Doug Bruhnke’s approach to business, instilled at a young age by family members and bolstered later by his experiences with Japanese culture, has long been, “Whatever it takes.” It’s that kind of no-holds-barred determination — the Japanese call it “ganbaroo,” a term loosely translated as “do your best” — that has brought the New York native success in his career, which … [More]
Ian Wist Battles the Big-box Stores
As Ian Wist describes what he calls his “uh-oh” moment, the tension in his voice mounts. “You live with that moment,” he explains. He’s speaking of a crossroads during a tough period in the family business, Wist Office Products. “Those were some tough, scary times. And tough on us as a family,” Wist says. “It was during the Reagan recessions. We had bad cash flow, reps were … [More]
Aaron Matos: Morphing a Job Board to Recruiting.com
As founder and chief executive officer of Jobing.com and, now, Recruiting.com, Aaron Matos is devoted to helping companies hire the best people in the most timely and cost-efficient ways possible. “I went into human resources early in my career, and found out that most people didn’t really enjoy what they were doing at work,” Matos says. Along the way, he found a passion for … [More]
Chef Eddie Matney: Restaurateur with Panache
As Chef Eddie Matney can attest, from the series of restaurants to his credit, adjusting to a new group of regular customers after opening a restaurant is important. The regulars who now frequent Eddie’s House, in downtown Scottsdale among a host of art galleries, is a much different group from those he served at Eddie Matney’s, a previous restaurant that was located in the … [More]
Sandra Watson: Guiding the ACA to Build Business
Sandra Watson may have only recently been tapped as president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority in October, but she hardly needs an introduction to those in the business industry. After all, she was the agency’s interim chief for several months last year and has served the organization — in its current incarnation and its earlier one as the Arizona Department of … [More]
Elliott Pollack: Master of Figures
Prominent Valley economist Elliott Pollack, CEO of economic analysis firm Elliott D. Pollack and Company, is a no-nonsense kind of guy, his passion for his profession evident in every word of his rapid-fire delivery. Yet he’s not a strictly by-the-numbers sort; he has a philosophical streak. Just ask, for example, how he got his start. “Life,” he says, “is how you react to a … [More]
Joel E. Barthelemy: Turning Issues into Opportunities
Even as a kid growing up in St. Cloud, Minn., Joel E. Barthelemy had an interest in solving problems. He was one of those types who takes apart a radio or a car and reassembles it — usually correctly — just to see how the pieces fit and work together. His can-do attitude, curiosity and talent for hearing others out has served the self-described “serial entrepreneur” and founder … [More]
Doug Fulton: Importance of Marketing
Sitting in a comfortable leather chair by the baggage claim area inside the terminal at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, in the lounge that recreates one of his company’s designs, homebuilder Doug Fulton is talking to a Canadian couple who has just arrived from Toronto. The CEO of Tempe-based Fulton Homes informs the couple the life-sized living room they are lounging in is part … [More]
Bob Meyer’s Vision Revitalized Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Some business consultants, faced with the challenge of trying to save a children’s hospital that is $48 million in debt and with barely any cash on hand, would have suggested declaring bankruptcy or selling. Not Bob Meyer. Thanks to his visionary approach, in the eight years Meyer has been with Phoenix Children’s Hospital — starting out as interim chief executive officer in … [More]
Benito Almanza: Leveraging Life Lessons to become BofA State President
Benito Almanza’s office may be far from the farm fields he grew up on, but the lessons he learned as a child of farm laborers and the obstacles he overcame help guide him every day as the Arizona State President for Bank of America, in which position he coordinates all lines of business for the bank, including directing the work of 12,000 employees in Arizona. He also oversees … [More]
Eaton Drives Success with Mobility Options for the Disabled
With the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 newly passed, a business manufacturing ADA-compliant vehicles seemed like a good investment, explains Doug Eaton, president of Phoenix-based Vantage Mobility International, which manufactures and distributes wheelchair-accessible full-size and minivan conversions. He and his brother David purchased five-year-old VMI in 1992, … [More]
Kristin Bloomquist: Harnessing the Power of Relationships
To Kristin Bloomquist, general manager of Cramer-Krasselt’s Phoenix office, an advertising career is all about creating relationships. “I got into the work of advertising because I was fascinated by the creativity of it,” she says. “I also loved the business part of it … [the ability] to partner with clients to grow their business.” Examples across a multitude of clients … [More]
Matt Widdows: Advancing Real Estate through Technology
When it comes to technology and the many ways it can help real estate agents do their jobs better and more efficiently, Matt Widdows, founder and chairman of HomeSmart International, is a true visionary. Even before he opened his Phoenix-based company in January, 2000, Widdows recognized the need for better technology in the real estate business. “I saw a lack of technology … [More]
Sharon Harper: Leading Plaza Companies on Changes for the Better
For Sharon Harper, the key to running a successful company for almost three decades is to not be shy about reinventing yourself along the way. Harper is president, chief executive officer and co-founder of Plaza Companies, a 29-year-old full-service real estate service company that currently has three areas of interest in Arizona: medical offices, senior housing and … [More]
Ron Lynch: Success or Bust
Restaurant dining can be as much about the entertainment value as it is about breaking bread. This is where Ron Lynch put the emphasis as he developed the Tempe-based Tilted Kilt Operating Franchise, LLC, of which he is president. The Tilted Kilt is a Celtic-themed sports bar and restaurant chain known for its scantily-clad female servers in kilts — all against a backdrop of a … [More]
Rick Smith’s Product Revival Initiative Sparks a Corporation
TASER International, Inc. was recently named to the MDB Capital Group’s “Best & Brightest” list of innovators for 2011. For CEO and founder Rick Smith, whose company has achieved worldwide sales of an estimated 543,000 units since its launch in 1993, the honor further reinforces the concept that motivated him to develop and market the TASER electronic control devices … [More]
Marcia Rowley: Trading Up on Timeshares
Co-founder, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of International Cruise & Excursions, Inc., Marcia Rowley took an idea based on common sense and turned it into a successful company that quickly grew to be the leader in the travel and leisure industry. At least, it seemed common sense to her, though she found it had never been done before. Like millions … [More]
Reichel Succeeds in Time for Tee
Doug Reichel, president of GolfSwitch and an avid golf fan, took his own frustration with the difficulty of securing a tee time and developed it into a successful international business. Although he was challenged along the way by both the economy and an industry that is steeped in tradition as well as hesitant to try something new, he has persevered and is currently expanding … [More]
