Glendale Daily Planet

Promote Your Page Too

FACEBOOK! JOIN US!

WESTMARC 22nd Annual Best of the West Awards,
presented by Cox Communications. 

By Ed Sharpe - Glendale Daily Planet
(Some award info from the  event program)

All phot0s in main article are by Ed Sharpe - Glendale Daily Planet
optional photos at  end if  you use  most are by Ed and some  by Bette.

WESTMARC was excited to celebrate their  22nd Annual Best of the West Awards at Phoenix International Raceway, one of the West Valley's most significant assets. Not only is PIR a huge economic driver, they also add to the quality of life for residents and visitors to the region.  In addition to holding the WESTMARC Best of the West Awards Wednesday evening, this is also  PIR's  50th Anniversary year.

PIR, one of the largest entertainment economic engines in the state, brings two NASCAR races each year to the West Valley, with each race bringing in more than 100,000 spectators. Phoenix International Raceway generates hundreds of millions of dollars each year in total economic impact to the valley helping all of the residents and businesses in the  area with exposure and also money that goes into the tax base  and business venues. . 

The Best of the West Awards competition began in 1993 as a way to recognize outstanding contributions to the image, lifestyle and economic development of the West Valley - the portion of Maricopa County west of Interstate 17. 

Awards are presented in the categories of Economic Engine, Quality of Life Enhancement, and Excellence in Innovation. In addition to these three awards, WESTMARC is also proud to present the West Valley Visionary Award, the West Valley Regional Advancement Award, and the West Valley Inspiration In Leadership Award. 

And... The  winners  are - 

Economic Engine -  Presented by:  • Economic Engine Daniel Froetscher 
SVP, Transmission, Distribution & Customers, APS 

Accepting the award: Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers

Ed Sharpe / Glendale Daily Planet

Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers and Michelle Lawrie, WESTMARC CEO

Ed Sharpe / Glendale Daily Planet

Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers

The 12.5-mile build-out of the West Valley's Northern Parkway is 
about connectivity: connecting vacant, developable land to high 
volume, high-speed freeways. It's about linking the West Valley to 
the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, gaining access to major 
freight destinations, and putting the West Valley economy in the 
fast lane. 

The Northern Parkway project began to take shape in 2001, when 
Glendale voters approved a half-cent sales tax to fund a parkway 
to link Loop 303 to Loop 101 and eventually US 60, connecting 
four jurisdictions to a regional freeway system. 

A project this large doesn't come without consensus and 
collaboration. The West Valley cities of Glendale, El Mirage and 
Peoria, A DOT, several Maricopa County agencies, Luke Air Force 
Base, MAG, and the Federal Highway Administration all played a 
role in the Parkway's multi-jurisdictional progression. 

As each phase of the Northern Parkway is completed, it brings 
the West Valley that much closer to east-west access to major 
transportation corridors - opening door after door to new 
commercial and industrial opportunities in the West Valley. 

Quality of Life Enhancement  - Presented by:  • Quality of Life Enhancement Ron Jones 
Goodyear/Phoenix Plant Manager, Sub-Zero Group, Inc. 

Accepting the award:  Peoria Chief of Police  Roy W Minter Jr.

Ed Sharpe / Glendale Daily Planet 

Peoria Chief of Police  Roy W Minter Jr.

The Peoria Police Department has realized that to achieve its goal 
to protect the city's residents, it needs community involvement. 
In response, the Peoria PD has organized city stakeholders, and 
created the United Community Action Network, or U.C.A.N., to 
identify and discuss issues affecting the city of Peoria. 

It is felt that the U.C.A.N. partnership - between the police 
department, neighborhood organizations, the Peoria Unified 

Civil Right Act 50th Anniversary events 

School District, local businesses, the faith community, and city 
administrators - has resulted in a 17% decrease in violent crime 
and a 19% decrease in total crime. 

The U.C.A.N. program doesn't stop with lowering the crime rate, 
it also explores the connection between a host of issues including 
health, housing, education, employment, and substance abuse. 

