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Jeff D’Arpa is the Man Behind the Adventure

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Grand Canyon Railway general manager enjoys working where others play.

Going to work in places where he could play is what Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel General Manager Jeff D’Arpa had in mind while growing up, and that’s exactly what happened.

With ski resorts, national parks, hotels and now the Polar Express and Grand Canyon Railway in his professional queue, D’Arpa has completed 25 years with the Xanterra Travel Collection.

In his new position as Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel General Manager, D’Arpa oversees 280 to 340 employees and said, “The team I work with is outstanding and makes this a manageable assignment. To be able to incorporate trains and hospitality at this scale is a unique opportunity and I cherish the challenge it provides me.”

D’Arpa’s career began at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, where he began working in the ski shop. “My goal was to manage a ski or golf resort,” he said.  Again his dream was fulfilled as he stepped into the role of restaurant manager at Deer Valley.

When the snow melted, D’Arpa took off to work at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon as a food server in the summers. He stayed busy hiking the Grand Canyon trails and climbing the corporate ladder.

Starting as a food server for Xanterra Travel Collection in 1996, D’Arpa was able to work his way up to management.

He served as regional general manager of Zion National Park in Utah, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon National Park before becoming director of resort operations at the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams.

Chief Parks Officer Gordon Taylor has worked alongside D’Arpa for many years. “He certainly has integrity, intelligence and the energy to get things done.  I am a very lucky man to have the honor to call Jeff both a teammate and a friend.”

Along with his responsibilities at the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel, D’Arpa also oversees the Grand Hotel in Tusayan and the Tusayan Trading Post.

Born in Yonkers, New York, where he spent his formative years, D’Arpa moved to Florida when he was 16. While working at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, D’Arpa would visit Flagstaff in the mid ‘90s. “I always enjoyed the atmosphere, lifestyle and community. I also had some great friends from back East relocate to Flagstaff, making our transition to the area quite easy.”

Married to Lisa, the couple has two daughters and spends their free time hiking, skiing and cycling. D’Arpa also enjoys playing drums. “Weekends are never long enough,” he said.

The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel is located in Williams and has daily round-trip excursions to the Grand Canyon. The Polar Express will run through Dec. 30. For more information, call 888-848-3511.

Biggest Influence
I’ve been fortunate to work for Xanterra’s Chief Parks Officer Gordon Taylor since 1996. He has trusted and supported me through all my years with Xanterra, allowing me to grow and enjoy many achievements both personally and professionally.

Character Qualities Most Admired
Hard work and honesty.

Favorite Places to Visit
The bottom of the Grand Canyon and top of Humphreys Peak. To have these gems in your backyard and not make regular pilgrimages to enjoy them wouldn’t make sense to me.

The Last Time I Laughed My daughters make me laugh all the time. Somehow they are the funniest humans alive. Any of their TikTok videos put me in stitches.  QCBN

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

Retiring the Voice of County Health

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Terri Farneti retires following an intense public information effort through COVID-19.

Some may think only the past couple of years have been truly challenging for those involved in public and community health.

Terri Farneti likely will disagree with those folks. She’s been directly involved with public health issues for the past 16 years. It was only two months ago, in fact, that she retired from the intensity of those pressures escalated by the pandemic. Before that, other health concerns kept her constantly reacting.

For 16 years, Farneti has been integral in alerting residents about the full range of healthcare issues that permeate the various county communities.

She started her career with Yavapai County Community Health Services (YCCHS) in December 2005 as an administrative assistant to the assistant director of public health. Through the next few years, she demonstrated abilities and skills that resulted in rapid promotion to positions of increasing authority and responsibility. Hence, when the H1N1 virus – sometimes called the “Swine Flu” – ravaged the world’s population from 2009 until fall 2010, she was directly involved with identifying, developing and supporting vaccination clinics utilizing hundreds of volunteers throughout the county. “This was a massive effort, and the county had not previously done anything quite like it,” she recalled.

Not long after that, she was part of the YCCHS team that developed the very first Community Health Assessment Implementation Workplan. That effort, which began in 2012, led to the department’s becoming an applicant for the National Public Health Accreditation in 2015. “This was a huge project, and we had 197 items we had to document and submit for review to receive accreditation. But we got it in March 2016,” Farneti said.

In 2017, when Leslie Horton was named department director, Farneti was promoted into a position as special projects coordinator. Horton said Farneti soon became involved in grant writing and coordinating many of those areas of knowledge and expertise that assured the department was operating smoothy. She later was given public information duties.

Horton said during the pandemic, the YCCHS activated a Public Health Emergency Response. “Terri’s work quickly and drastically changed as the public information officer. She gathered information, issued press releases and Facebook posts and whatever other means of information she could find to inform the pubic of the latest COVID 19 data. Terri was our ‘go-to’ person for information for the media.”

Farneti explained, “When the pandemic hit in January 2020, we’d never faced anything like it. It took all the talent from throughout the YCCHS to establish the Emergency Operations Center. I feel so fortunate that I was in a team atmosphere that made positive things happen. In spite of it all, YCCHS applied for re-accreditation in January 2021. We all cooperated and managed to submit our reapplication for accreditation on June 1, 2021.”

