Talk of Arizona

Summr 2014

On phone or tablet, slide left to turn

page
On laptop or desktop, go to upper right
hand corner to trun page

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

This issue
Cover Story
Wall Street on the Salt River? No
t quite, but the Valley leads the
nation in financial job creation.

Treasures for all Meet the librarian

in charge of rare books for the
Phoenix Library.

22

Sun and skin How to keep from

damaging your skin in Arizona's heat

18

What's in a name? John D. Riggs

Stadium

Buzz on Business Consultant Buz

z Wordsley says he knows nothing
about classical mythology and
proves it.

32

Penultimate page Social media

and the great beyond

39

Summer 2014

Talk of Arizona

What's in a name?

John D. Riggs Stadium

Mesa
Community
College named
the stadium for
its first
president when
he retired.
When Mesa Community College began
competing in sports in 1966, the school had John
D. Riggs but no stadium.
In the early years of Mesa Community College,
the athletic facilities were less than ideal.
One of the challenges for the sports programs
was chasing sheep off the practice fields,
recalled the late Gerald Smith, who served as
sports information director and equipment
manager for more than 30 years.
Continued on next page

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Riggs had been a three-sport athlete at Mesa

High School, Arizona State College and the
University of Arizona.
He also was a former athletic director at what is
now Eastern Arizona and at Phoenix College.
He headed Phoenix Colleges extension
campus when it opened in Mesa n 1963.
The extension program was housed in what is
now the Landmark restaurant on Main Street
and Extension Road near downtown Mesa.
The program evolved into Mesa Community
College and moved to its current main campus
on Southern Avenue and Dobson Road in 1965.
Riggs became the Mesa Community Colleges
first president.
Under Riggs administration, ground was
broken for a football and track stadium.
Continued on next page

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Photo ctouresty of Mesa Community College

Riggs Stadium hosted the National Junior

College Athletic Assoicatuion outdoor
track and field championhsips in May.
The stadium was completed in 1969 football
season and was named for Riggs upon his
retirement in 1974.
Mesa Community College went on to win seven
National Junior College Athletic Association
titles in mens outdoor track, one in womens
outdoor track and two in football.
Last spring, John D. Riggs Stadium was the site
of the National Junior College Athletic
Association outdoor track championships.

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Bullish on Phoenix
Metro area ranks No.1 for growth
in financial-services employment
By Tom Gibbons
As a hub for financial services, no one will ever
mistake Tempe Town Lake or the Scottsdale
Airpark for Lower Manhattan.
And lately, thats been a good thing.
In the competition for financial services jobs,
metro New York has been the big loser in recent
years. Phoenix and other Sun Belt
Continued on next page

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

metropolitan areas have been winners.

Forbes.com recently ranked the Phoenix metro
area as the top gainer in financial services jobs
which includes banking, securities, insurance,
financial planning and investment services, and
mortgages.
Financial services employment in the Phoenix
area grew by 7.2 percent last year and 12.3
percent since 2008, according to the L. William
Seidman Research Institute at Arizona State
Universitys W.P. Carey School of Business.
The housing sector hasnt come back as
strongly as people expected, but other sectors,
such as insurance, have been strong, said Lee
McPheters, the economist who tracks state job
growth in various sectors for the Seidman
Research Institute.
The Financial District in New York, long a
Continued on next page

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Where the jobs are

Although one neighborhood bills itself as the
Billtmore Financial District, the Geater Phoenix
area does not have a main financial services
employment district the way cities such as New
York and San Francisco do.
Here the finacial service jobs are spread out,
though much of it is close to the Loop 101 freeway.
Hotspots include: Scottsdale, home to Vanguard
and Scottsdale Insurance; Tempe Town Lake,
where State Farm is building a regional operations
center, Price Road Corridor in Tempe and Chandler,
home to Toyota Financial, and north Phoenix, with
American Express and USAA.

a global capital for capitalism, has seen its

share of financial-services employment erode
over the past two decades. That process has
accelerated in the past five years.
Last fall, the New York metropolitan areas
share of the nations securities jobs
Continued on next page

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014
As New York
loses its grip
of financial
services
jobs, Sun
Belt areas
have taken
advantage

slipped below 20 percent for the first time,

Crains New York Business reported.
Moreover, jobs lost after the financial crisis
are being replaced in New York at less than half
the rate of the rest of the country, the
magazine wrote.
Continued on next page

10

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Forbes' top areas

for financial jobs growth
1. Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, Ariz.
2. San Antonio-New-Braunfels, Texas,
3.Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas,
4.Nashville-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn.