In addition to studying and reducing crime, U.CAN. counts 
among its successes housing for needy families, youth programs, 
educational and mentoring assistance, and community cleanup. 

The success of the U.C.A.N. model for achieving public safety is 
proving that community engagement can and does improve our 
quality of life. 

Excellence in Innovation - Presented by: • Excellence in Innovation Wyatt Buchanan 
Phoenix-West Regional Coach, Republic Media 
Venita James 
Director, Community Watchdog Center, Republic Media 

In 2012, the city of Peoria - in partnership with BioAccel and Plaza 
Companies - opened BioInspire, the first-ever bio-medical focused 
incubator and accelerator program in Arizona. 

BioInspire has been developed to be a highly specialized center 
of innovation, acting as a catalyst for the creation of a biomedical 
device industry cluster in Peoria. 

Since BioInspire opened its doors, it has attracted 9 startup 
companies from around the world and assisted in the 
development of 32 new technologies and 68 patents. In just 
two short years, the companies that are part of BioInspire have 
garnered a long list of grants and awards. 

Housed in a 6,800 square foot center, BioInspire offers start-ups 
access to seed funding, wet lab space, and business mentoring. 
The city of Peoria's goal for BioInspire is to create high-wage jobs 
in the community and diversify the economy with growth in the 
biomedical device industry. 

With the Peoria, BioAccel, and Plaza Companies collaboration 
in full gear, the future looks bright for continued excellence in 
innovation at BioInspire. 

West Valley Visionary Award - Presented by: • West Valley Visionary Bill Sheldon 
VP and Chief Risk Officer, CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Company 

Dr. Lattie Coor has been a familiar face around the Arizona State 
University campus since 1990. As ASU President-Emeritus, a 
university professor, and Ernest W. McFarland Chair in Leadership 
and Public Policy in the School of Public Affairs, he continues to 
carryon his life-long commitment to teaching. 

Dr. Coor's introduction to education as a profession came long 
before he stepped onto a university campus. Born in Phoenix, he 
spent his youth in the West Valley cities of Avondale, Goodyear, 
and Litchfield Park. Coer's parents were both educators who 
taught in West Valley schools. In fact, Lattie Coor Elementary 
School in Avondale is actually named for his father; who eventually 
became the first Superintendent of the Avondale Elementary 
School District. 

Although Dr. Coor is at home in the university setting, his com­
mitment to the educational advancement of the state's student 
population is not confined to ASU. He also focuses his time and 
energy on the non-profit he created in 2002, The Center for the 
Future of Arizona. 

The action-oriented center combines public-policy research with 
collaborative partnerships to actually get things done. It's not just 
a think tank - it's an independent "do tank." The center's mission is 
to help guide and educate the decisions that impact the quality of 
life and opportunities for Arizonans. 

Under Dr. Coer's leadership, the center has set its sights on 
creating a unified state vision with a plan of action, as well as im­
plementing the center's Beat the Odds Institute research findings 
of the 6 keys to school success in Arizona's K through 12 schools. 

In Dr. Lattie Coor, the state has found an educator and a visionary 
who continues to care passionately about the future of Arizona. 

West Valley Regional Advancement Award - Presented by: • Regional Advancement Brad Wright 
President, Nations - Wright 

Accepting the award:  President Charley Freericks  DMB Associates - and past  Chairman of Fighter Country 
Partnership 

Ed Sharpe / Glendale Daily Planet

Michelle Lawrie CEO WESTMARC,  WESTMARC  Chairman Sharon Grambow --- Chief Operating Officer, Sun Health Senior Living Communities ---   President Charley Freericks  DMB Associates - and past  Chairman of Fighter Country Partnership ---    Brad Wright, President, Nations-Wright , Past-Chairman of WESTMARC

DMB Associates is one of the state's largest and most prestigious 
real estate development firms, holding an impressive residential, 
commercial and mixed-use portfolio. The company has made 
huge strides in the Valley's home building arena; DMB has 
developments across the Valley, including Marley Park in Surprise 
and Buckeye's Verrado. 

