Chamber visits D.C. in support of WSMR

GREATER LAS CR UCES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • MAY 2 0 1 5 • WWW.LASCR UCES.ORG
Medical Membership Update
Luncheon
Thursday, June 18
Las Cruces Convention Center
TABLE OF CONTENTS
President and Chair Columns...............2
Business of the Month ........................3
Small Business of the Month ................4
Nonprofit of the Month ......................5
Ribbon Cuttings .................................6
Military .............................................7
Conquistadore Corner........................7
LCYP of the Month ...........................8
Junior Leadership .............................10
Armijo House ..................................12
Government Scorecard .....................13
New and Renewing Members ............14
Member Briefs ..................................15
Calendar ..........................................16
JOIN THE CHAMBER
The Greater Las Cruces Chamber of
Commerce provides more than 50 events
and programs each year to promote
the growth of area businesses and the
economic success of the region.
For the past 60 years, the Chamber has
served as the largest and most active
business advocacy organization in the
Mesilla Valley. In 2010, the Chamber
received a four-star accreditation from the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce for best
practices amongst chambers of commerce.
If you are interested in becoming a
member of our growing organization,
contact Vice President of Development
Troy Tudor at 524-1968 or
ttudor@lascruces.org.
GREATER LAS CR UCES
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
505 S. MAIN ST.,
SUITE 134
LAS CRUCES, NM 88001
575-524-1968
WWW.LASCRUCES.ORG
Ben Woods of New Mexico State University, Richard Haas of Steve Newby Architects & Associates Inc. and Bill Connor El Paso Electric Co. took part in the
Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce annual trip to Washington, D.C., during which they met with U.S. Congressman Steve Pearce, center.
Chamber visits D.C. in support of WSMR
Annual trip opens lines of communication in the Capitol
The Greater Las Cruces Chamber of
Commerce’s annual visit to our nation’s
Capitol was a success. Here’s a brief recap
of our visits:
The team discussed small business
policy, homeland security and immigration with subject matter experts at the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce. This group does
a fly-in program that allows member visitors to select relevant topics on which to
be briefed.
As far as the Department of Defense
goes, the majority of the meetings took
place at the Pentagon. The history chronicled on the walls of the building is tremendous. Just walking between meetings
in the halls allows you to learn more about
the military. There were eight separate
meetings, including lunch with former
White Sands Missile Range commander
Brig. Gen. John Ferrari. It is great to be
able to stay in touch with someone at the
Army staff level who personally knows the
capabilities of WSMR.
By the way, Ferrari received his second
star later in the week while we were in
town and has now risen to the rank of
major general.
In all, we were able to speak with senior people representing all three service
branches – Army, Navy and Air Force
– as well as from the Office of Economic
Adjustment and the DoD itself.
We discussed topics ranging from how
the budget, or lack thereof, impacts projects, both current and future; the impending move of the 2nd Engineer Battalion;
the SunZia transmission line; the Navy’s
new rail gun project and its pivot to the
Pacific; the Joint Land Use Study; and the
ROTC program.
The bottom line is that with reduced
funding for the DoD, everyone is scrambling for dollars. By and large, the group
was commended for making the trip to
Washington, D.C., to speak on behalf of
WSMR and we were told again this year
that the effort does not go unnoticed.
On the federal side, we met with
both of our U.S. senators, Tom Udall and
Martin Heinrich; and all three of our U.S.
Congress representatives, Steve Pearce,
Ben Ray Lujan and Michelle Lujan
Grisham; as well as with Congressman
Beto O’Rourke, who covers El Paso and
Fort Bliss.
The predominant sentiment was the
desire to avoid a second round of sequestration, which truly crippled WSMR in
2013. That can only be accomplished by a
true bipartisan effort between the “fiscal
hawks” and the “budget hawks” later this
summer. That same message was communicated to us by the U.S. Chamber.
The importance of this trip can be underscored by the fact that a newly released
economic study on the impact of WSMR
shows there is a $3.17 million a day impact on employment and a $4.7 million
a day impact on spending on our local
economy.
It’s quite obvious that we need to do
everything we can to help preserve its
mission and continue to actively support
the military.