Not Always in Health Service Disciplines 

Farneti, a native of Wayland, a small town in west central New York, earned her degree in hotel and restaurant management from Rochester Institute of Technology. She has more than 40 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, ranging from small operations to working for the Marriott Corp. in New Jersey and at major hotels in New Jersey, Atlanta, Georgia and Hilton Head, South Carolina. She met her French-born husband Maurice when they both worked at the L’Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls, Virginia. They moved from there to Washington, D. C., where they worked at the prestigious Hay-Adams Hotel in catering, which Farneti calls, “a highlight of my hospitality career.”

In 1998, they moved from D.C. to Prescott, where they purchased a coffee shop on Gurley Street they renamed “Provence.” A couple of years later, Farneti accepted a position at Yavapai College, where she held dual administrative roles as a member of the Leadership Center Team and a staff member for the Office of Government for Northern Arizona. When Yavapai College downsized those units, she applied for and was hired by YCCHS, where she worked and advanced for 16 years.

“As much as I enjoyed my work for the county, both at the college and most recently, health services, I confess my husband, Maurice, and I enjoyed some other marvelous experiences here in the community and the state. I especially enjoyed my community organization experiences—the Prescott Area Leadership Class, Big Brother-Big Sisters as a “big” for 14 years, the Launch Pad Teen Center and most important, the League of Women Voters for Central Yavapai County.”

NOW THAT I HAVE MORE TIME

I’m planning to join the U.S. Tennis Association and play more tennis, especially in league play. I’ll also remain involved in League of Women Voters.

WHERE I’D LIKE TO VISIT

Maurice and I want to climb into the Dodge Sprinter camper van we bought and see some new country – anywhere we want to go. I especially want to go back East to see friends and family we haven’t seen since we moved out here 24 years ago.

FAVORITE HOLIDAYS

How’s this for opposites: St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween. I guess it’s because I love the Irish heritage I have, but I also love being incognito in my costumes for Halloween.

PEOPLE I ADMIRE

I observed so many of my colleagues these past few years putting in extra hours of work, trying to help people understand just how severe and serious these epidemics and pandemics are. Sometimes they were treated inappropriately and unfairly. The reality is, they need to be praised and admired.

UPON REFLECTION

I’ve done far more than I ever thought I would do. I’ve worked with some tremendous friends and leaders. I gained far more than I ever expected. But now it’s someone else’s turn to gather information and attend meetings and take responsibility. I just hope they are as lucky as I have been. QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Called to the Stage

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Actress Robyn Allen is named Prescott-area ATHENA.

Stage actress Robyn Allen has spent more than 30 years in the entertainment industry, but says she had to overcome her shyness to perform.

“I was always very shy,” she said, “but if I had written a poem, I would just stand up and recite it in front of my relatives. I think that’s how they tricked me into auditioning for plays in school.”

Soon she found her own trick, which was to become completely immersed in the character and stay focused.

Allen shared her story with more than 100 people at the 2021 Prescott-area ATHENA Awards, Sunday, Sept. 19, at Goods from the Garden, where she was honored with the leadership award, sponsored by Quad Cities Business News and Prescott Woman Magazine.

“I was shocked and so honored to be a finalists alongside those women,” she said. “I really wanted to take a moment and learn who they were and what their journeys were that got us to this place.”

Allen, the executive director of Suze’s Prescott Center for the Arts (PCA) since 2016, is adamant that success doesn’t happen on our own. “It takes an enormous amount of support. We have hundreds of volunteers [at PCA]. I have an amazing staff and have always had a great team around me, supporting and surrounding me,” she said as she acknowledged her husband, Al, and thanked her team at PCA.

Besides acting, Allen’s career has included producing, directing and arts leadership. She received her education at Arizona State University under the direction of Marshall W. Mason and at the New Actors Workshop in New York. She served as artistic director of Theater Works in Peoria and was a founding member of the acclaimed Algonquin Theater Co., in Phoenix.

She has received 38 ariZoni nominations and 14 awards for her work in theater, including best director, best actress, best supporting actress and best guest artist. In addition, she has been featured in The Arizona Republic’s Who’s Who of Women in Theater.

One of her favorite productions was “Sweeney Todd,” for which she won an ariZoni Award for directing. Allen says her most fun experience was participating in a comedy horror film called “‘Netherbeast Incorporated’ about an undead telephone company staffed by flesh-eating, vampire-like employees. I worked with a lot of great comics in that film like Darrell Hammond, Dave Foley and Steve Burns. It was shot in Arizona.”

Most recently, under Allen’s leadership, Suze’s Prescott Center for the Arts received a nomination for the 2020 Governor’s Arts Awards, the 2020 Prescott Chamber Business Excellence in Arts and Culture Award and the 2020 Twink Lynch Organizational Achievement Award, on the national level. Noted in the Twink Lynch acknowledgment was the organization’s ability to redirect resources to create PCA Serves, which addresses the needs of the center’s mostly elderly patron population and served the broader community during the pandemic.

At the same time, the center had engaged in a capital campaign to build a new studio theater, and expand rehearsal and classroom space to better serve the community’s youth and create an additional art gallery.However, Allen says the campaign, “Setting the Stage,” was put on hold while the group focused on helping the community maneuver through the pandemic. Nonetheless, an anonymous donor came through, enabling the center to move forward with its expansion plans. As a result, PCA was able to break ground in July.

Allen was born and raised in Phoenix. Her husband grew up in Mayer. While visiting his family, she was introduced to Prescott and had always kept the idea of living there one day in her mind. The two made the move from Phoenix to Prescott in 2015. “Literally six weeks after I got here, the one job I do opened up at Prescott Center for the Arts. It fit like a glove.”