Established by Drew Brown, Mark Sklar, and Bennett Dorrance in 
1984, DMB is dedicated to innovative and responsible planning 
that respects neighborhoods, honors local cultures, and preserves 

the area's special landscapes. Realizing they are stewards of some 
of the finest real estate in the Western United States, DM B has 
preserved and permanently conserved thousands of acres of pris­
tine habitats, such as The White Tank Mountains. 

Enhancing quality of life is something that's always on the com­
pany's front burner. In each of their communities, a dedicated 
Community Life Team engages residents to work together toward 
the collective ambitions of their neighborhoods. Because of DMB's 
commitment to quality, they've been able to build some of the 
most livable neighborhoods in the Southwest. 

DMB has earned a reputation for creating places that compliment 
and enhance the larger communities that they are a part of, but 

their story doesn't end with building properties; they've also built 
relationships through extensive philanthropy and volunteerism. 

President Charley Freericks was Chairman of Fighter Country 
Partnership during a crucial time in Luke Air Force Base's history. 
Key members of the DMB team, such as Karrin Taylor, Dan Kelly, 
and Todd Hornback, have led West Valley initiatives and served on 
West Valley boards and organizations, helping shape the region. 

The DMB team and Charley Freericks have established a lasting 
legacy in our region. They have invested in our present and our 
future. 

West Valley Inspiration In Leadership Award - Presented by: • Inspiration in Leadership The Honorable Stephen Roe Lewis 
Governor-Elect, Gila River Indian Community 

Accepting the Award: Janice K. Brewer, Governor of Arizona 

Ed Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet

WESTMARC  Chairman Sharon Grambow - Chief Operating Officer, Sun Health Senior Living Communities -   The Honorable Stephen Roe Lewis Governor-Elect, Gila River Indian Community   -- Janice K. Brewer, Governor of Arizona   -  Michelle Lawrie CEO WESTMARC

If you open the professional scrapbook of Janice K. Brewer, you 
will see a career filled with public service to the state of Arizona. 
She has been a State Representative, State Senator, Maricopa 
County Supervisor, Secretary of State, and in 2009, she became 
the 22nd governor of Arizona. 

Throughout her years in office, she has kept a watchful eye on the 
health and wealth of the state. The issues she has dealt with have 
been large in size and great in number; from national dilemmas 

like border security and healthcare, to state crises like funding 
shortfalls and education dollars, to community concerns, including 
job growth and private investment. 

As Arizona's commander in chief, her duties have been as diverse 
as the state she oversees. She persevered through budget 
conflicts and controversies and became an instrument of change 
to a better, stronger economy for the West Valley and the state as 
a whole. 

Along the way, Governor Brewer has also found time to give back 
to the private sector. One organization that has benefited from her 
community commitment has been WESTMARC. 

Jan Brewer played a key role in the organization's early successes, 
when she served on the Executive Committee and the Board of 
Directors during WESTMARCs formative years and she continues 
to be an ongoing source of leadership to this day. 

When sworn in as governor, she explained her aim in Arizona 
would be to "call forth the creativity, determination, and entrepre­
neurial spirit that made these United States the most prosperous 
great power in the history of the world." They are words to live by 
and they are definitely words she has governed by. 

The Honorable Janice K. Brewer - a constant source of leadership, 
strength, and inspiration for the West Valley and for Arizona. 

----------------------

The Judges for this  event were a diverse panel of outstanding leaders, specifically chosen for their community and business expertise and located outside of the West Valley.  Judges were tasked with determining  the winners in each of the categories of Economic Engine, Quality of Life Enhancement, and Excellence in Innovation, from a large selection of deserving entries. 

Susan Carlson - Former Executive Director, Arizona Business & Education Coalition 

Kimber Lanning - Founder and Executive Director, Local First Arizona 

Tim Lawless - President, NAIOP Arizona 

The Honorable Mark Mitchell - Mayor, City of Tempe 

Kathy Tilque - President/CEO, Gilbert Chamber of Commerce

----------------------- 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Economic Engine


DIGNITY HEALTH 

Dignity Health recently completed 
construction of and opened St. Joseph's 
Westgate Medical Center. Dignity Health 
spent $48 million in hospital construction 
and anticipates $3.5 million in annual 
operating expenditures. 