Board
Members
Chair Russell Allen
Allen Theaters
Past Chair Mike Beckett
COAS Books
Treasurer/Secretary Brandy Darden
Century Bank
At-Large Member Rico Gonzales
El Paso Electric Co.
At-Large Member Phillip Rivera
Memorial Medial Center
Chamber Ben Woods
Sustainability Aggie Development Corp.
New Mexico State University
Governmental Jake Redfearn, Chair
Relations NAI 1st Valley
Industry Savonne Griffin, Chair
Development FirstLight Federal Credit Union
Community Dr. Renay Scott, Chair
Development Doña Ana Community College
Marketing & Public Rick Nezzer
Relations Sisbarro Buick/GMC Truck
Board Members Sabrina Martin
Rehabilitation Hospital of Southern
New Mexico
Rick Jackson
American Document Services
Denten Park
MountainView Regional Medical
Center
Richard Coltharp
Las Cruces Bulletin
Council of Mary Iadicicco
Conquistadores AllState Insurance
Legal Counsel John Darden
Darden Law Firm
Advisers Benjamin Rawson
Doña Ana County Commission
Davin Lopez
Mesilla Valley Economic
Development Alliance
Miguel Silva
Las Cruces City Council
Erin Dorrance
White Sands Missile Range
FROM THE PRESIDENT
FROM THE CHAIR
Finding clarity
Bad decision-making
T
I
he Chamber’s
purpose has never
been clearer. Recent
decisions – locally and
nationally – underscore the
need for a group willing to
take a stand on behalf of the
business community and
willing to take the heat.
Las Cruces is a wonderful city, filled with lots of
generous citizens. People
who have invested in businesses, raised their children
and seen the city change
– several times over – in the
BILL ALLEN
last 10 years.
I have had several conversations with business leaders recently. Their frustration levels
are high and I sense they are ready to give up – not seeing an
end to constant stream of decisions that are making it harder to
do business here. Now is not the time to surrender. I liken it to
businesses that decide during tough times they can do without
marketing – when that is the very time to make sure their customers remember them. Now is the time to “double down” and
work for change.
We have already taken heat when we publicized our threeyear strategic plan that includes sourcing, training and endorsing business-friendly candidates, and that’s fine. Throughout
the past few years, we have tried to work with leadership
– mostly to no avail. You can refer to a new page that will be
included monthly in this publication to determine for yourself
how are local leaders value jobs in our community by the way
they vote.
We will take heat for conducting our upcoming Candidates
Training event, and that’s just fine, too. By the way, contrary to
what will be said, written and tweeted, that particular event was
designed for anyone who is interested in getting involved in
politics – candidates and supporters, Republicans, Democrats,
tea party’ers and progressives alike. Everyone has been invited.
At the same time, we will continue to work with our local leaders on state issues that impact southern New Mexico.
Why? Because that’s our role. We will be present at the interim
committees making our voices heard in order to get the support
that we need, and deserve, from Santa Fe so we can continue to
prosper.
Stan Rounds
Las Cruces Public Schools
t was a pleasure to
represent the interest
of our community and
the Greater Las Cruces
Chamber of Commerce
in our nation’s capital last
month.
This was my second
year joining the Chamber
team and meeting with
our federal delegation in
Washington, D.C., on many
key issues that impact our
community well-being
and future. Additionally,
we continued our work to
preserve and expand the
RUSSELL ALLEN
capabilities and mission
of White Sands Missile
Range, which is vital to our local economy.
It was sad to see our elected officials once again make
a decision that negatively impacts business growth in our
community. Not passing the zoning change request by a
property owner on the rumor that a Walmart Neighborhood
Market may want to build there, sends a clear message
to anyone considering making an investment in our
community and robs the owner of the property from having
a revenue generating opportunity.
It was also sad to see citizens, and even a chamber,
stand in opposition to the growth and prosperity of
our community because of their bias against a single
organization. I wonder, if a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods
wanted to come to town, would we have folks saying we
don’t need another grocery store?
We should not be following mob rule or personal
preferences when these decisions are made, but the rules,
guidelines and policies that are in place each and every time.
We all have our preferences, but these things are in place
to make outcomes fair for everyone. When we slow the
growth of business with bad and biased decisions, everyone
is negatively impacted.