She planned to work as the interim director until they filled the position through a national search. “I fell in love with the community, the gallery, the center and everything about it.”

She decided she should apply for the job and the center agreed. “It’s just been go, go, go since then,” she said.

“I love everything about community theater, especially watching the growth of individuals and working with our youth,” she said. “The arts enhance a community. There really is something for everyone. You don’t have to be a performer, you can be active in other departments. We have opportunities for our youth to learn theater management and administrative skills. We need designers in lights and costume and enjoy teaching these skills to our volunteers. Community theater is a great place to get your feet wet. When I first started directing, I knew I’d have to learn how to do it all and you learn it quickly.”

Allen has been married for 34 years. She and her husband have two daughters and a son.

Biggest Role Model

Judy Rollings is a founding member of Actors Theater of Phoenix. I learned a lot from her. She was my mentor and still is. She is my acting coach and has championed me through difficult times.

Guilty Pleasure

Chocolate in any form.

Favorite Pastime

Spending time with my husband. It’s a challenge to be married to someone like me with a career like mine. I’m gone nights and weekends, I work crazy hours. So when we have time together I love to get on our motorcycle with him and feel the wind in my face.

Favorite Movie

I can space out and let go by watching romantic comedies. “Love Actually” is a favorite. So is “50 First Dates.”

Travel Destination Wish List

I really want to go to Paris and Rome. I am a romantic and so is my husband. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Retired L.A. Detective Stuns with ‘Bombshell’

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Best-selling author Mike Rothmiller pulls from his investigative notes to write about Marilyn Monroe’s death.

Delving deep into political intrigue energizes Mike Rothmiller, a former Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detective, who, in 1977 at age 27, had been the youngest person assigned to the department’s Organized Crime Intelligence Division (OCID).

The division armed a succession of LA police chiefs with intelligence to peddle influence and intimidate opponents, Rothmiller said. Among about 70 detectives active during Rothmiller’s five-year tenure, he noted, not one arrest was made.

“Going back to the 1930s, the police chiefs were the most powerful people in Southern California,” he explained. “It was a very different time.”

New detectives were assigned to learning how the filing system worked. Never dreaming that he would one day be writing books about what he discovered, Rothmiller said he flipped through index cards linked to files about mobsters, actors and actresses, politicians and other icons.

From Detective to Writer

Now a New York Times bestselling author chasing down conspiracy theories, Rothmiller has published 34 books since 1992. Four of those volumes were co-authored and some were written under pen names.

His latest book, “Bombshell: The Night Bobby Kennedy Killed Marilyn Monroe,” incorporates Rothmiller’s handwritten notes, Monroe’s diary, and a 1982 interrogation of the late actor and Kennedy brother-in-law, Peter Lawford. “Bombshell” re-
creates the events of Aug. 4, 1962, at Monroe’s LA home, and has generated media buzz in Australia, England and Germany.

Rothmiller stumbled upon Monroe’s missing diary, the grail in Robert F. Kennedy’s (RFK) frantic search of Monroe’s home on the night she died. Lawford later told Rothmiller that he was at Monroe’s home while Kennedy rummaged for the incriminating volume. Monroe’s diary had not been logged in the OCID filing system, a fact that Rothmiller ascribes to it having been buried. Rothmiller handwrote the entries that interested him.

When Rothmiller interviewed Lawford 20 years after Monroe’s death, he says the actor was an alcoholic and a broken man. Nonetheless, the he said he is certain that the actor was sober and truthful about witnessing RFK mixing a special beverage for Monroe. Not realizing what the concoction was, Lawford allegedly joined RFK in urging the emotionally distressed Monroe to drink it.

Undercover to Mainstream

The undercover experiences of Rothmiller in OCID and the cover-ups he alleges in his books are a far cry from his daily life in Prescott. He and his wife, Nancy, arrived 15 years ago following a stint in Colorado.

He is currently working on his first novel and his next compendium of conspiracies, including RFK’s assassination and the Black Dahlia murder. The fiction book is pure detective drama.

“My wife is reading it now,” he said. “I wrote it actually the way that detectives speak, not the TV stuff. It takes place in Hollywood. I worked there, so that’s where I come from in my writing.”

Rothmiller also has been digging into Hillary Clinton’s 340,000 emails. Despite his intense interest, Rothmiller says those email messages likely will be classified for the next 25 years.

“I enjoy the research more than anything else,” he said. “I dig in. A lot of times, it’s a deadend. My work is true crime, very graphic. There is no candy coating.”

Decoys and Subterfuge

Decoys, misinformation and other subterfuge were used by detectives and their sources to keep OCID’s intervention quiet, Rothmiller said. Often, there would be an official crime investigation and a parallel OCID case. The OCID analysis never saw the light of day.

“We were working under cover,” he explained. “In a lot of cases, the information [from sources] was so startling to you that it was seared/embedded into your memory.”

The backstory behind how he snagged the interview with Lawford and the actor’s concern that Rothmiller was a CIA agent provide interesting reading in “Bombshell.” Shortly after the Lawford interview, Rothmiller was ambushed and badly injured. Ultimately, the attack was traced to another case involving Central and South American gun running and drugs.

“I was in the hospital in the trauma center under an assumed name,” Rothmiller recalled, when intelligence personnel reported that the attacker had returned to Nicaragua and that Nancy also had been targeted. “[The criminals] wanted to send a message to everyone in law enforcement that if you got in their way, they would take out your whole family.”