The reasons are simple: New Yorks high costs

for taxes, regulation, office space and
employees.
Although New York is actually competitive in
corporate taxes, with a rate of 7.1 percent, smack
in the middle of the states (Arizona has a 6.5
percent rate), the Tax Foundation ranks the
Empire State 50th for business tax burden.
Manhattan has some of the most expensive real
estate in the country. That translates into high
rent for office space.
Finally, you can attract talent for less money.
Continued on next page

11

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

PayScale.com reports that the median salary

for a financial manager in Phoenix is around
$77,000, more than $13,000 below the price in
the New York market.
But because of the lower home prices the
median home price in Phoenix is about a third
of New Yorks and costs in other areas, the
same employee can live better than one making
a slightly larger salary.
The trend is likely to continue. Theres only
two ways to fatten the bottom line: increase
revenue or cut costs. Increased federal
regulation on banks limits high-risk highreturn ventures to boost revenue.
That means more pressure to cut costs.
Its easy to see why Manhattan has lost and is
losing jobs. What makes the Phoenix area such
a big winner?
Continued on next page

12

Talk of Arizona

I think people see

Phoenix as has having
an available
workforce and a lot of
office space, said
McPheters, the the
economist with the

Summer 2014

Arizonas proximity
to California is a
huge advantage,
said Barry Broome,
head of the Greater
Phoenix Economic
Council.

Seidman Research Institute.

Beyond that, geography plays an important
role.
Arizonas proximity to California is a huge
advantage, said Barry Broome, head of the
Greater Phoenix Economic Council.
Even after a weak recovery from the Great
Recession, California has the largest economy
of any state. It would rank in the top 10 of the
world if it were its own country, about equal to
the size of Italys economy. California has the
same forces working against it high costs
Continued on next page

13

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

A large Spanish-speaking workforce is at

tractive to employers in a global economy,
GPEC's Broome said.

because of taxes, regulation and real estate

that New York does.
For years weve been telling people, you dont
have to set up in California. We are California,
Broome said.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has
more than 200 flights a day to California,
Broome said.
Being a border state has a seldom-mentioned
advantage in a global economy.
We have a large part of our workforce that
speaks Spanish, Broom said. That is
attractive to a lot of employers, especially for
customer service.
To be certain, the headquarters for investment
banks and securities brokerages, for the
Continued on next page

14

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

How about the 'Secure Valley'?

Arizona has no earthquakes.
Or tornados. Or hurricanes. Or floods.
So such companies as JPMorgan Chase,
State Farm and Dean Witter have large data
centers in the Valley.
Theres even a move afoot to rebrand the
Phoenix area as the Secure Valley, Fast
Company reported.

most part are staying, in the East. Dont expect

Goldman Sachs to move its primary
operations here. Most of the headlinegrabbing functions, such as mergers and
acquisitions, will continue to be done in New
York. The Valley has long been the beneficiary
of financial operations moving whats known
as back-office functions.
JP Morgan, Wells Fargo and others have had
Continued on next page

15

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Spotlight on Vanguard
Vanguard's
Pima
Building in
Scottsdale

Vanguard exapnded its Scottsdale workforce by

24 percent in 2013 with more expansion on
the way.
Vangaurd is bringing financial fund
amanagement and investment magement
operation to Scottsdale.
"This will bring new and unique (job)
opportunites to Scottsdale,'' said Stephanie
Scher, company spokeswoman.

operations here for a long time, Broome said.

That helped create the some of the
infrastructure.
But its not just financial scut work that finds its
way to Arizona.
An example is Vanguard, the worlds largest
Continued on next page

16

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Spotlight on State Farm

A new campus
rises by
Tempe Town Lake

The State Farm development at Marina Heights

near Tempe Town Lake will include about
2 million square feet of office space.
"Tempe is a growing area with a population whose
skill sets match our customers needs,'' coamany
spokesman Victor Hugo Rodriguez said
"Marina Heights is an attractive location to both
existing and prospective employees."

