UA is addressing the hazardous components miners face on the job.��

The UA Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health received a grant from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Public Health to determine how the use of alternative fuel mixtures can reduce exposure to hazardous components.��������

Dr. Jeff Burgess, principal investigator of the research, said the research will include two phases.

“One, can we reduce the exposures? If we can, can we improve the health of the miners?” he explained.��

The research team plans to work with partner mines and UA’s student-run mine, the San Xavier Underground Mining Laboratory.��

“We work constantly at the university to make sure our students have the skills they need to succeed when they graduate,” Dr. Burgess said.��

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The growing relationship between Arizona and Mexico has kept the Arizona-Mexico Commission busy throughout the 2010s.

Early 2010s��

In 2010, the Arizona-Mexico Commission (AMC) presented the first Lifetime Achievement Award to AMC board member Harlan Capin. He served as chairman of the AMC’s Border Issues Committee for a number of years.

That year, the San Luis II Port of Entry officially opened and Arizona’s exports to Mexico reached $5 billion. By 2018, exports reached more than $7.5 billion, according to Arizona-Mexico Economic Indicators.

In 2011, Jan Brewer was inaugurated as Governor of Arizona.����

That year the AMC established the Energy Committee, which promotes planning of energy management in Arizona and Sonora.��

The Commission also worked with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to prepare the Arizona-Sonora Master Plan.

The Arizona-Sonora Master Plan was designed to improve the “efficiency and effectiveness of cross-border traffic” through an integrated transportation plan, according to .��

In 2012, the Transportation and Trade Corridor Alliance was established. The partners included the AMC, Arizona Commerce Authority, Arizona Office of Tourism and ADOT.

Mid 2010s

In 2013, the Raúl H. Castro Port of Entry Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) lane opened.

SENTRI “allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States,” according to .��

In 2014, the State of Arizona Trade Office opened in Mexico City.��

The $200 million expansion of the Mariposa Port of Entry was completed. The funding for the expansion was approved in 2007.

That same year, the Transportation and Trade Corridor Alliance completed the Roadmap Action Plan to help facilitate trade.��

In 2015, Doug Ducey was inaugurated at Governor of Arizona and led his first trade mission to Mexico City.����

ADOT completed the $11 million modernization of downtown San Luis, AZ to help reduce port congestion.����

Union Pacific Railroad also completed the $30 million rail safety and customs inspection facility in Rio Rico, AZ to process all rail traffic between Arizona and Mexico.��

In 2016, Arizona and Sonora worked together to develop a binational Environmental Strategic Plan.

The was released the following year and focused on addressing environmental challenges and utilizing resources in the region through 2021.��

At the Mariposa Port of Entry, Unified Cargo Processing was tested and ADOT completed a pedestrian underpass in 2016 to enhance safety of pedestrian crossings. Unified Cargo Processing allows custom agents of the U.S. and Mexico to jointly inspect shipments.����

ADOT also signed a historic agreement that year with the Mexican Ministry of Communication and Transportation to conduct a Freight Corridor Study of the Arizona-Mexico Corridor.

The is set to provide ADOT and other agencies with information that can help in the development of improvement strategies for the transportation system.��

Late 2010s��

In 2017, the State of Arizona and the State of Sonora signed a memorandum of understanding to promote the establishment of the “Home Port” project in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora.��

The agreement was designed to pave the way for residents of the region to have easy access to cruises in Puerto Peñasco.��

That year, Gov. Ducey hosted The Honorable Gerónimo Gutiérrez, Mexico’s Ambassador to the U.S. in Arizona, and the AMC hosted a delegation from the State of Sinaloa.����

The AMC also established its Community and Social Organizations Committee, which focuses on community and civic organizations in an effort to improve the quality of life for Arizonans and Sonorans.

