FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tucson Metro Chamber Copper Cactus Awards Finalists Named

Tucson, AZ (July 11, 2017) – Forty-nine businesses and four business leaders in Southern Arizona have been selected as finalists for the Tucson Metro Chamber Copper Cactus Awards presented by Wells Fargo.

“Small businesses do amazing things in our metro area, but often don’t receive the recognition they deserve.  Collectively, small businesses are the biggest employer we have.  The Tucson Metro Chamber Copper Cactus Awards presented by Wells Fargo is a night when the spotlight shines brightly on these companies for all they do to make our area all that it is.” said Michael Varney, Tucson Metro Chamber president and CEO.

The Tucson Metro Chamber Copper Cactus Awards celebrate the accomplishments and innovation of Southern Arizona’s small businesses in categories such as work environment, workforce development, community stewardship, innovation, growth and leadership.

Award categories include:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Best Place to Work Nominees are judged on their work environment and the morale of their employees.
• Cenpatico Integrated Care Workforce Development Nominees are judged on workforce training, advancing, promoting people from within; or providing special job-training or exploration opportunities for individuals with special needs.
• CopperPoint Small Business Leader of the Year Nominees are judged on productivity in relation to sales, creativity and innovation in the workplace and their activity in the community.
• Cox Business Growth Nominees are judged on their gross revenue, employee growth and compensation expenditure growth.
• Nextrio Innovation Nominees are judged based on their creative use of innovative processes or products to pioneer change in their industry.
• Tucson Electric Power Charitable Non-Profit Business Nominees are judged on their exceptional leadership, culture, innovation and growth.

Nominations were submitted by members of Southern Arizona’s community in support of locally owned small businesses, business leaders and charitable non-profit businesses.  To qualify for an award, finalists had to meet the following criteria:

Nomination criteria

• For-profit business
• More than two years in operation
• Locally owned and operated
• 3 – 250 employees

 Charitable Non-Profit Business Award nomination criteria

• 501 (c)(3) charitable non-profit business operating in Southern Arizona
• More than two years in operation
• Total revenue: $50,000 – $10,000,000

2017 Tucson Metro Chamber Copper Cactus Awards Finalists include:

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Best Place to Work

• Contact One Call Center
• Fangamer
• Genesis OB/GYN
• Instrumental Music Center
• Nextrio
• Pueblo Mechanical and Controls
• R&A CPAs
• Ronstadt Insurance
• Showard Law Firm
• Watermark Retirement Communities

Cenpatico Integrated Care Workforce Development

• AAA Landscape
• Encourage Arizona
• Evolution MPC
• Gersons Building Materials
• Splendido at Rancho Vistoso
• Village Bakehouse

 CopperPoint Small Business Leader of the Year

• Barbi Reuter, Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR
• Ali Farhang & Tim Medcoff, Farhang & Medcoff
• Sandi Eghtesadi, The Eghtesadi Agency – Farmer’s Insurance
• Kimberly Clifton, Tierra Antigua Realty

Cox Business Growth

• Casa de la Luz Hospice
• Gibson’s Office Solutions
• Re-Bath of Tucson
• Staff Matters
• Summit Hut
• The Lodge at Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club
• Tucson Turf
• Walbro

Nextrio Innovation

• Arizona Lithographers
• Barr Credit Services
• Darling Geomatics
• OOROO Vistoso Automotive
• Paragon Space Development
• Quik Fix Phone Repair
• Silverado Rooter & Plumbing
• Simpleview
• World View

Tucson Electric Power Charitable Non-Profit Business

• Arizona Greyhound Rescue
• Dancing In The Streets
• Earn To Learn
• Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation
• Golden Goose Thrift Shop
• Humane Society of Southern Arizona
• International Rescue Committee
• Literacy Connects
• Marshall Foundation
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona
• SAAVI Services for the Blind
• The Primavera Foundation
• TRAK – Therapeutic Ranch for Animals & Kids
• Tucson Girls Chorus
• Youth On Their Own
• YWCA Southern Arizona

The Tucson Metro Chamber Copper Cactus Awards is presented by Wells Fargo and co-sponsored by Casino Del Sol Resort, Cenpatico and Intuit.

The awards will be presented on Friday, September 8 at Casino Del Sol Resort.  Cocktails will begin at 5:00 p.m. followed by dinner and the awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. and Copper Cactus After Hours Celebration at 9:00 p.m.

This celebration is open to the public and tickets can be purchased at TucsonChamber.org/CopperCactus.

About The Tucson Metro Chamber
The mission of the Tucson Metro Chamber is to lead and advocate for a successful community.  The Chamber is an investor-based business advocacy and economic expansion organization that represents more than 1,500 businesses, employing more than 160,000 employees in the greater Tucson area.

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