Russell Allen,
Chair of the Board
Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce
Bill Allen,
President/CEO
Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce
Chamber Staff
Bill Allen
President/CEO
Monte C. Rout
Event Manager
Troy Tudor
Vice President of
Development
Cyndi Armijo
Billing & Database
Assistant
Rosa Bañuelos
Communication
Coordinator
Lensi Shakra
Membership Coordinator
bottom line
the
DESIGN
Rafael Torres
EDITOR
Beth Sitzler
DISTRIBUTION
Teresa Tolonen
ADVERTISING
Richard Coltharp, manager
Claire Frohs
Anna Lueras
Pam Rossi
Elaine Sasnow
Brandi Misquez
Administrative Assistant
Bulletin
T H E
L A S
C R U C E S
2005 Las Cruces
“Business of the Year”
2 • May 2015 • THE BOTTOM LINE
PUBLISHER
Richard Coltharp
The Bottom Line, the official publication of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, is a copyrighted publication that
is designed, produced and distributed monthly by the Las Cruces Bulletin, 840 N. Telshor Blvd., Suite E, Las Cruces, NM
88011. Content of The Bottom Line is submitted and authorized by the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce located at
505 S. Main St., Suite 134. Articles and columns in The Bottom Line may not reflect the opinions of the Las Cruces Bulletin.
Inquiries regarding editorial content or advertising may be directed to the publisher at 575-524-8061.
GREATER LAS CRUCES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
505 S. Main St., Suite 134 • Las Cruces, NM 88001 • 575-524-1968 • www.lascruces.org
BUSINESS OF THE MONTH ‑ MAY 2015
Comcast
2750 MALL DRIVE, BUILDING 300, UNIT 340, LAS CRUCES, NM 88011 • 1-800-COMCAST • WWW.COMCAST.COM
From humble beginnings to national recognition
Comcast strives to meet customer needs with advanced technology
Ralph J. Roberts founded Comcast Corp. with the
purchase of a 1,200-subscriber cable television system in
Tupelo, Miss., in 1963. From Comcast’s humble roots,
Roberts went on to create a company that is the nation’s
largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to
residential customers under the XFINITY brand.
Today, more than 435 Comcast employees call New
Mexico home. Each year, Comcast continues to enhance
its products and services to better serve more than 162,000
customers across the state.
Comcast’s mission states, “Comcast strives to create
the best content and constantly pursues innovation to delight our customers.”
Comcast Cable also provides these services to businesses. Comcast has invested in technology to build an advanced network that delivers among the fastest broadband
speeds, and brings customers personalized video, communications and home management offerings.
Comcast was founded as a small company that focused
on meeting the customer’s needs with the newest technology available.
“As technology has continued to develop we’ve continued to look for ways to connect people to what’s important
in their lives,” New Mexico Director John Christopher
said.
Offered through the XFINITY brand is integrated
Internet, TV, phone, home security and automation. Like
its customers, Comcast loves technology and all the great
things it can do.
“That’s why we invest in opportunities to advance technology to create new, enjoyable experiences,” Christopher
said.
Comcast continues to shape the future of media and
technology. In 2012, Comcast launched X1, a cloud-enabled video platform that transformed the TV into an interactive, integrated entertainment experience. Featuring
a new, sleek and customizable user interface that will be
consistent across devices, customers can manage all of
their content from any screen, anywhere, anytime. New
voice controls and social integration enable customers to
navigate the platform quickly and easily.
The advice Comcast gives businesses that are just starting is to stay innovative. Starting with the launch of On
Demand in 2003, Comcast remains at the forefront of
delivering more content to more devices anytime, anywhere. It continues to develop new technologies that give
customers more access to more content across their devices. Most recently, Comcast launched a live streaming
feature for the XFINITY TV Go app enabling customers
to watch live news, sports and kids programming directly
on their mobile devices, anytime, anywhere. “We want to make sure people know we’re dedicated to
being a local company even though we’ve grown over the
past 50 years from a small company in Tupelo, Miss., to the
nationwide provider we are today. We know that providing
the fastest Internet available helps grow business in Las
Cruces. We want to be part of growing the community it’s where we live and work,” Christopher said.