Rothmiller’s first book was published about 10 years after he had left police work. Titled “LA Secret Police,” the book documented life inside OCID and quickly made the bestseller list. By that time, he had been a TV reporter and had his own ESPN series.

“I thrive on exposing things that the average person does not see,” Rothmiller said. “Intelligence gathering is a completely different world. There are things that people do not want you to see.  There is so much political corruption, but now they are more cautious and devious in the way they cover their tracks.”

Best Advice Ever Received

It came from my mother: I am not sure how old I was, 8 or 9 that I recall, and about to play hardball at the park. I had never played before and I was nervous about it. She said, “Michael, you don’t know what you can accomplish unless you try.” I did well and pitched a no-hitter. Her words always stayed with me. What is the worst that can happen? You don’t know until you try.

Favorite Place to Visit

For vacation, I like Alaska and I have been 20 to 30 times to Hawaii. When not a vacation situation, I like going places that are unusual and different. I am an archeological site steward for Arizona. I have spent plenty of time off the beaten path, hiking two-story cliff dwellings that look like the inhabitants walked away a couple of weeks ago, even though it was the year 1300. Doing the news (as a TV reporter/director), I spent two weeks in the Amazon swimming in clear tributary waters and enjoying the wildlife.

Who I Admire

When I was in San Diego working at Sony and on the USO Board of Directors, I met a lot of military personnel being shipped off to Iraq and other places, not knowing if they would be coming back. I saw them with their spouses and children. The littlest children did not understand where Dad or Mom was going. Even in police work, you can quit anytime you want, but not as a soldier going on deployment to war. You can’t say, “I quit today.” I have to admire those people. In my book, “My Hero: Military Kids Write About Their Moms and Dads,” the kids wrote essays about why their parents are their heroes. I admire those kids, too, for how brave they were talking about their parents.

My Superpower

That goes back to what my Mom said. I am not afraid to try new things, not knowing if I am going to succeed or fail. If I succeed, wonderful. Maybe it’s an attitude toward life.

Five Years From Now

I assume I will still be writing right here. It keeps my mind active. Research and writing are like a treasure hunt for me. Most of the time, I find a gem to answer a question or open others’ eyes to something. QCBN

By Sue Marceau, QCBN

ERAU Chancellor Ranks Among ‘Most Influential Women in Arizona’

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Anette Karlsson begins third year leading the aeronautical university.

Anette Karlsson arrived in Prescott on Aug. 1, 2019, as chancellor of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Prescott campus. She pledged a university education that was personal, student-focused and totally immersive. She also emphasized the continuation of rigorous learning experiences that had positive educational and economic impacts on Arizona and the nation.

Though barely known in Arizona when she arrived, a year later, she was named one of 2020’s “Most Influential Women in Arizona.”

However, because of the COVID-19 shutdown of public events, the celebration was delayed until this month in Phoenix.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the prestigious event organized by AZ Business and AZRE magazines, both of which focus on high-level corporate, business and educational executives and owners. “Being named is a testament to the number of brilliant, talented women leaders in Arizona. The program is one of the most elite and competitive in the state, ” said AZ Big Media Editor in Chief Michael Gossie. More than 2,000 women were considered.

Karlsson, a native of Sweden, has achieved international prominence as an engineering and aviation expert, as well as a higher education administrator. Karlsson had a successful academic and work career in Sweden. She completed degrees in engineering – a bachelor’s in 1985 and a master’s in 1990 – at Linkoping University. During that same period, she worked for SAAB Corporation in the aerospace division.

She moved to the United States, where she served as a scientific attaché in the Swedish Embassy. Karlsson soon enrolled at Rutgers University, where she earned her doctorate in mechanical and aerospace engineering in 1999. She completed post-doctoral research experience at Princeton University. She later joined the University of Delaware faculty from 2008 to 2012, and became chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. In 2012, she moved to Cleveland State University as a professor and dean in the Washkewicz College of Engineering.

Karlsson accepted the administrative position at ERAU, succeeding Dr. Frank Ayers, who retired at ERAU-Prescott and moved to the ERAU-Daytona Beach, Florida, campus.

“She brought stellar academic credentials, superb executive experience, a passion for both engineering and aviation, and a team-oriented approach to the chancellorship,” said ERAU President Dr. P. Barry Butler.

As leader of what is rated the No. 1 aviation and aerospace university in the nation, Karlsson said, “Enrollment is expected to exceed 3,000 this fall, with students coming from all 50 states and from more than 40 foreign nations. The increase, though modest, is an exception to what is happening in the rest of the country. This speaks well of our dedicated faculty and staff, who consider students the reason why we have a university.”

The worldwide campus, including the other residential campus in Florida, brings the total enrollment to 31,000 for ERAU.

MAJOR CHALLENGE

“Soon after I moved here, the pandemic began. We had to think about moving ahead with educational programs while at the same time keeping everyone safe during all these months. That derailed some of my plans.”

FASTEST GROWING PROGRAMS

“Actually, aviation – graduating pilots. The aviation industry is coming back strong. Also, the airline industry is suffering from a shortage of pilots because so many are retiring. Cybersecurity is also increasing in enrollment.”

SOURCE OF PRIDE 

“The Golden Eagles flight team this past late May won its 13th national flight championship, competing against 28 major universities in the U.S. We’re really proud of those top-notch students.”

NEXT MAJOR PROJECT

“We’re in the design phases of a new student union center. We desperately need it. That’s part of my long-term goal – to refresh the campus. Then, we’ll look at new classrooms and office buildings.”