The Unified Cargo Processing Program, which was tested at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, expanded to Douglas and San Luis.����

In 2018, Gov. Ducey announced the launch of SkyBridge Arizona at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.��

is a unified inspection facility that houses both Mexican and U.S. customs. It is set to speed up the process of exporting and importing goods to and from Mexico.��

A joint agreement between Gov. Ducey and Sonora Governor Claudia Pavlovich launched the Lukeville-Puerto Peñasco Safety Corridor along Mexico’s Route 8.��

The governors also hosted the National Governors Association North American Summit in Arizona. At the Summit, governors from the U.S., Canada and Mexico joined to share information on a variety of topics and collaborate.��

State Route 189 received full funding for expansion to accommodate commercial traffic at the Mariposa Port of Entry. Also, the U.S. General Services Administration completed a $6 million-dollar Pedestrian Annex at the San Luis I Port of Entry.��

In December 2018, Gov. Ducey attended the inauguration of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in Mexico City.��

Gov. Ducey, Gov. Pavlovich and former New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez signed a memorandum of understanding that same month to promote the production, transfer and international distribution of natural gas.

2019 has been an eventful year for the Arizona-Mexico relationship thus far.��

In March, Gov. Ducey hosted Ambassador of Mexico to the United States Martha Bárcena.����

The AMC hosted the 2019 Governor’s Luncheon where Gov. Ducey and Ambassador Bárcena expressed their support for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Gov. Ducey also hosted Chihuahua Governor Javier Corral for his first official visit to Arizona.

The AMC also partnered with Arizona С��ñֱ��app of Commerce & Industry and the Arizona С��ñֱ��app Foundation to publish . The report covers the ways in which Arizona is expected to thrive with USMCA.��

The United States General Services Administration completed the Raul H. Castro Port of Entry Feasibility study and confirmed the need for a two-port solution in Douglas.��

In June, the AMC held its 60th Anniversary Summit.��

The Commission released , a magazine made in partnership with С��ñֱ��app, at the Summit.��

Leaders from Arizona and Mexico attended the Summit, including Gov. Ducey and Gov. Pavlovich, who expressed the importance of the binational relationship.

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The Arizona Office of Tourism recognized industry leaders across the state that go above and beyond in attracting visitors to state at the Governor’s Tourism Awards Gala.��

“There are so many individuals, businesses and communities around the state that help elevate Arizona’s travel brand, and the Governor’s Tourism Awards gives us a chance to recognize the best of their efforts. Every winner has done something—big things, innovative things, long-term things- to make Arizona a better place to visit,” said Debbie Johnson, Arizona Office of Tourism executive director.����

The Sedona С��ñֱ��app of Commerce and Tourism Bureau received the Outstanding Arizona Culture and Historic Preservation award for its Sedona Tourism Sustainability Plan.����

“The national trend in tourism promotion is for destination-marketing organizations to also embrace destination-management responsibilities. In Arizona, the Sedona С��ñֱ��app of Commerce & Tourism Bureau is the vanguard of that trend,” Johnson said.��

“The bureau’s Sustainable Tourism Plan is ambitious and forward-thinking, and it has one guiding principle above all: to preserve the character that sets Sedona apart from every other city in the world,” she said.

The plan focuses on the environment, residents’ quality of life, economy and visitor experience. It aligns with the award, which recognizes cultural and historic preservation of Arizona that draws visitors to the state.

“That is precisely what we did in creating a balancing our one-of-a-kind environment and quality of life with respect for our economy and an understanding that travelers are here for a special experience.�� We aim to inspire visitors to stay longer, spend more, get to know us and value our environment” said Jennifer Wesselhoff, Sedona С��ñֱ��app of Commerce and Tourism Bureau president and CEO.��

The City of Surprise received the Outstanding Marketing Campaign– specific to a rural community- award for its ‘Find Your Surprise’ campaign.��

“The ultimate goal of the ‘Find Your Surprise’ marketing campaign is to brand Surprise as a tourism destination and create a positive economic impact for our city,” said Kendra Pettis, City of Surprise sports and tourism director.��

“As the 10th largest city in Arizona we have a lot of offerings for our visitors to enjoy, from Spring Training games, a world-class tennis facility and amazing golf courses, to some of the best restaurants that you’ll only find in Surprise.”��

The marketing campaign highlights the city’s attractions through its website: .����

The Phoenician received the Outstanding Marketing Campaign– for an urban community- award for its ‘Fire & Ice’ campaign.

