I am often asked by organizations, “Where do we start?” when they want to integrate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into their company culture. There are a lot of places to start on your journey and reviewing your policies, practices and procedures (PPP) is a great one. Think about your employees first. The employee experience and being able to retain top talent should always … [More]
The JEM Foundation Fights for ‘Jake’s Law’ and Wins
Ben and Denise, founders of the JEM Foundation, lost their son, Jacob Edward Machovsky (JEM), to suicide and vowed to do whatever they could to ensure that no one else lost a loved one in the same way. Jake’s story is, sadly, not uncommon in Arizona. Prior to his death, he had been hospitalized twice in under two months for suicidal ideation. Both times, Jake was released in … [More]
Parents of Addicted Loved Ones Shows Provides Much-Needed Support during COVID-19
Parents of Addicted Loved Ones, or PAL, started in Phoenix in 2006 as a weekly support group but, due to intense demand, grew quickly and became a nonprofit in 2015, fully supported by volunteers. The first paid staff member was hired in 2018 — CEO/Executive Director Kim Humphrey — and now, just a few years later, PAL has 167 meetings in 41 states. The genesis of the … [More]
Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits Welcomes New Board and Staff Member
Patti Stoner is the vice president of Human Resources for Grand Canyon Education, formerly part of Grand Canyon University. In this role, she oversees the HR function that supports more than 13,000 employees for GCE, subsidiary Orbis Education and partner Grand Canyon University. With more than 25 years of experience, Stoner has served in an HR leadership or consulting role for … [More]
Supporting Undocumented Students through Scholarship
Scholarships A-Z was started more than 10 years ago by undocumented individuals and allies as a way of providing resources and support to students who are undocumented and wanting to pursue higher education. The organization is dedicated to the idea that everyone deserves access to higher education, regardless of immigration status. Approximately 2,000 undocumented youth … [More]
The Show Must Go On
As with many of the stories we’ve heard over the course of 2020 and into 2021, March of 2020 brought the everyday activities of Greasepaint to a halt — the auditions, the rehearsals, the performances. Everything that makes up Greasepaint’s reason for being. In the spirit of the old Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney movies, Greasepaint and its long-time executive director Maureen … [More]
Get ahead of Your Numbers in Order to Thrive in Today’s New Environment!
If you are like most business owners, you are probably feeling like your business just went through 12 months of raging rapids, temporarily capsized, and came out the other end with you wondering where exactly you are. One thing is for sure, we will not be returning to the way things used to be. It is a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) World out there and it will … [More]
ASBA Equipping Small Business Owners with Tools to Thrive
Arizona Toastmasters (District 3) has been around since 1938 and we are very proud to serve our communities across the state. Our new partnership with the Arizona Small Business Association, brings a renewed sense of change where we can combine working with our local business owners to improve their communication and leadership skills along with the advocacy and training from … [More]
Business Travel with Heart
Small businesses are important to our families, friends and communities, and they are important to Southwest Airlines. When you think “small business,” a few things may come to mind: family-owned, a friendly smile and hospitality. While Southwest® is not a small business, we share those key characteristics. We treat our people and customers like family, give out friendly … [More]
What is that Lender Thinking?
Borrowing money can seem complicated, but lending is really a fairly simple business. Lenders are in the risk business so they constantly juggle the desire to invest in businesses’ success and the need to limit risk of loss. Knowing how lenders think will help you navigate the process and be better prepared to apply for a loan. Why Are You Requesting a Loan? This seems … [More]