FAVORITE ACTIVITY

“I really do enjoy rising early and getting out and jogging and exercising. But it seems lately, I’ve had to cut back on that because of so many other obligations. I get out on weekends.” QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Enjoying the Ride

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Soledaddy Longboards owner handcrafts his unique skateboards at the Grand Canyon.

Thinking about surfing in Northern Arizona may sound a bit unusual, but according to outdoor recreationist Nicolas Sutherland, riding his Soledaddy Longboard here “is the closest you can get to riding the ocean waves.”

“I heard about Soledaddy Longboards at Aspen Sports,” said Sutherland. “The board is handmade, beautiful and rides like a dream, and I love the retro look, so I knew I had to give them a try. It’s so much fun carving down hills with its flexible deck and extra-long shape. I’ll probably buy another one soon.”

Crafted in his garage at the South Rim Grand Canyon Village, Soledaddy Longboards owner Scott Rommel, who works for Grand Canyon National Park in water utilities, has sold more than 50 boards since last August. His tagline is “Everybody wants one.”

“Aspen Sports has been invaluable to my business,” said Rommel. “The response from customers has been incredible. Last August, they sold out in a couple weeks. I had to resupply the store to keep up with the demand.”

“The Soledaddy Longboards are selling extremely well,” said Aspen Sports Skateboarding Manager Jorge Doniz, who has been skating for more than 15 years. “People like them because of their unique Southwest features and amazing ride. It’s hard to get a flex on a board but with Soledaddys, you can go high speeds and maintain control. It helps the rider enjoy the board more. I just bought a new board and I’m real excited about it.”

Born and raised in San Diego, Rommel moved to the Grand Canyon 17 years ago. His dad was a surfer and carpenter and built Rommel a skateboard when he was 7 years old. “In the 1990s, I started constructing skateboards and sold them in a couple shops in San Diego as well as the swap meet for a few years. I believe I am the first skateboard designer to build skateboards with a what I call a ‘double swallowtail.’”

Rommel says his inspiration for the look and style of his boards come from his love for old cars. “I love classic cars from the 1950s and 1960s – it’s such a great American art form. The detail and quality they show through their work is inspiring. Classic car designs have subliminally seeped into my designs.”

The initial restart of Soledaddy Longboards began last year when Rommel went back home to San Diego to visit his parents. “I found a couple old planks in the garage and my son saw them and said I should start making them again. So, I picked up a hobby from 25 years ago,” said Rommel.

Using birch laminate that he purchases from Spellman Hardwoods in Flagstaff, the Soledaddy Longboards are a half-inch thick and up to 60 inches long, inlaid with alder hardwood. “Birch laminate has more flex and gives great suspension, like a luxury car,” explained Rommel. A recent longboard features Monument Valley-themed artwork.

Owner of The Pizza Guy, Mike Williams, who collects skateboards, has a Soledaddy original that Rommel made for him. “It is a really cool board with red inlay with my logo.”

Eventaually, Rommel says he hopes to have a small workshop and a couple of employees. “That would be so cool, but right now it’s just me, my garage and backyard, and that’s fine because I’m having fun. I love what I to do and it’s very satisfying work.”

My superpower is:

Focus. I can latch on to an idea or vision and go for it until I finish it. This helps a lot in board making. I’m also good at planning, taking into consideration many things and putting them all together to formulate a course of action.

Best advice I’ve ever received:

The best business advice I’ve gotten is from my multimedia consultant, graphic artist and somewhat of a silent partner, Elise Burnette, who tells me to “stay the course” and “stick to your guns.”

A skill I’d like to learn:

Computer graphic design. It would be great to create digital artwork that I could turn into decals for my boards. Right now, I use all of my time to actually produce the boards.

My role model is:

I admire those people who stick to their beliefs no matter what. That takes a lot of courage. It could be Malala Yousafzai or Greta Thunberg, or it could be characters in films like those played by John Wayne or Clint Eastwood’s character in “Unforgiven.”

My favorite travel destination is:

The eastern Sierra Mountains, up in the high country, the John Muir Wilderness. It’s so beautiful – crystal clear creeks, streams and lakes full of wild trout. That always draws me back. That’s what I think heaven would look like to me. QCBN

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

For more information about Soledaddy Longboards, visit soledaddylongboards.com or call 928-640-0607.

Smoothing Out Life’s Bumps

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Preferred Auto Body’s Cameron and Erika Snow know when you’ve had a bad day.

Cameron and Erika Snow are exactly the people you’d want managing the fallout if your motor vehicle were sideswiped, rear-ended, dented or otherwise damaged in a mishap.

The Snows, owners of Preferred Auto Body, Inc., apply their know-how to making your prized wheels look as good as new. From coordinating with insurance companies to buffing newly repaired auto bodies, their 11-person crew aims for complete customer satisfaction.

Since purchasing Preferred Auto Body in 2014, the Snows have focused on “keeping people happy” and “trying to do everybody right,” Cameron said. He and Erika bought the shop three years after relocating from California to Prescott, where Cameron had enjoyed visits during high school with a friend whose family had local connections. Cameron had been a firefighter until a job-related back injury ended that career. A family friend mentored him in auto body work, Cameron explained, “and here we are.”

In a typical week, the shop repairs about 20 vehicles. After dropping to 15 a week during the pandemic, business is picking back up.