Comcast employees have been working hard to improve the customer experience over the last several years.
“Our customers deserve the best experience every time
they interact with us. Being known for a great customer
experience is our goal and our No. 1 priority, and that’s
what we are going to do,” Christopher said.
Almost 1,000 volunteers participated in Comcast Cares Day, which helped to improve Jornada Elementary School
“Fighting cancer where my friends are was the only choice.” — Jerry H.
“Location. Location. Location, meant everything to me. Researching treatment led me to MMC Cancer Center. The machines
everywhere were the same. But here they’re interested in you as a person. They are making my treatment more pleasant.”
You are the company you keep. That’s why MMC Cancer Center has partnered with the UNM Cancer Center, one of only 68
centers in the nation to have earned the prestigious National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation. UNM physicians work at MMC
Cancer Center, and live in Las Cruces. Now you can choose the highest standard of cancer care, right here at home.
575-521-6727
2450 S. Telshor Blvd.
Las Cruces u mmclc.org
THE BOTTOM LINE • May 2015 • 3
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE MONTH - MAY 2015
The Bridgers Group Merrill Lynch
425 S. TELSHOR BLVD., SUITE C-101 • 575-521-5137 • FA.ML.COM/BRIDGERSGROUP
Success starts with preparedness of business
Company helps families plan for, reach their financial goals
Paul Bridgers is in his 19th year as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch. Prior to
this career, he was a teacher and a swimming
coach at the public high school and university levels.
Matthew Mossburg is in his third year
as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch and
has been in the financial services industry
since 2008.
Tina Avelar has been a client associate
with Merrill Lynch for 28 years. She is also
the resident director’s assistant.
The Bridgers Group Merrill Lynch
mission statement says, “To guide families
through the maze of financial noise to successful completion of their financial goals.
To make the lives of our clients easier and
more fulfilling by freeing up their time to
focus on family and their life passions, while
we focus on a financial plan that get them to
their personal goals.”
When asked what inspired Bridgers
to go into business, he thought of helping
people prepare for the next chapter of their
financial lives while living the current chapter, inspired him.
“People are less prepared for retirement
than they ever have been and our team is
dedicated to making a difference,” Bridgers
said.
What is unique about the business is
that it deals with the intersection of emotions and reality when it comes to money
and goals. With a strong planning approach,
it models to potential outcomes of different
decisions before they are made. This gives
clients the ability to see the potential consequences of decisions and non-decisions
before they go down the path.
The purpose of this is to provide every
client with a customized financial plan, a
customized tactical investment strategy,
and coaching along their financial journey
to minimize the effect of financial noise on
their goal focus.
In five years, the goal is to be comprehensively serving double the number of
families it currently serve as it navigates the
increasingly confusing realm of financial
life. The staff wants to be the financial ally
to those families.
4 • May 2015 • THE BOTTOM LINE
Matthew Mossburg, financial advisor; David Bridgers, seasonal client associate; Paul Bridgers, financial advisor and resident director; and Tina Avelar, client
associate and resident director’s assistant of The Bridgers Group Merrill Lynch.
To stay ahead of competitors, The
Bridgers Group Merrill Lynch increased
the capacity of its team, allowing the company to grow while maintaining exemplary
service.
“Our team interacts like a family and we
are very aware of what’s going on in each
others’ lives,” Mossburg said. “As we support
each other, we bring that awareness to the
table for our clients. We are also very aware
of news and events that impact our clients
financially, and we act proactively to take
advantage of the opportunities that those
events provide. We also have a fiduciarybased practice – we have our client’s best interests at the forefront in everything we do.”
Like every business, The Bridgers Group
Merrill Lynch has had to overcome obstacles, such as the financial crisis of 2007-09.
Many advisors left the profession during
this time. People’s emotions led to bad decisions and business growth was very difficult.
“We have grown 40 percent as a business
since the end of 2008, but it was a long and
difficult road,” Bridgers said.
When it comes to giving new businesses
advice, Mossburg said, “Business owners do
not live by the 40-hour work week. Work
long and hard, but plan your efforts toward
a goal. Get away on a personal retreat once
a quarter to evaluate your progress and
your passion for life and business. Invest
in people – the people you work with and
the people you serve. Your attitude toward
people will eventually define your success.