“Just like Arizona, The Phoenician is an iconic destination.�� By staying true to our name and heritage – the mythical Phoenix that rises from the fire & ash – we were able to brand the summer resort season in a way that no one else could, creating a ‘cool’ and captivating offer for locals and visitors alike,” said Denise Seomin, director of public relations and marketing communications of The Phoenician.��

The Phoenician is a Luxury Collection Resort located in Scottsdale.

The Governor’s Tourism Awards Gala was held last month at the JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa as part of the 2019 Arizona Governor’s Conference on Tourism.��

The other award winners include:

• Outstanding Tourism Partnership (Rural) – Flagstaff Lunar Legacy
• Outstanding Tourism Partnership (Urban) – Milwaukee Brewers and Grand Canyon University
• Tourism Spirit of Service (Individual) – Bob Lutes
• Tourism Spirit of Service (Group) – Arizona Outback Adventures
• ��Tourism Hall of Fame – Jody Harwood, Grace Hospitality

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The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2020 ranked Arizona State University in the top 10 list of ‘Best Buy’ public universities in the nation.��

Arizona State University (ASU) was the only university in the state to make the top 10 list.��

“We are honored to be included among the top 10 public universities out of more than 300 assessed by Fiske,” Mark Searle, executive vice president and university provost, said in a media release.��

Universities were judged on the quality of their undergraduate academics in relation to cost. ASU was recognized for its low student debt compared to other universities, according to a media release.��

The Fiske Guide to Colleges is updated and expanded each year and serves as a guide for those who are interested in college, college-bound and for parents of those students.����

“It is a testament to the hard work of our faculty and staff that we have students from every state in the nation, and from more than 130 countries, who seek out ASU for its high-quality education at a great value. We focus intensely on efforts to be accessible to students from every background. The Fiske Guide’s evaluation is an acknowledgment of the success we’re having,” Searle said in a .��

2018 Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) data shows Arizona ranks fourth among low-debt states. It also has one of the lowest national averages for student loan debt.����

“Data presented compares Arizona’s public university student loan debt according to students’ undergraduate majors with wages earned for the class of 2012. Included in the analysis are 9,406 Arizona public university graduates from 38 majors who were living and working full time in Arizona in 2017,” according to an .��

ASU had the lowest median student loan debt five years after graduation at $18,763. Northern Arizona University had a median student loan debt of $21,892 and University of Arizona had $18,995.

A comparably low student loan after five years could be linked to income.��

In addition to having the lowest median student loan debt, ASU graduates had the highest median earnings in Arizona for 2017.����

The median earnings in 2017 for students who graduated from ASU in 2012 was $50,475. NAU had a median of $47,034 and UA had a median of $49,879, according to the .��

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Bank of America is working to provide financial education and professional opportunities to underserved communities through its paid summer internship program.����

The interns learn customer service, digital and financial skills through the Bank of America Financial Center Internship Program.��

Bank of America works with the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Phoenix to encourage high school and college students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to participate in the program.��

“They are customer-facing and they’re the first people that our clients see as well. So, really their role is to help clients in the lobby digitally and help educate them about the bank’s technology,” said Stacie Terry, Bank of America Division Academy Leader supporting The Academy for Financial Center.��

The skills the interns learn throughout the eight-week summer internship are geared to prepare them for future endeavors.��

Terry explained that in addition to learning new skills, the interns receive a “financial education so they can be smart about their new hard-earned paychecks and really are set up to win for now and the future.”

The interns earn an hourly wage of $17 and Bank of America works to provide them with the tools they need to be financially aware. ��

“It’s an example of the bank’s commitment to connecting teens and young adults from the economically disadvantaged backgrounds with the right skills, resources and experience that will help foster that diverse pipeline of talent and to help establish sustainable, well-paying careers down the road. We really want to invest in and help the communities that we are in,” Terry said.����

Bank of America also provides two weeks of training at the beginning of the internship and takes them shopping for a professional wardrobe.��

The internship program is mutually beneficial.��

“We have seen the interns’ skills grow, their confidence, and also our clients like it as well,” Terry said.����

Terry explained the interns are helpful in assisting clients with Bank of America’s technology and noted that clients “see the value of having that intern.”��

Interns can apply for a position at Bank of America at the end of the internship program to continue their professional development.��

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