“Our business is a mix of everything from bumpers to ‘train wrecks,’” Cameron said. “It goes in spurts. We can’t predict what will be coming in, so we’re ready for anything. Seventy percent is repeat customers and referrals. There are a lot more customer pays than I ever thought. People are scared to death to use their insurance.”

That fear arises from misconceptions about what causes insurance rates to rise, he explained. The general rule is that a driver hitting something spurs a rate increase, while damage such as that from hail storms, vandalism and grocery carts does not. A collision with a deer or other animal is exempt. Cameron shared that three-year rate increases of $27 to $30 a month have been reported by customers for “chargeable” incidents.

“The average person is going to get into a wreck,” according to industry statistics, Cameron said. “You would have to go 21 years without a loss to justify a $1,000 deductible and you’d only save a small amount a year for not choosing the lower deductible. People should know the fine print of their policies. Everyone thinks they have full coverage, but they don’t. Many go online and pick the cheapest rate, where accident payouts are low and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts are limited.”

Preferred Auto Body takes pride in advising customers on when to use insurance coverage and when to pay cash. “You may be able to repair minor damage for not much money, but you will want to explore if a more expensive repair justifies the cost of having insurance pay for it,” Cameron said. “We can help you figure that out.”

Besides negotiating with insurance companies, Snow says interfacing with customers can be challenging. “There are a thousand different scenarios, but any of them may have one thing in common: customers are stressed and not happy because their prized possession, and their second most expensive purchase after a home, is broken. We apply our knowledge to make them as happy as possible when they get the vehicle back. Circumstances change, so that task can be hard or easy.”

Community is important to the Snows, who have built strong relationships with businesses such as Brinkley Automotive, Big O Tires, Jim’s Alignment & Brake Service Inc., Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz Car Rental. The Preferred Auto Body experience includes, if needed, a ride to or from Enterprise or Hertz or a nearby home, office or similar location.

Of their many philanthropic activities, Erika said they like to keep their donations local by contributing to Prescott High School, Boys to Men Mentoring, Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters, Kiwanis, and Arizona tax credits to area schools. Serving veterans is a favorite cause.

The Snows had collaborated in California with other businesses to raise $10,000 to $20,000 a year to take underprivileged children shopping during the holidays. They said they’d like to do the same in Prescott by aligning with schools and a merchant for after-hours shopping.

On a personal level, the Snows met at a California high desert roping event during the summer between sixth and seventh grades, Erika said. Their parents were friends and Erika later saw Cameron at middle school, though she says “he didn’t know I existed until we were 19.”

Their son, Travis, 21, and daughter, Shelby, 18, focus on “storming their own castles,” Erika said. Travis works in heavy construction and Shelby graduates this year from Prescott High School.

“Finding the right employees is the hardest part of this whole thing,” Cameron explained of opportunities for painters, painters’ helpers, detailers and office managers. “It’s worse because of the pandemic. We try to keep everybody working together as a family. We are blessed to have the people that we do.”

Best advice I’ve ever received:

“My former boss, and now friend, taught me everything I know about the auto body business and continues to give us advice regularly. His best advice was to always make the customer happy and go out of your way to make the repair process as easy as possible.”

If I could obtain a new skill, it be would be:

“To learn how to play an instrument, like a guitar, because it would be fun to play around a campfire.”

The last time I felt gratitude:

“We feel pride and gratitude on a daily basis. Our son is 21 and is working for a local company in construction and loving it. Our daughter is 18 and is graduating from Prescott High School this month. We’re proud of both of them and are grateful to God to have been able to raise them in a town like Prescott.”

In our spare time:

“We like to explore Arizona in our Side by Side, go hunting with our kids and when Cam can, he competes in Bench Rest shooting.”

Our role models are:

“Our dads. We lost them both at very young ages. They were 46 and 49. They both were hard-working men who were leaders both at work and at home. We try to work and live our lives in a way that we think would make them proud of both of us.” QCBN

By Sue Marceau, QCBN

Paul Kirchgraber Takes Reins of PUSD Foundation

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Education advocate brings local knowledge and international experience.

The new executive director of the Prescott Unified School District Education Foundation has national and international experience and credentials that bring him praise across the Quad Cities community.

Paul Kirchgraber recently accepted the head administrative position for the PUSDEF after having headed the Yavapai College Foundation (YCF) for almost 10 years.

“I watched the PUSDEF since its inception six years ago,” he said. “It is a remarkable success story. That small group of passionate volunteers saw a need and created an organization totally dedicated to providing financial support for amazing public school teachers, administrators and their programs.”

During the years since its founding, the PUSDEF has raised approximately $1 million, with those funds being used to support teacher grants, technology, curricular improvements, and teacher and student recognition programs.

Kirchbgraber accepted the position following the retirement of former Executive Director Tami Phillips, who had headed the organization until her January retirement and relocation to Tennessee to be near family. “When that leadership position became available, it fit my timing perfectly,” he said.

Joe Howard, superintendent of the PUSD system, was enthusiastic about having Kirchgraber take the executive director’s position. “I’m thrilled that PUSD and the PUSDEF continue to land some of the best talent in the business for its many different leadership positions. Paul Kirchgraber is as successful and experienced as you could hope for in this kind of foundation work. Worth mentioning is that he is calm, cool and collected. I believe he has found this type of professional calling, because our public schools are in a place where his servant’s heart can make a big difference.”