Give well-thought-out direction, and admit
your mistakes. But don’t let those mistakes
define you. Very important – find a mentor
to guide you and help you self-evaluate.”
The Bridgers Group Merrill Lynch staff
thinks it’s important for people to know
there is no substitute for discipline and facts
when preparing for a financial future. To
them it is important that people use a dedi-
cated team to prepare them for college costs,
retirement and beyond.
“Stewardship, philanthropy and legacy
come through careful guidance, discipline
and planning. The government does not
have the means to take care of you after your
career is over – you must rely on yourself.
The firm you work with financially, and the
team you work with, makes a difference,”
Bridgers said.
Bridgers said the company hopes to
become the vital financial ally for more
families, and to continue to build capacity through new hires so it can increase the
number of families it guides toward the successful completion of their financial goals.
“We want to continue making a difference in people’s lives, and enable them to
assist the college careers of their children,
travel, and retire to pursue their passions in
the next chapter of their lives,” Bridgers said.
NONPROFIT OF THE MONTH - MAY 2015
Casa de Peregrinos
Emergency Food Program
999 W. AMADOR AVE., SUITE F LAS CRUCES, NM 88005 • 575-523-5542 • WWW.CASADEPEREGRINOS.ORG
Mission:
Casa de Peregrinos, an emergency food
program, provides free supplemental groceries to individuals and families at risk
of hunger in Las Cruces and Doña Ana
County. Our mission is to serve as a safety
link for those unable to purchase nutritious
food due to an emergency or unforeseen
personal crisis.
As part of that mission, we also commit
ourselves to promote public awareness of
hunger in Doña Ana County and to secure
broad-based support for hunger prevention
and relief in the county.
Purpose:
Casa de Peregrinos is Doña Ana
County’s largest and longest running food
pantry. Fore more than 35 years, Casa de
Peregrinos has developed programs to
proactively put food on the tables of many
in need. Our flagship program, The Food
Security Program in Las Cruces, and the
Rural Expansion Food Initiative in the colonias of Doña Ana County, are our largest
programs. The Children’s Summer Food
Program is our most beloved by families
with school-aged children. Our Homeless
Program is beginning to make an impact.
These programs benefit nearly 2,500 families and/or individuals every month with
thousands of pounds of food going out our
doors.
Key goals:
Our goals are to streamline our programs and become as efficient as possible
given the resources available to us as a nonprofit. We are also striving to reach more
people and continue to advocate for this
important mission and for the poor.
We also would like to encourage more
partnerships with local businesses, churches
and well as other nonprofit agencies to continue to serve this community and take care
of the less fortunate.
History:
For 35 years, Casa de Peregrinos
Emergency Food Program has been serving the poor and hungry in our community. This all stems from the dream of four
compassionate people in 1979: to provide
shelter, a food-and-clothing bank, and
cooperative activities for the homeless and
immigrants.
The four dreamers were Manuela
Moreno, Rosario Rodriguez, Alphonso de
los Santos and Lucy Martinez. Their first
office was at the home of Manuela Moreno.
In 1982, Sister Marsha Carrigan, a family counselor for the Diocese of El Paso,
was assigned the extra duty of overseeing
Casa de Peregrinos operation. She saw a
greater need for food and proposed an expansion of the food service program.
That same year, Casa de Peregrinos hired
its first paid employee, Isabel Romero, to
manage the office and volunteers.
In 1984, Sister Marsha was replaced by
Sister Rose Kidd: 1983 and 1984 saw Casa
de Peregrinos moved to Spruce Street, finalize the documents needed for non-profit
status and renew its commitment to the
food program.
Some say Sister Rose would go door to
door asking the community for donations
for the program.
In 2005, Casa de Peregrinos moved to
its state of the art facility and flagship pantry in the Community of Hope campus at
999. W. Amador Ave., Suite F.
The legacy of this organization now
rests with us who are involved in this important and historic program of Las Cruces
and Doña Ana County. Keeping the poor
fed is only the beginning; keeping hope
alive is a bigger task.
