As senior vice president and chief legal officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), Deanna Salazar oversees the company’s legal division, which provides consulting services to the board of directors and other key executives. This division advises the company in matters such as risk assessment, contracting, regulatory compliance and litigation management. Prior … [More]
Kristen Merrifield
The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits was formed in 2004 to be the unifying voice of the nonprofit sector in Arizona. As the only statewide association dedicated to serving the needs of the nonprofit sector, it represents the more than 20,000 nonprofit organizations all across Arizona. Its mission is to unite, strengthen and advance Arizona’s nonprofit sector. This is accomplished … [More]
RaeAnne Marsh
I’ve been with InMedia Company for eight years, and have helped launch two exciting publications: In Business Magazine and Vicinity Magazine. The latter is a hyper-local publication aimed at strengthening the ties of community within a neighborhood by connecting at the most essential level those who live there with the entertainment, shopping and other services “in their own … [More]
Ruzica Markovic
A 25-year marketing executive turned entrepreneur, Ruzica Markovic is today the new president and CEO of Pro One Media Productions, a multi-media marketing agency that has been creating “ridiculously effective” commercials, documentaries and corporate videos for nearly 35 years. Raised in publicly traded, fast-growth companies, Markovic is known for innovating and executing, … [More]
Drena Kusari
Drena Kusari connects transportation with technology to improve the lives of millions in our communities. As the general manager for the Southwest Region at Lyft, Kusari leads growth strategy, marketing and operations. Under her leadership, Lyft has added more than $100 million in economic value in Phoenix and ridership has grown more than eight times. Paving the road for … [More]
Mesha Davis
When Mesha Davis became the CEO of the Arizona Foundation for Women in 2016, she immediately hit the ground running by planning the organization’s signature luncheon event honoring actress and humanitarian Ashley Judd. Also honored were Jen Welter, Ph.D., the first female NFL coach, and Dr. Ken Snyder, local dentist with St. Vincent de Paul. With an outstanding lineup of … [More]
Pat Bondurant
Pat Bondurant, president and CEO of the 50-year-successful Bondurant Racing School, is the wife of founder Bob Bondurant, world champion race car driver. The family-owned school is globally recognized as the expert authority on driver training and safety. BONDURANT brings an average annual economic impact of $35 million to the Greater Phoenix area. She serves as the fierce … [More]
Jane Anthony-Rivera
LP Insurance Services is a unique risk services and insurance brokerage firm specializing in Property, Casualty, Surety, Workers’ Compensation, Employee Benefits, Healthcare Professionals, Personal and Risk Services. Headquartered in Reno, Nev., with additional offices in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe and Elko, Nev., LP supports clients throughout the … [More]
Catherine Alonzo
Catherine Alonzo is CEO and founding partner of Javelina, a change-engineering company that is advancing equality and human dignity through social, political and economic change. Javelina helps its clients realize their vision of change in the world through cutting-edge strategies from the worlds of marketing and political campaigns. Alonzo is motivated by her personal … [More]
Sharon Lechter
Sharon Lechter is an entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, philanthropist, international speaker and licensed CPA. As founder and CEO of Pay Your Family First, a financial education organization, Lechter has served as a presidential adviser to presidents Bush and Obama on the topic. In 2009, she was appointed to the National CPA Financial Literacy Commission as a … [More]
Achieving Greatness: Meet the 2018 Women of Achievement
Achieving goals is how businesses succeed, and our community has grown from layers of success built upon other layers of success. Powering this is the commitment of those who “can” to help others also succeed — proving the truth of the adage, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” This issue presents our 2018 Women of Achievement. Each of these 14 women has proven her involvement … [More]
Sharon Lechter, Pay Your Family First
Last year, In Business Magazine introduced its Women of Achievement honorees in a very well-attended luncheon. Shining a light on, and supporting, women who are making a difference in our business community has long been a focus for me — and I am very pleased to be the Guest Editor of this September issue that recognizes this year’s Women of Achievement honorees. As a … [More]
ROI: Return on Involvement
Imagine this conversation between two shoppers at a car dealership: Consumer #1: “I want the one I read about in the latest issue of Car and Driver magazine: It has a six-cylinder turbo engine, a double-clutch transmission, a 90 strokebore, and 10:1 compression ratio.” Consumer #2: “I want a red one.” Obviously, these two people differ quite a bit in terms of their … [More]
Communicate the Transformative Impact with Social Return on Investment
For nonprofits, communicating impact and value is crucial. While most businesses answer to a select group of owners, investors and shareholders, nonprofits must justify their existence and performance to a wide range of stakeholders. Donors, program partners, volunteers, board members, legislators, clients and local leaders all want constant assurances that their time, money … [More]
Lennard van der Feltz: Merging Technology with the Art of Financial Planning
Ask anyone to describe financial planning and you will likely get myriad responses ranging from investing in insurance policies or mutual funds to managing 401(k)s. But the common denominator is typically a pencil-pushing financial professional buried in spreadsheets with the latest trends, best buys and value-added opportunities, many of which are outdated before the ink is … [More]
Shoes Power Up Body and Spirit
Athalonz, a 2014 startup based in Mesa, offers first-of-their-kind shoes as a wearable tech product in a field that includes the Apple Watch, Antelope Sportswear and Motus Baseball Sleeve — notable gadgets that have been made to monitor and boost an athlete’s health and performance. Athalonz shoes use physics and kinematics to maximize athletic performance, reducing stress on … [More]
Re-energizing Arizona’s Film Industry
Featuring locations throughout Arizona, including Apache Junction, Queen Creek and Scottsdale, principal photography recently wrapped on an independent feature film, The Unhealer, and one of its producers, Cristi Harris — Phoenix-based and a co-founder of Shared Card Films, also in Phoenix — sees the project as “laying the groundwork for re-energizing the state’s film … [More]
2019 Infiniti QX80 Limited
The 2019 Infiniti QX80 Limited 4WD adds an even higher level of detailed elegance to the Infiniti QX80 4WD’s undeniable presence, featuring the exclusive Infiniti logo welcome lighting; satin chrome exterior trim; and machine-finished, 22-inch, forged aluminum wheels. The engine is both powerful and efficient. The 5.6-liter V8 generates 400 horsepower, 413 pound-feet of … [More]