Equally supportive was Jenna James, president of the PUSDEF. “Now more than ever, it is important to marshal our resources and attract more funds to support our schools, teachers and students,” she said. “Paul brings the fundraising expertise and knowledge of the local philanthropic landscape that we need to continue these efforts. “

Decades of Fundraising Experience

Kirchgraber has been involved in fundraising since his 1976 graduation from SUNY-Brockport in his home state of New York. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Louisville in Kentucky in 1980. He immediately began work with an American healthcare project in Saudi America, where he remained until 1984. He then relocated to Los Angles and was recruited by Peter Ueberroth to help identify and train staff to work at 27 different sites for the 1984 Summer Olympics. It was there that he met his future wife, Melinda. They have been married for 32 years.

In 1985, the Kirchgrabers became involved in international efforts again. He worked for the Peace Corps in Somalia on the border of Ethiopia and then worked with several non-governmental organizations (NGOs): Médecins Sans Frontieres, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Red Crescent Society (equivalent of the Red Cross) and several other healthcare groups.

Upon returning to the United States, Kirchgraber accepted a teaching position in social work at California State Long Beach and, later, the University of Southern California. He soon was recruited to be part of a billion-dollar fundraising campaign. His successes in California attracted the attention of the Arizona State University Foundation, where he served as vice president of advancement. He also was involved in programs for Arizona Special Olympics and the American Red Cross, which gave him opportunities to travel to Prescott and the Quad Cities. In 2010, he learned of the opening at Yavapai College (YC) in Prescott.

“When we started visiting Prescott, my wife and I fell in love with the place,” he said. “We immediately agreed that if the right job came along, we’d move to Prescott.” It did. They did. And they have no regrets.

During his years at YCF, Kirchgraber headed efforts to raise money to support the YC multi-campus system.

He calls the capital campaign to raise $3 million for the Southwest Wine Center in Verde Valley on the Clarkdale campus “the most fun I had at Yavapai College.”

He says most people didn’t know that it was the only academic wine education program in the Southwestern United States. “In just a short time, it has become an award-winning program and one of the college’s most recognized destination programs.”

Kirchgraber stresses that his new position will give him many opportunities to build nurturing relationships in the community, especially now, during the pandemic. “We need to find creative ways to connect during this time of social distancing. We’ll pivot to virtual tools such as online auctions, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer fundraising and live streaming. I have all the confidence we’ll be successful.”

Asked if he had any major disappointments, Kirchgraber reflected a moment and then responded, “Yes. My biggest disappointment is that we didn’t find Prescott sooner.”

My favorite entertainment:

Marvel Comic books. They let me have total escapism.

My ideal meal:

Anything cooked by my wife. She is a fantastic home chef – very eclectic.

Best advice I’ve ever received:

My dad told me, “Always stop and take a breath. And to say ‘I don’t know’ when I don’t know.”

Qualities I admire in others:

Someone who is an honest person and who manages with integrity and ethics. They must be flexible and adaptable.

What I’d do with an open checkbook:

I’d establish a charitable foundation to fund innovative ideas in education. QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Teen Builds Business Out of Chocolate

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  Tyler Stickler works hard to make life sweeter at the Grand Canyon Chocolate Factory.

When you have been the Flagstaff High School student body president, captain of the football and track teams, and a part of the school’s Governing Board, it’s not surprising that you would be in a business management position at age 19.

For Grand Canyon Chocolate Factory Co-owner and Manager Tyler Stickler, starting a business and running it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. “I just wasn’t interested in going to college after high school,” said Stickler. “Then, my dad had this epiphany for a business so we sat down and came up with this idea to open a candy store at the gateway to the Grand Canyon. We opened right when COVID hit so business was a little slow, which we expected, but it picked up fast and we are doing surprisingly well.”

Stepping into his new role, Stickler is in charge of sales but says he has his hand in every aspect of the business. He drives to Tusayan from his home in Flagstaff every day. “I work from 9 in the morning until 9:45 at night.”

“Tyler is a very kind and driven person,” said Sales Associate and Cashier Sophia Maragos. “I can’t wait to see how far he takes the business. He is so passionate about it.”

Selling an abundance of treats, the lineup at Grand Canyon Chocolate Factory includes 15 different flavors of truffles, 18 types of fudge, 24 flavors of gelato, candy and caramel apples, and a large selection of trail mix and popcorn.

“Our biggest seller is our Grand Canyon Crunch,” said Stickler. “It’s Rice Krispies on steroids,” he said. “It has marshmallows, white and dark chocolate, and peanut butter.”

Stickler researched candy shops and says he is very proud of the selection he offers. Everything, except the gelato, is made on site. Stickler’s mother, Vicki, and other family members and friends help out.

Grand Canyon Chocolate Factory Manager Sean Ketcher grew up with Stickler and he and his family helped get the store going. “I’ve learned that when Tyler has a goal, he doesn’t stop. He digs down and works until he achieves it. I’m really lucky to work with him.”

Renovations are planned in the next couple of months, along with an expansion of products. “We have space on the other side of our building, so we’re looking into opening a coffee and pastry shop as well,” said Stickler. “We have had requests for specialty coffee and drinks.”

The Grand Canyon Chocolate Factory is located off Highway 64 in Tusayan. For more information, call 928-853-9753 or visit grandcanyonfactory@gmail.com.

My superpower:

My parents. They taught me to push myself out of my comfort zone. In high school, I was scared of public speaking, but I pushed myself and eventually, I spoke in front of 8,000 people and felt at ease. Also, my parents taught me people skills and the ability to communicate effectively. I thought it was normal to have these traits, but as I grew older I’ve realized it’s not, and that has set me apart. I owe it all to my parents.

