The AZ COVID-19 Consortium, a private sector collaborative of Phoenix-based companies, each holding an intervention to combat the spread of coronavirus, have come together by combining their ingenuity and solution-driven passion to serve to test a comprehensive solution to slow and stop the spread of coronavirus. The Consortium prioritized their initial efforts in partnership with hard hit marginalized community spaces and businesses.
This private sector consortium of Valley businesses was developed to fortify selected locations and demonstrate how technology and innovation will allow a safer return to daily life. The consortium will host its inaugural showcase and roundtable discussion on Thursday, August 20. The multiple-location event will highlight the Consortium’s collective donations of expertise and products and services accompanied by CDC guidelines and local and state requirements. Highlights of the showcase will include environmental improvements and discussions of reopening preparedness from both employees and patrons where collaborative interventions were delivered.
Showcase partner sites include the Travis L. Williams American Legion Post 65, Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles’ and the Mesa Sheraton at Wrigleyville, where the roundtable discussion following the media tour to present findings will be held. Participants are invited to join in person in the hotel’s specially cleaned, treated, and disinfected ballroom, with social distance accommodations made, or online.
The showcase will begin at 8 a.m. with a tour of the American Legion Post 65 (1624 E. Broadway Rd.) and move to Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles’ (1220 South Central Ave.) at 9:15 a.m. and conclude at the Mesa Sheraton at Wrigleyville ( 860 N. Riverview).
Consortium partners include AMSAFE, HeroZona Foundation, Noral Clean Technologies, YellowBird, Pantheon Enterprises, Tintoria Piana U.S., Squire Patton Boggs and US POWER AZ PPE. Location partner participants include the Travis L. Williams American Legion Post 65, Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles’ and Power Hotel Group.
About the Consortium
US POWER AZ PPE LLC is a manufacturer of 3-Ply, smart, surgical-grade, disposable recyclable face masks for the general public utilizing technology that deactivates up to 99.997 percent of microorganisms and is marketed in bulk quantities. Located in a brand-new facility in the Gateway Technology Commerce Center in Mesa, Arizona, USA, POWER PPE is a proud Arizona owned and run organization and member of Local First AZ. Products include the 3-Ply Smart Masks and 3-Ply Smart Filter inserts.
Herozona is a non-profit organization that empowers our Heroes in the Phoenix community through entrepreneurship, employment, and education. Herozona works with veterans, first responders and others to bring social good to our future generations and under-served communities. Herozona’s premier community programs include: drive-through COVID-19 testing, the Bridge Forum, Tools for School events and National Veteran Hiring Summits.
Amsafe is the world’s leading provider of safety restraint products for the aerospace and defense industries. Renowned for its aviation passenger seatbelts, it is–in fact– also the technology leader in the manufacturing of aviation airbag restraint systems. AmSafe is the first and only company to have a seatbelt airbag system installed worldwide on both commercial and general aviation aircraft. In March 2020, AmSafe temporarily shifted, applying its manufacturing expertise to manufacturing PPE. AmSafe’s domestic PPE production included both masks and gowns, a great number of which were donated to tribal nations and municipalities in Arizona.
Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles’ first 1,000 sq. ft. restaurant opened in 2002 and quickly became a bedrock of the Phoenix community. Over the years, it has developed a cult following, with stars such as Charles Barkley, Shaq, Muhammad Ali among those singing its praises; in the process turning Phoenix, AZ into an unlikely destination for authentic soul food. Eventually, that small restaurant would give way to a downtown Phoenix location, then Scottsdale, and Gilbert, then the PHX airport…and before long, Lo-Lo’s would start popping up in lucky locales across the country.
Lo-Lo’s has always held giving back to the community as one of its core tenets. Recently, Lo-Lo’s teamed up with Herozona on their Tools for Schools event, which provided backpacks and school supplies to children.
Tintoria Piana U.S. Nonwoven Textiles trace their roots back to 1582 when the Piana family began work in the textile industry in Northern Italy. As the oldest textile manufacturing company in Italy, Piana has centuries of experience perfecting and revolutionizing their products and processes. Piana delivers quality innovative solutions to improve the overall quality of life for all humans. Heavily investing in R&D, Piana is leading the world forward to develop transformational products, treatments with antiviral technology, and innovative functionalities. Piana is committed to the environment; their products are completely recyclable. Piana’s new Ecosystem of Green Technology will allow the entire community of users to monitor how the products are fully recycled and reintroduced into the economy. From antiviral materials and products to fully recyclable product lines, Piana is dedicated to improving global quality of life.
The Travis L. Williams American Legion Post 65 is made up of 900 members, including the Sons of the American Legion, Lady Auxiliaries and Legionnaires. The Legion supports and hosts annual community programs for the South Phoenix community in partnership with the HeroZona Foundation. Community programs include Phoenix Tools 4 School, Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway, Holiday Bike Giveaways, Celebrating the Dream, Memorial Day Barbecue, Play It Forward, Veterans Reach to Teach and the Forgotten Heroes Breakfast.
Pantheon Enterprises is a chemical manufacturer based in Phoenix, Arizona with the mission to innovate and develop high performance, cost-effective, and environmentally safe cleaners and EPA registered disinfectants for a variety of industries. Today, Pantheon products are used by governments, commercial enterprises, and consumers who share our desire to promote human health and safety, protect ecosystems and environments, and improve working conditions. Our motto is: “We can do better.”
Power Hotel Group, an Arizona company, develops, owns and operates four hotels throughout the greater Phoenix area. Hotels include, Sheraton Mesa Hotel at Wrigleyville West, Doubletree by Hilton Phoenix Gilbert, Best Western Legacy Inn and Suites and the new Courtyard by Marriott Mesa at Wrigleyville West.
Noral Clean Technologies (NCT), a subsidiary of Noral Holding Company, was founded in 2019. The mission of Noral Clean Technologies is to be the first line of defense against harmful organisms. We develop and distribute innovative and breakthrough technologies to combat mold, bacteria, and viruses on surfaces and in the air. We protect environments for a variety of industries including, agricultural, office environments, government facilities, schools & universities, hospitality including restaurants and hotels, hospitals, manufacturing, sports & entertainment, and many more. NCT is a national, officially authorized distributor of patented, EPA and FDA registered, disinfectants that provide an innovative, protective seal coating that prevents contaminants from living on those surfaces for 90 days. This unique system is designed for offices, retail spaces, entertainment venues, and any environment that needs to be kept free from harmful organisms living on surfaces.
YellowBird is an Environmental, Health and Safety online marketplace headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. We specialize in connecting Environmental, Health, and Safety Professionals with Companies on-demand. Our vetting process ensures the deep roster of nationwide professionals are interviewed, background checked, insured, and certified so they are ready to perform when needed. YellowBird uses technology to save companies money and time. Safety has never been so simple! YellowBird has proudly launched a lab-science based Industrial Hygiene COVID-19 protocol to help reopen businesses and public facilities confidently.