Dignity Health has been providing care in 
the Phoenix area for nearly 120 years. Their 
first hospital opened with only 24 beds - 
meant for the treatment of tuberculosis 
patients - and eventually grew into what 

is now st. Joseph's Hospital and Medical 
Center in the heart of Phoenix. Dignity 
Health employs more than 5,000 people 
and provides a setting for hundreds of 
additional jobs in ancillary services. 

As a not-for-profit system, Dignity Health 
reinvests its operating and investment 
income in hospital improvements, 
technology enhancements, charity care, 
and community health programs. During 
FY2013, more than $370 million was 
returned to community benefit programs 
and services in the Valley of the Sun. 

BANNER ESTRELLA 
PATIENT TOWER ADDITION 

The addition was one of the most 
significant construction projects to come 

to fruition in the West Valley in 2014, 
representing an economic injection of $161 
million into the community by nonprofit, 
Phoenix-based Banner Health. 

The opening of the new patient tower 
created an additional 100 high-quality 
health care jobs on day one, paying an 
average of $48,000 per year. 

Annually, Banner Estrella admits 
approximately 16,500 patients, births more 
than 4,000 babies, and treats nearly 80,000 
patients in its emergency room. As demand 
for beds increases, additional floors will 

be opened, ultimately adding another 150 
jobs to the campus for a total of 250 new 
jobs created by the new tower alone. 

The BEMC patient tower is part of a two­
phase expansion project that will ultimately 
nearly double the number of beds at the 
medical campus, including emergency 
room beds. 

PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL 
RACEWAY 

PIR offers a unique entertainment 
experience that turns open desert into a 
small town overnight. The events bring 
not only exciting racing on the track, but a 
fun party atmosphere off the track. 

In 2013, Phoenix International Raceway 
partnered with NASCAR Mexico to bring 
the first ever NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series 
to the Valley. The landmark international 
event was a grand success and represented 
the next step in the sport's growth. The 
event provided an opportunity for PIR, 
NASCAR, and the city of Avondale to 
partner on a new initiative, NASCAR Drive 
for Diversity. The initiative has ignited new 
grass roots programs to attract minorities 
to the sport and highlight the rich cultural 
heritage of Avondale and the West Valley. 

Additionally, the city of Avondale 
and Phoenix International Raceway 
are partnering on some long term 
improvements to include a commitment 
from PIR of more than $100 million dollars 
in track upgrades over the next 10 years.

--- 

Quality of Life Enhancement 

CITY OF AVONDALE 
SENIOR CENTER & ACTIVE 
ADULT PROGRAM 

The Avondale Community Center Active 
Adult Program provides opportunities 
for seniors to be active and independent. 
More than 200 seniors from Avondale, 
Goodyear, and Litchfield Park are provided 
services through the program that 
decrease social isolation and improve 
quality of life. Participants are offered 
a variety of daily exercise programs, 
volunteer opportunities, activities, 
educational seminars, free medical 
testing, and trips that encourage fitness, 
socialization, and general well-being. The 
Active Adult Program has incorporated 
evening activities, casino parties, social 
events, and clubs. These activities have 
allowed seniors the chance to experience a 
different setting and revisit their youth. 

The city of Avondale provides seniors with 
transportation to and from the center, as 
well as to ongoing outings. This allows for 
seniors to be independent without relying 
on family and friends to transport them to 
and from activities. 

THE GARDEN PATCH­AVONDALE 

The Garden Patch - Avondale grows more 
than just fruits and vegetables; it grows 
friendships, social awareness, partnerships 
and environmental stewards, but most 
importantly, it grows community. Bringing 
strangers together; families, seniors, and 
youth are cultivating initiatives that benefit 
special needs populations while building a 
more sustainable community. 