An example is Vanguard, the worlds largest

investment management company, which has
been in Scottsdale for 20 years. The company,
headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., employs
Continued on next page

17

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

about 2,300 people 20 percent of its U.S.

workforce, in Arizona.
We replicate most of our services here in
Arizona,said Deborah Akinsipe, the
companys head of human resources in
Arizona. Weve had a tremendous growth in
the need for financial advisors.
Vanguard added more than 400 positions in
Scottsdale in 2013 and is continuing to grow.
Its not the only one. Insurance giant State Farm
is building a huge office complex on Tempe
Town Lake and plans to almost double its local
workforce to 8,000.
The area meets our criteria for preferred
locations in order to retain and attract top
talent, State Farm spokesman Victor Hugo
Rodriguez said in an e-mail.

18

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

The signs and symptoms of skin

cancer.

Saving your skin

In Arizona, the sun's rays are a hazard all

year, but particularly in summer
By Jasmine Safaie
Arizona residents should be aware of the
importance of protecting their skin and take
extra precautions to prevent burning.
Though it is a problem all year, the sun is
intense during the summer.
The cumulative sun exposure that we get over
Continued on next page

19

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

time can increase our risk for not only

premature aging skin but skin cancers, some of
which can be life threatening, said Dr. Brenda
LaTowsky, dermatologist at Clear Dermatology
and Aesthetics Center in Scottsdale.
Arizona has one of the hottest summers in the
country and it is especially important to
protect the skin, said physician assistant Ha
Pham, who practices dermatology at Center for
Dermatology in Scottsdale.
I would say that people who like the outdoors
during summer months should avoid peak
hours where sunrays are more extreme,
between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Pham said.
If being in the sun is unavoidable, the best
approach to staying protected is a combination
of things.
LaTowsky recommended sunscreen first and
Continued on next page

20

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

foremost. She said to use physical blockers

such as hats and sunglasses.
Its important to incorporate sunscreen into
our daily routine rather than something we use
occasionally, LaTowsky said.
Pham said that people with lighter skin should
protect themselves from the sun more than
darker skin types because they are at a higher
risk of burning.
Light skinned people fall between Fitzpatrick
scale one to three and include those with red
hair and blue eyes, Pham said.
The Fitzpatrick scale numerically classifies
people into different skin types to show how
different skin types will react to UV light.
Even though darker skin tones are less prone to
burning in the sun, it is still important for
people higher on the Fitzpatrick scale to
protect their skin from the sun.
Continued on next page

21

Talk of Arizona

I think its really

important to note
dark ethnicities
arent out of the
question for sun
damage, but
obviously those fair
complexion

Summer 2014

Its important to
incorporate
sunscreen into our
daily routine rather
than something we
use occasionally, Dr.
Brenda LaTowsky
said.

people we measure on Fitzpatrick skin and

those with lighter skincan lead to more damage
on the top skin layers, said Skylar Harvey,
esthetician at Mood Swings Salon and Skin Spa
in Tempe.
Pham said that he thinks children and adults
should stay equally protected from the sun, but
children do burn easier than adults.
Staying hydrated is another key.
Drink water because its just so dry here.''
Harvey said.

22

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Treasures you might

not know you own
Rare books collection
belongs to us all
By Samantha Gauvain

Through the glass walls and bookshelves, past

the Washington Printing Press is the office of
Heather Kendall, rare book librarian of
Phoenixs Burton Barr Central Library.
On the fourth floor of Burton Barr is the Alfred
Knight Rare Book Collection, which
Continued on next page

23

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

includes the second and fourth Shakespearean

folios, a compilation of the playwrights work,
cuneiform tablets and a page from the
Gutenberg Bible.
Kendall, world traveler and book collector,
manages the rare book room.
The room includes 3400 items donated in 1958
by former businessman Alfred Knight, as well
as artist-made books and a section on the
history of book making.
Kendall said it is her favorite part of the library
but it is often overlooked.
I think that people come by and admire the
room. You always hear these comments about
how people love the room, but they never come
in, so Im here to open it up for them, said
Kendall.
Kendalls favorite volume of the rare books
is a first edition of The Origin of Species,
Continued on next page

24

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

because of its significance and simple binding.

