“This community is resilient and full of heart. Serving it has been one of the great privileges of my career.”
Owner and Publisher Troy Bix said the decision was difficult but necessary, citing financial and operational constraints that have intensified in recent years.
“This publication has always been about lifting up our community by telling the stories that matter,” Bix said. “We have worked hard to be a reliable, positive voice for the Prescott area, and stepping away for now is one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make. But it’s the right one at this moment. We hope that, with time and community support, there will be an opportunity for QCBN to return.”
Bravely founded in the slow recovery years following The Great Recession, Quad Cities Business News carved out a unique niche in the region’s media landscape by focusing on local entrepreneurs, regional development and the people shaping the future of Yavapai County. Its coverage highlighted small-business milestones, industry trends, healthcare expansion, workforce challenges and education initiatives that touched families and shaped the quality of life across the Quad Cities.
QCBN also chronicled the region’s growing foothold in technology and innovation. The late Ray Newton, whose deep love for the people of the area was evident in his stories, reported on the expansion of Pure Wafer, Prescott’s advanced silicon-wafer reclamation facility that supports semiconductor manufacturing across the country.
Among his many stories, he often highlighted tech-adjacent developments connected to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, including robotics, cybersecurity and unmanned aircraft systems programs that fuel local research partnerships and startup activity.
Newton also touched hearts and allowed readers to know and honor Kayla Mueller – the young Prescott humanitarian who was kidnapped and killed by ISIS terrorists – and warmly hold her parents, Carl and Marsha Mueller, in their thoughts. His story, “Carrying Kayla’s Message,” brought tears when a commercial pilot, Captain Kathleen Delany of Prescott, unknowingly purchased Kayla’s backpack for her epic climb up Mount Kilimanjaro.
“I pulled out a worn but readable 2009 airline ticket receipt for Kayla Mueller from Phoenix to Atlanta and then Guatemala [from the backpack],” Delany told Newton. “My mom told me that name was familiar. I Googled it. When I saw who it was, I got chills. The hair on my arms was sticking up. The range of my emotions – intense. It hit me. I was meant to have this pack. I had a connection to this young woman who traveled the world making a positive difference in people’s lives, helping others, helping relieve suffering. What an incredible young woman Kayla was,” Delany said, wiping tears from her eyes.
Newton reported that she then contacted Kayla’s parents and told them she wanted to dedicate the hike in Kayla’s name. The full October 2021 story can be found at QuadCitiesBusinessNews.com.
“Ray had a huge impact on QCBN,” said Bix. “His enthusiasm and admiration for the people of the Quad Cities brought authenticity and heart to every story he wrote. He continuously reminded us of what truly matters.”
Through the last decade, the small QCBN team mourned the loss of two other dedicated members, advertising directors Paul Lancaster and Deborah “DMK” Mainville-Knight, who both battled cancer.
Bix considered the QCBN team members part of his family, often boasting about their professionalism and talent. “I would bring the paper with me on flights and passengers would be curious about the headlines and stories. It was truly a team effort that brought Quad Cities Business News to print each month. I have always been extremely proud of our product and excited to share it.”
“During the last 13 years, I’ve been honored to design each issue of Quad Cities Business News and bring the people of Prescott educational, lifestyle and news articles,” said graphic designer Rob Ghosh, of Rob Ghosh Design, who often worked weekends and late nights to meet the printing deadline. “I loved working with the team over the years and have virtually met so many great people.”
The publication played a central role in elevating and encouraging women leaders by bringing the internationally recognized ATHENA Leadership Awards to the Prescott area. QCBN was instrumental in launching, sponsoring and creating the annual event, which celebrated local women who demonstrate professional excellence, community service and mentorship.
The sixth Annual ATHENA Leadership Awards honored former Prescott City Council member Mary Ann Suttles, Friday, Sept. 12. “I’ve felt six feet tall and bulletproof since Friday,” she said days after the ceremony.