The founders of this organization set an
example for this community because they
believed in humanity.
Millions of pounds of food have been
distributed to thousands of families in the
last 35 years. In just the last three years,
New Mexico State University communication graduate student Nick Eckhart, communications studies
undergraduate student Kellie Gamboa, communication graduate student and Miss New Mexico Alexis
Duprey and communication graduate student Josele Diaz work a produce food drive that netted more
than 5,000 pounds of fresh produce for Casa de Peregrinos Emergency Food Program.
more than 4 million pounds have been
distributed in Las Cruces and Doña Ana
County.
The need continues to be pervasive and
we are grateful every day to the vision of
our founders.
In the immortal words of Mother
Teresa, “If you can’t feed a hundred, then
just feed one.” We will continue to move
forward for 35 more years. With your help
we will make sure this dream is fulfilled.
Key people to know:
Lorenzo Alba Jr. – Executive Director
Antoinette Fuentes – Board of Directors
Chair
Upcoming events and activities:
• Bank’34 Food Drive – 30-Day
Challenge – Currently happening at
BANK’34 location
• Stamp Out Hunger – U.S. Postal
Workers Food Drive – May 9
• CenturyLink Match Food Drive – June
1-12
Future plans:
To build sustainability for our organization so we can continue to build on the
programs in place and possibly add programs to assist us in taking care of more
people.
Meet Your Las Cruces Professional
Feature your business in our spring issue
Fall 20
14
Contact our marketing consultants at 524-8061
THE BOTTOM LINE • May 2015 • 5
RIBBON CUTTINGS
SAVERS – April 22,
2340 N. Main St. – Store
Manager Diana Goss holds
the proclamation while Martin
Salas, Candlelighter recipient,
cuts the ribbon.
DOÑA ANA COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY – April 15, Yappy Hour at St. Clair Winery & Bistro
– Board Member Sherri Rials and Christi Getz, board member, hold the proclamations while Executive
Director Kathy Lawitz cuts the ribbon.
TESORO INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CENTER – April 17, 1605 S. Main St. – Executive Director
Patti McClure holds the proclamation while board members Nancy Garcia Tafoya and Isaac Trevino cut
the ribbon.
CASA DE PEREGRINOS – March 31, 999 W. Amador Ave. – Executive Director Lorenzo Alba
holds the proclamation while Chair of the Board Bernadine Dallago cuts the ribbon.
80 hours at work. 160 hours of stress. 3,426 emails.
You
deserve
a view.
THE PIT STOP 292 CAFÉ – April 20, 361 Motel Blvd. – Co-owner David Hoff holds the
proclamation while co-owner Gary Tankesly cuts the ribbon.
VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA CHAPTER 431 – March 28, Veterans Memorial Park, 2651
Roadrunner Parkway – Thomas Sotomayor, designer/architect for the monument, and family cut the
ribbon and hold the proclamation.
New seasonal and corporate memberships
available, starting at $230 per month.*
6861 Via Campestre, Las Cruces, NM
575.523.8641 • www.picachohillscc.com
*Certain restrictions apply. Please call for details.
6 • May 2015 • THE BOTTOM LINE
White Sands School open to all students
Residents in surrounding area can register K-8 graders
By Erin Dorrance
White Sands Missile Range Public Affairs
A field trip to a missile launch, a robotbuilding class and a gym class on the golf
course, are all typical educational activities
at White Sands School on White Sands
Missile Range.
The school, which is part of Las
Cruces Public Schools, offers kindergarten through eighth-grade students tre-
mendous opportunities and individualized
attention. Any student can enroll in the
school.
White Sands School is a STEM
(science, technology, engineering and
mathematics)-focused school with class
sizes often smaller than average. The attendance of 300 students is rapidly dropping to about 225 students by August
because of the departure of the 2nd
Engineering Battalion, a military organi-
Students in
the Gateway
to Technology
and Aerospace
class at White
Sands Middle
School read
the instructions
before a
simulated
NASA launch at
the Navy LC-36
blockhouse on
White Sands
Missile Range
during a field trip
last year.
U.S. Army photo
by Laura Almaraz
zation of 800 soldiers that is leaving White
Sands Missile Range due to a Department
of the Army reorganization.