Character traits I most appreciate in others:

For me, it’s hard work. I think hard work defines character more than any other trait. Just by showing up and working consistently is one of the most important attributes someone can have. More than anything, work ethic will get you further in life.

My guilty pleasure:

Weird, but other than the Grand Canyon Chocolate Factory, my life is the gym at Flagstaff Athletic Club. I love weightlifting.

My favorite place to recreate:

My family grew up around Page and Lake Powell, so I fell in love with it because it is such a beautiful area and so much to do. My dad and I also like to hunt, especially in the Kaibab Forest, Unit 9.

Best advice I’ve ever received:

My dad taught me that hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work. He’s always said there’s no substitute for a good attitude and good work ethic and I always believed that and always will because it’s worked for me. That’s the way I live my life. QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Nation’s Winningest Soccer Coach Retires

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Mike Pantalione ends his extraordinary 32-year career at Yavapai College.

Pantalione was hired in 1988 by then YC Athletic Director Lynn Merritt. He was at the University of Montana, where he earned his degree. Prior to that, Pantalione had been coaching and directing soccer programs in England and then the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Kenyon College in Ohio, Jesuit High School in Portland, and Archbishop Wood High School in Philadelphia. In all, he has been active in soccer for 40 years.n icon in the Quad Cities and even more so in the collegiate soccer world, Mike Pantalione retired in mid-January after a 32-year career as head soccer coach at Yavapai College (YC).

No men’s soccer coach in the nation has a record that even comes close to Pantalione’s .900 winning percentage. He is the only coach in intercollegiate soccer to average more than 20 wins a season.

A Hall of Fame recipient, he coached the Roughriders to several National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) championships. His team won its first national championship in 1990 – two years after he founded the team. The Roughriders won national championships again in 1992, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2009.

Those who know Pantalione will tell you he is a quiet, humble man, reluctant to take credit for any Roughrider accomplishment. That was apparent when Pantalione, in an exclusive interview with QCBN, said, “It’s a player’s sport. All the credit should go to the players for the program’s success.”

However, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native’s individual honors are too numerous to be put aside. Among them:

1980—Named national coach of the year by Special Olympics, Washington, D.C.

1995—Recipient of National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National Merit Honor because of high standards for professional and ethical behavior.

2006—First-ever national coach to be named to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Hall of Fame.

2012—Awarded the NJCAA National Service Award for significant contributions to junior college athletics.

2015—Received NSCAA Letter of Commendation for unusual achievements that exceeded performance requirements, expectations and contributions to junior college athletics and soccer in the United States.

2016—Awarded the prestigious Bill Jeffrey Award in recognition of long-term service and contributions to collegiate soccer.

2016—Only active coach in men’s sports to be selected for the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Hall of Fame. Pantalione also is a member of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.

 

But, larger than Pantalione’s personal honors are those of the teams he and assistant coach Hugh Bell coached through the three decades they worked at YC. Those include seven national NJCAA championships, 78 total championships (conference, regional district and national), 21 national tournament appearances, 19 Final Four national appearances, 28 Arizona Conference titles, and 29 consecutive years of being ranked in the weekly Top 10 National Soccer Polls.

Student-athletes under Pantalione’s leadership number 64 All-Americans, 146 All-Region players, six national Players of the Year and 22 NJCCA Hall of Fame players.

More than 350 of his players moved on to soccer scholarships at major colleges and universities, and dozens played with national teams, Major League Soccer teams and World Cup teams.

Expressing Gratitude to the Coach

Following the announcement of Pantalione’ s retirement, tributes poured in from all over the nation. Former student athletes, fellow coaches, parents and fans let him know of their affection.

Pantalione says he has been contacted by hundreds of former student athletes, many of whom have gone into professional or semi-professional soccer careers, and others into coaching and teaching.

“Coach Pantalione had a legendary career guiding the Roughriders to unparalleled success both on and off the field,” YC President Lisa Rhine said of Pantalione’s years of contributions. “We are proud and honored to celebrate all the achievements he accomplished in the coaching community. We wish him nothing but the best in retirement.”

YC Athletic Director Brad Clifford echoed Rhine. “Words cannot express what Mike has meant to Roughrider athletics. Mike is a true professional in every sense of the word. Mike is a Hall of Fame coach who is well-respected across the world for his soccer knowledge that has made Yavapai College synonymous with soccer.”

The college is sponsoring a public event at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 27, when the recently completed practice soccer field is scheduled to be dedicated as the Michael Pantalione Field. Immediately following the dedication ceremony, the celebration will continue in the YC Community Room, where the new head soccer coach and the new women’s soccer coach will be introduced. Guests need to RSVP in advance via the YC Events pages if they plan to attend.

Pantalione is reported to have recruited soccer players to Yavapai College by telling them that “Yavapai” is a Native American word that means “winning soccer.”

Plans for retirement include:

I am remaining in Prescott. This has been our family’s favorite place. It is home.

Advice I share with fans:

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy. They are the ones who make our souls blossom.

Special people in my life include:

Dedicated student athletes. They’re the ones who scored more than 3,000 goals. I didn’t.

I credit my success to:

Yavapai College. Special acknowledgement is due for allowing me to guide, direct and support every one of my student-athletes during my tenure.

The dates most special to me are:

Nov. 18, 1990, when we won our first national championship and Nov. 18, 2007 – 17 years later, when we won our sixth national championship. QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN