Drake Cement LLC, located on Highway 89 in a rural area about 10 miles north of Paulden in Yavapai County, has exceeded earlier predictions and continues to grow. In fact, during the past five years, the workforce has grown from about 80 or so local employees to 107 in the Chino Valley-Paulden area. Another 16 people are involved in administration, accounting and sales at the corporate headquarters in Scottsdale. The parent company is in Peru. The payroll almost doubled from around … [Read more...] about Dynamic Growth Characterizes Drake Cement
Melissa Cripps Composing a Life of Business, Service, Music
Managing a rewarding career is as much how a person approaches living as what transpires during business hours. That reality was poignantly reinforced in 2018 for Flagstaff’s Melissa Collins Cripps, agent/owner of Melissa Cripps Insurance Agency, Inc. “My life changed last year when both my parents died within 12 days of each other,” Cripps said. “My mother died of leukemia and my father died of a broken heart 12 days later.” Characterizing her “world as a very different place now,” Cripps … [Read more...] about Melissa Cripps Composing a Life of Business, Service, Music
Hot Stones May Be Your Remedy for Cold March Winds
March has arrived with biting winds as the promise of spring seems to be blown from reach. Most of us are ready to get outside and start summer activities; yet, many of us find our muscles and joints aching and our bodies longing for warmth. One of the best ways to take the chill off and promote health and rejuvenation is to get a massage that includes the use of hot stones – an ancient and time-proven therapy that reaches deep into the muscles, tissues and joints. Stone massage, when … [Read more...] about Hot Stones May Be Your Remedy for Cold March Winds
Flipping Prescott
When “Flip This Town” author and podcaster Ron Drake explored Prescott, he was impressed by the friendliness of the people, the natural beauty of the area and the look and feel of the downtown. “I appreciate a community that’s doing well, but wants to be better,” he said. “I love a community that doesn’t want to get complacent.” After three days in sessions with more than 100 locals – city leaders, business groups, investors and students – which included a stroll around the downtown and foot … [Read more...] about Flipping Prescott
NAU: An Investment That Pays the Best Interest
Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” The success of NAU’s alumni proves this to be true. Their accomplishments are a living, enduring testament to the benefit of an investment in the NAU experience. Robin Braun credits her time at NAU with the skills that led her to serve as a pilot for the Navy SEALs, as a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy and in leadership roles at Naval Operations in Washington, D.C. Martin Casado believes his years … [Read more...] about NAU: An Investment That Pays the Best Interest
Heart Health: A Truly Moving Experience
February is American Heart Month, a great time to assess how you are caring for this important muscle. The efficiency of the heart will greatly affect the quality of your life, either adding to or subtracting energy from your day. According to the American Heart Association, 69 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. Obesity strains the heart, putting it into a state of overexertion, like towing a trailer that is too heavy for your vehicle. Obesity is connected to high blood pressure, … [Read more...] about Heart Health: A Truly Moving Experience
Teddy Roosevelt Comes to Life for Grand Canyon Celebrations
Bill and Susan Ahearn first visited the Grand Canyon as a couple in 1971. Nearly five decades later, they continue to explore the place that they say never disappoints. “We visit several times a year,” said Bill. “It is so big compared to us and physically challenging. It puts you in your place physically and mentally; yet, it can be so intimate with its side canyons, hanging gardens, waterfalls and big horn sheep.” Active as volunteers, hikers, researchers, financial supporters and protectors … [Read more...] about Teddy Roosevelt Comes to Life for Grand Canyon Celebrations
Stewards of the Trails Keeping Grand Canyon Accessible
On the “bucket list” for people all over the world is to hike the Grand Canyon, most notably, the Bright Angel and Kaibab Trails. Of the six million-plus annual Grand Canyon visitors, it is estimated that less than 7 percent actually hike down into the canyon (only 1 percent to the bottom). Even so, that adds up to 434,000 hikers a year on the corridor trails. Maintaining these popular trails for safe passage are many people who work in both high heat and low temperatures to ensure hikers and … [Read more...] about Stewards of the Trails Keeping Grand Canyon Accessible
Preventing Falls in Older Adults
Every year, more than one out of four adults age 65 or older fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those who fall, more than 800,000 are hospitalized because of injuries, usually to the head or hip. Once a person experiences a fall, it can limit mobility and independence. This, in turn, decreases the individual’s ability to perform everyday tasks. And even if a fall doesn’t result in an injury, it can still cause fear in an individual, which can hinder his or … [Read more...] about Preventing Falls in Older Adults
Spreading the Love in Business
February is all about love. We give gifts to our one and only and seem to have the spirit of cupid all around us. How in business can we love our clients, our employees, our colleagues, our community and even our competition? I think that business owners or professionals have to look at their business from a personal perspective and give it personality, understand its purpose and realize that anyone that the business touches deserves a certain amount of attention, respect and, yes, even … [Read more...] about Spreading the Love in Business