“We are not shutting our doors,”
Principal Thomas Bulger said. “This
school has been around since 1948, and
Las Cruces Public Schools is committed
to keeping White Sands School open,
but we are trying to increase enrollment
so that we can keep all of the amazing,
dedicated teachers who work here, as well
as maintain the numerous youth activities
that exist on White Sands Missile Range.”
Students who live in Las Cruces, as
well as surrounding areas such as El Paso
and Alamogordo, are welcome to enroll
at White Sands School. Parents and care
custodians who do not currently work or
live on the military installation can be
granted an annual visitor pass.
“People think that White Sands
Missile Range is extremely far away from
Las Cruces,” said Shawn Ticho, Child,
Youth & School Services coordinator. “I
live in Las Cruces and it takes me 32 minutes to get from my house to the office,
which really is about the same amount of
time it takes you to get anywhere in Las
Cruces. You just can’t beat the opportunities that White Sands School and CYS
Services has to offer.”
Parents who are active duty, reserve,
National Guard, DoD civilian and DoD
contractor are eligible for CYS Services.
If parents have any questions regarding
eligibility and programs/services they can
call CYS Services at 678-2441.
Beyond education, students are able
to participate in sports, dance, music and
other extracurricular activities.
White Sands School and White Sands
Missile Range have a lot to offer students.
“Fifty percent of our eighth graders are early high schoolers, which means
they have completed high school credits
already,” Bulger said. “We are setting students up for success … that is our main
goal.”
White Sands School is preparing for
the 2015-16 school year. For more information about registering students, call
674-1241.
CONQUISTADORE CORNER
Everyone knows your name
Some of you probably remember the
television sitcom “Cheers.” The television
show ran for many years set in a bar that was
located in a basement and the same people
would come to Cheers and everyone knew
their name.
It is a good feeling when you attend an
event, wearing your blue jacket with your
name and the name of your company, with
lots of pins and people stop and speak to you
or refer to you by your name.
When my husband and I moved to Las
Cruces, no one knew who we were, and now,
because of being involved with the Greater
Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce and
Conquistadores, I go to the store, an event or
anywhere, and people stop me and say, “Hi
Mary, how are you?” It is a good feeling.
Being a Conquistadore has not only
helped me professionally, but I also have
many good friends because of the group. We
see each other at ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings, Business After Hours and events
such as Dress a Child, Thanks Team WSMR
and others. We give each other a hug, a handshake and even a wave.
We help businesses succeed and thrive
with all the resources that the Chamber
offers.
As a small business owner, I would
encourage each business,
large or small, to join the
Chamber, have the owner
or employee join the
Chamber and get involved
as a Conquistadore.
The only criteria is they
have to attend at least 50
percent of the events and
are friendly. Just like in
“Cheers,” once you enter
the room, people will make
you feel welcome. The
Conquistadores are the
MARY IADICICCO
friendliest people I know.
I wish to welcome
our new Conquistadores,
Stephanie Armitage from Bank of the Rio
Grande, Advocare Independent Distributor
Jenny Britton and Tiffany
Archuleta from Advanced
Care Hospital of Southern
New Mexico. If it weren’t
for the Conquistadores,
I would never have met
them.
Call the Chamber
and tell them you want
to get involved as a
Conquistadore.
Mary Iadicicco
Chair of
Conquistadores 2015
Greater Las Cruces
Chamber of Commerce
THE BOTTOM LINE • May 2015 • 7
LCYP FIRST FRIDAY EVENT
Las Cruces Young
Professional of the Month
D2 Designs
D2 Designs is your local print shop and celebrates
being open for four years in
August.
Owners Josh Jameson and
Alycia Carrillo can be found from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at D2
Designs. Jameson, as general manger of
D2 Designs, has his hands in all aspects of
the business from book keeping and designing all the way to production. Carrillo
is D2’s sales manager and main contact,
following orders from quote to completion, making sure deadlines and expectations are met. They both work together
daily to produce designs and products
that allow their customers to maintain
brand identity.
Jameson has 15 years experience with
graphic design, creating custom websites,
building signs and printing T-shirts.