Another favorite is a first edition of Gone with
the Wind.
The personal collection of the rare book
librarian includes numerous copies of Gone
with the Wind.
At home, our living room is called the library,
said Kendall, who collects books during her
travels.
Kendall has traveled to 12 countries, including
Spain, England and France.
I just like, here and there, to get away, and
whenever I do, as nerdy as I am, I visit a library or
visit a book store, she said.
Kendall studied in France as an exchange
student during her teen years and said the
experience taught her more about the historical
relationship between France and the United
States.
Continued on next page

25

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

After completing her bachelors degree in

French at Arizona State University, Kendall said
that she decided to travel the world before
obtaining her masters in Library Sciences at
the University of Arizona.
It took me a long time to decide on that, a long
time between my bachelors and going back to
school to get my masters. It amazes me when
people are that young in undergraduate school
and know what they want to do because I had to
sort of explore the world and have some
experiences before I knew what I wanted,
Kendall said.
Kendall has worked for the city of Phoenix for 10
years and has held positions as a childrens
librarian, an adult librarian and managed a
library branch.
Kendall said the rare book room was open for a
few years without a librarian, just sort of
Continued on next page

26

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

languishing because of the sad state of the city

budget. When it became available I requested
the position because of my love of history and
all things book, she said.
Rita Marko, of Burton Barr Central Library, said
Kendall has a love of rare books which is
reflected in the way she speaks to others at the
library.
Kendalls current focus in the rare book room is
the artist-made collection, which includes fine
press works, sculptural works, painted books
and others that feature sounds and
accompanying CDs.
Kendall said the artist-made books are difficult
to describe.
Its an object that has the elements of a book
but the words dont define it, she said.
During tours of the rare book room, Kendall
said that people are pleasantly
Continued on next page

27

Talk of Arizona

surprised when they

see the artist-made
books because they
have never seen the
collection before,
other than what is on
display.
The artist-made and
Alfred Knight
collections are kept

Summer 2014

The room includes

3400 items donated in
1958 by former
businessman Alfred
Knight, as well as
artist-made books
and a section on the
history of bookmaking.

in a large, climate controlled, vault. Kendall said

she researched temperatures and humidity at
various libraries in the U.S. and England to
determine the best conditions for the books.
Books that need repair are sent to Roswell
Bookbinding in Phoenix, Kendall said.
Elfida Ruiz of Roswell Bookbinding said that
Kendall is quite knowledgeable and that the
Continued on next page

28

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

that the company goes to the library to repair

some of the books on site.
We worked on the restoration of their special
collection books, said Ruiz.
When looking at books, Kendall checks the
condition and also looks to see how many
libraries in the world possess the particular
book.
For Kendalls personal collection she said
when she and herhusband, Karl Kendall, search
for books during their travels, they look for
works that are visually stunning or concern an
interesting topic.
We found one in San Francisco. It was all about
etiquette in the early 1800s and how to comport
yourself and how to behave. The one point I
remember especially is if youre riding a horse
and you see a lady, you must tip your
Continued on next page

29

Summer 2014

Talk of Arizona

hat with your left hand, not your right, Kendall

said.
Kendall said her taste in books differs from
historical fiction one moment to books about
the workings of the brain the next.
I just read, read, read, said Kendall, who said
she was described as a bookworm during her
childhood.
Kendall said she spent time as a child camping
with her family in Sedona and had to have
books during that time.
It was so exciting because we would go to the
little Sedona library and they would let me get a
temporary library card so I could check out
books over the summer. Thats how much I love
to read, said Kendall.
Kendall believes reading has a lot to do with
family and the way you were raised.
Continued on next page

30

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

I live to tell people that this stuff isnt

mine; its yours,'' Kendall said.
She said her parents read to her, and her three
children will not go to sleep at night if she does
not read to them.
Story time is one of Kendalls favorite
activities the library offers.
I love the way that we do story times and the
way we do them here, sort of teaching the
parents to read to their children and make them
become readers and different ways to promote
literacy, she said.
Getting kids to love the library is one of best
parts of Kendalls job; she believes it turns
them into adults who take interest in the
librarys books and other amenities such as the
rare book room.
Kendall works as a librarian for the citizens
Continued on next page

31

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

she said the collection belongs to the people of

Phoenix, not the library.
I live to tell people that this stuff isnt mine;
its yours. The citizens of Phoenix own this
library and they own everything in it. My job is
to just take care of it and try to make sure as
many people as I can learn about it and see it,
Kendall said.
Alfred Knight left his collection to the library
so that it could be accessible to the citys
residents.