Early ATHENA recipient Carmen Frederic, executive director of Prescott Area Shelter Services, said being honored helped amplify the mission of strong women leading strong communities. “The ATHENA Award reminds us that leadership is about lifting others as we climb. QCBN helped shine a light on women who are building this region’s future every day.”
Another ATHENA Award recipient, Teri Drew, a respected economic-workforce strategist and community mentor, said the program’s presence in the Quad Cities owes much to QCBN’s advocacy. “ATHENA is more than an award. It’s a statement of what our region values: service, courage and collaboration,” she said. “QCBN understood that and gave women leaders a platform that has made a lasting difference.”
Among its most widely read features, QCBN reported extensively on housing and workforce shortages, including the pressure employers face in attracting and retaining talent, while Yavapai College, Yavapai County, the Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley chambers of commerce, among others, worked diligently to support businesses, develop the workforce and cultivate leaders.
The business newspaper also closely followed growth and innovation at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center and other area healthcare facilities and clinics. In addition, business coverage ranged from new restaurant openings to veteran-owned ventures and entrepreneurial stories that have come to define the modern Quad Cities economy.
The publication also developed a reputation for spotlighting local leaders – from ranch families, contractors and real estate agents to scientists, educators and nonprofit directors – and for chronicling milestones such as downtown revitalization efforts, transportation improvements, tourism initiatives and community events.
“Our goal was always to show the vibrancy of this community and the people who pour their passion into making it stronger,” Bix said. “We didn’t just report the news. We tried to give a voice to the entrepreneurs, the dreamers and the problem-solvers who make this area so unique and special.”
Bix always believed the Prescott area was the place to watch for growth and vitality. “Some of my best memories include spending Fridays in the Jersey Lilly Saloon talking with the owner at the time, Tommy Meredith, about our earlier days riding mules, chasing lions and some of the good old days in Prescott.”
Contributors say QCBN filled a void left by larger media outlets by consistently covering quality-of-life issues, advancements and opportunities specific to Yavapai County.
“It has been an honor to work with such an exceptional team at QCBN to shine a light on the dreamers, risk-takers and neighbors who keep the Quad Cities business community vibrant and resilient,” said Copy Editor Carrie Wendell. “It has been a thrill to play a small part in celebrating the local stories of hard work and heart that rarely make national headlines, but that always matter most at home.”
“QCBN has been much more than a source of business news – it has been a storyteller, weaving narratives that brought the vibrant world of enterprise and entrepreneurship to life,” said Advertising Manager Linda Thein. “In an era when fleeting impressions and short attention spans threaten to dilute the power of real journalism, QCBN stood firm in its commitment to quality storytelling. Our features didn’t just inform; they inspired. They challenged readers to look beyond the numbers, to see the people behind the profits and to uncover the stories behind the statistics.”
While production is suspended, all past digital issues remain accessible at QuadCitiesBusinessNews.com, with the hope that the archive will continue to inspire the community that the newspaper has long championed and serve as a valuable resource documenting more than a decade of regional growth.
“As we turn the final page of this extraordinary chapter, may the spirit of QCBN’s storytelling continue to inspire those who seek to build brands, foster connections and tell stories that matter,” added Thein. “It is with profound appreciation and gratitude that I thank all the writers and storytellers who made this publication possible. Your dedication, creativity and insight have shaped QCBN’s legacy. Working alongside you has been a privilege and a pleasure.”
For now, this pause marks the end of an era for a local business and what the QCBN team believes has been meaningful work that has made a difference to the region.
“We believe in the mission of QCBN,” said Bix. “If circumstances allow, we will absolutely explore bringing the publication back. In the meantime, I want to offer my deepest gratitude to our readers, advertisers, contributors and businesses who trusted us to tell their stories. This community is resilient and full of heart. Serving it has been one of the great privileges of my career.” QCBN
By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN
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