West Valley residents struggling to put 
food on the table have benefited from the 
efforts of the Tri-City West Thornwood 
Boys and Girls Club and various Boy and 
Girl Scout troops who have worked plots 
in the garden and donated their harvest to 
the Agua Fria Food Bank and the New Life 
Women's Shelter. Volunteers have created 
plotting templates for the blind and raised 
beds that are easily accessible for persons 
confined to a wheelchair. Special needs 
students from area high schools were 
taught how to grow and harvest food and 
then how to prepare their harvest into 
delicious and nutritional meals. 

NORTHWEST VALLEY 
FAMILY YMCA OF EL MIRAGE 

Thanks to El Mirage voters, a unique 
public/private partnership involving the 
city of El Mirage and the Valley of the Sun 
YMCA made the Northwest Valley Family 
YMCA a reality. 

The YMCA brings a broad spectrum of 
social and human services to the West 
Valley which benefit individuals of every 
age and every economic station. 

Parents are enrolling their children in 
camps, tutoring, swimming, team sports, 
and meal programs. The YMCA is a place 
where children may experience safety, fun, 
confidence, interaction, and acceptance. 
Teens have their own space with 
computers and games, and access to a full 
compliment of healthy activities including 
a full-court gymnasium. Adults of all ages 
have found a place where, regardless of 
ability, there is value in movement and 
moving along with others makes for new 
friendships, better neighbors, and an 
enriched quality of life.

--- 

Excellence In Innovation

NORTHWEST PUBLIC 
SAFETY FACILITY 

The city of Avondale and the Maricopa 
County Community College District 
developed a partnership to place a public 
safety building on the grounds of Estrella 
Mountain Community College. The 
Northwest Public Safety Facility, located at 
the north end of the campus, houses an 
Avondale Police Substation, public safety 
classrooms for EMCC instruction, campus 
security offices, and the recently completed 
Avondale Fire Station 174. 

The shared land use and construction 
costs provided the best possible situation 
for the taxpayers. The public safety needs 
of the community are better served 

by faster response times to a highly 
populated area, enhanced educational 
opportunities for public safety students, 
and an ongoing relationship among 
Avondale Fire, Avondale Police, and EMCC 
campus public safety. For students, having 
classroom instruction, hands-on training, 
and frequent, ongoing in eraction with 
public safety professionals in one location 
provides a unique, real-world experience. 

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING 
LIBRARY 

The Professional Learning Library benefits 
teachers and schools in the West Valley 
by providing a free on-line resource 
repository, collaboration space, and 
professional development platform. 

The resource collection includes materials 
that support teaching and learning in a 
range of grades and content areas. The 
Library also houses a growing collection 

of free, just-in-time learning modules 
designed to increase teacher knowledge 
and skill. Teachers who complete these 
learning modules gain new tools and learn 
strategies which prepare them to meet the 
needs of diverse learners. 

Teachers can join or create on-line 
communities to collaborate and exchange 
ideas with colleagues across district 
boundaries. Hundreds of veteran teachers 
across the West Valley have improved their 
mentoring skills by completing an on-line 
course designed to strengthen the network 
of support available to new teachers who 
enter the field. 

THE INNOVATION HUB 
@ GOODYEARAZ 

The InnovationHub @ GoodyearAZ is 

a unique partnership between the city 
of Goodyear, Arizona State University's 
Entrepreneurship & Innovation Group, and 
the Maricopa County Library District. 

Utilizing 1.000 square feet inside the 
new Goodyear Branch Library, The 
InnovationHub @ GoodyearAZ is part of 
the ASU Alexandria Network, bringing 
together inventors, problem-solvers, 
entrepreneurs, and small businesses in co­
working collaborative spaces in community 
libraries across Arizona. 

The InnovationHub @ GoodyearAZ is 
the first Alexandria co-networking space 
in the West Valley. Users have access to 
one-on-one business mentors, direct 
access to the city's economic development 
business assistance, free business 
programs including free wi-fi, meeting 
space for individual and group business 
needs, as well as access to the library's 
business reference database and workforce 
development tools.

------------------------------------------------
OTHER PHOTOS!