Rare Book Room

Location: Fourth floor, Burton Barr Central
Library, 1221 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
Highlights: Alfred Knight Rare Book
Collection - 3400 items, including second and
fourth folios of Shakespeare; artist-made book
collection; collection on the history of the book
and the book arts.
Access: Appointment only. Call
602-534-7868

32

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Buzz on Business

Giving
meaning
to Sisyphus'
endeavor
A consultant
would have this
stone-roller
rockin' in no time
There's a character in Greek mythology called
Sisyphus, who in the afterlife was sentenced to
roll a rock up a hill.
Every time he got to the top, the rock rolled
back down the hill.
This went on, well . . . forever.
Now I don't know that much about
Continued on next page

33

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Greek mythology only that it is similar to

Roman mythology, except the gods all have
different names. In this way, business
consultants are a little like the Romans in that
we take ideas and name them differently often
coming up with a catchy acronym and make
them our own. Except, of course, we add value
when we do it.
Anyway, the point of the Sisyphus story is
there is no point. I mean for Sisyphus' job.
Alas if only business consultants had been
around in ancient Greece. Or in its underworld.
Sisyphus didn't have to feel like his job was
pointless.
He just needed a management equipped with
cutting-edge business concepts to give his task
real meaning.
Communication: Sisyphus saw his task as
Continued on next page

34

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Poseidon
(right), shown
with wife
Amphitrite,
might have use
for Sisyphus'
skills in the
Sea Division.

pointless because he didn't understand where

his job fit in.
Why, I doubt that he ever saw an organization
chart.
He probably knew his division head, Hades, and
the CEO, Zeus.
What about other key players in the
organization? What about Poseidon? What if
Sisyphus' rock-rolling skill set was useful in the
Sea Division?
Continued on next page

35

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

It would be a good idea to know the other major

gods and goddesses, if nothing else than to
avoid riling them by sitting at their table in the
company cafeteria at lunch time.
Perhaps most importantly, Sisyphus would
need to know the mission statement of the
organization, which in this case was the
cosmos.
Goal-setting: There's room for improvement
in any job. Sisyphus pushing that rock is no
exception.
Trust me, employees doing mind-numbing
repetitive tasks from which they derive no
satisfaction are looking for challenges. They
want to know that someone, especially
someone is management, cares.
So demand they do their repetitive tasks
quicker.
Or perhaps make the tasks more complicated.
Continued on next page

36

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Advancement
Trust me, employees
opportunities: Sisyp doing mind-numbing
hus might be happier repetitive tasks from
if he knew there was a which they derive no
chance for
satisfaction are
advancement. What looking for
skills and experience challenges. So
does he need to
demand they do their
acquire to move up in repetitive tasks
the ranks?
quicker.
Maybe in Zeus mind Sisyphus was not
management material no matter what. But why
not string him along?
Performance reviews: Sure every line
manager and employee thinks these are
useless. But consultants and human-resources
experts love them.
And don't you think we know best?
Continued on next page

37

Summer 2014

Talk of Arizona

If I have to explain to you why a busy line

manager taking time to write an appraisal
of dubious accuracy is a worthwhile task,
well, then you just dont get it.
If I have to explain to you why a busy line manager
taking time every six months or every year
depending on organizational preference to write
an appraisal of an employee that may or may not be
accurate, and may or may not be tied to a raise
depending on economic circumstances and
organizational preference and often leaves the
employee inappropriately deflated or inflated,
sometimes for weeks or months, is a worthwhile
task, well, then you just dont get it.
Accountability: Sisyphus didn't get this job for
being a good guy. I don't know what the heck he
did.

Continued on next page

38

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

(Hey! Remember, I am a business consultant. I

dont need a lot of backstory.)
Now, your unhappy employee isn't sentenced
to what they feel is a dead-end job as
punishment for some act theyve committed.
Still many are in this job because they havent
shown enterprise or they havent taken the
course work needed for a more fulfilling job.
Career responsibility starts with the employee.
Recognition: How about Sisyphus Rocks Tshirts?

Business consultant Buzz Wordsley is the

author of the upcoming book You Can Get
Blood from a Turnip: A Consultants Guide to
Assessing Hidden Value in Every Firm.

39

Talk of Arizona

Summer 2014

Penultimate page

Social media beyond the grave

James worked for me as intern 20 years ago in
the sports department of a Calfornia newspaper.
He was hired after the internship, and we later
worked together on another paper.
We were never close, but we stayed in contact on
LinkedIn. Through the business social-media
site, I get a reminder each year that his birthday
is coming up. I write a sentence or two and send
it, knowing he will never read it.
James died from a brain tumor about four years
ago.
He is one of two of my LinkedIn contacts who
have passed away. I write them both.
I suppose at some point the service will realize
they havent been active members for a while
and will delete the accounts.
For now, I take some comfort in writing them.
Tom Gibbons