He gained experience working at GSI
Graphic Services and Digital Solutions
while being a full-time student at New
Mexico State University for graphic design and computer science.
Carrillo gained eight years of marketing experience with Bravo Mic
Communications. She found her passion
working with new and established businesses advertising campaigns and planning special events.
The pair partnered in love before business in 2009. On Nov. 9, 2010, Jameson’s
birthday, the couple learned they were
expecting and knew it was time to make
something happen. On July 11, 2011,
they welcomed their son, Jordan.
Bravo Mic Communications’ need for
Las Cruces Young
Professionals members
gathered for the First
Friday event April 3
hosted by Amaro Winery.
Members of the LCYP
Committee award Braden
Tidwell from the Las Cruces
Sun-News as the Young
Professional of the Month.
The Wait For It Band was the music host for the
night.
Crystal Shaw and Johnny Ryan mingle at April’s
LCYP First Friday hosted by Amaro Winery.
a graphic designer and tenant
to the east side of the building
couldn’t have come at a better time. Jameson was asked
to move into the office space
that is now D2 Designs in
August 2011 and began focusing on graphics, web and print,
targeting clients who were in the market
for radio and looking to grow their business. It was clear they wanted to open
the market up to a wider audience, and
in February 2012, there was a need for a
second person to join Jameson with D2’s
rapid growth.
Carrillo was working as promotion
director for Bravo Mic and asked to be
transferred to the new position of sales
manager down the hall. Jameson and
Carrillo were given the opportunity by
Bravo Mic Communications officers to
grow in a new venture together.
The first customers who walked into
D2 Designs will remember a large open
floor office. In May 2013, construction
plans were made, and walls, counter tops,
flooring and displays were put in place to
set the standard of professionalism D2 offers and set itself apart from other “print
shops.”
D2’s main customer base is local businesses, the university, government, clubs,
teams and organizations. Today, D2
Designs serves Las Cruces, and reaches
out via the World Wide Web as “your
local print shop,” offering services of
graphic design, websites, custom apparel,
promotional products, print products and
signs.
D2 has big plans for the future. For
more information, call 541-0202, visit
www.yourlocalprintshop.net, find it on
Facebook or stop by the shop, 101 Perkins
2015 Life is Good in Las Cruces
Community Guide coming soon!
RESERVE YOUR AD SPACE NOW! CALL 575.524.8061 TODAY!
8 4 0 N . T E L S H O R B LV D . S U I T E E • 5 7 5 . 5 2 4 . 8 0 6 1 • W W W. L A S C R U C E S B U L L E T I N . C O M
8 • May 2015 • THE BOTTOM LINE
Business Barometer May 2015
Trending in the wrong direction
Government needs to set stage for economic growth
By Troy Tudor
There was a time here in Las Cruces
when a lot of good things were happening. The community was prospering.
Private sector investments in our community were steady. We were building
affordable homes and with that came
a lot of good paying construction jobs.
There was a sense of pride as we participated in the growth of our community.
People outside of the community
began to take notice, too, as we were
recognized nationally for our success.
Time and again, we were high on the
lists of the likes of Fortune and Money
Magazine for being one of the best
small towns to do business and grow a
career. We also received several national
accolades for being one of the best and
most affordable places to retire. Those
recognitions led to more growth and
investments and new higher-wage jobs,
including those at a new hospital.
With this growth and success, there
were some growing pains – something
that should be expected. Naturally, we
would want to work in such a way as
to correct the issues common to any
thriving community while at the same
time nurturing the prosperity many had
worked so hard for and had invested so
heavily in to achieve. Safeguarding the
benefits of that growth for our community, which included the prosperity,
jobs and improved quality of life, should
have been at the forefront of our elected
official’s minds.
Unfortunately, a new type of leadership emerged in our community who
instead of righting the course of success
when it was a bit off, determined they
would redefine what success was for our
community and steer us in a whole new
direction. For years, now we have seen
increased ordinances, inspections, permits, fees, restrictive codes, larger taxes
and bureaucracy. They execute their
initiatives with little focus groups of
like-minded believers instead of what is
best for the community as a whole.
Fast forward to today – where has
this direction taken us in regards to the
prosperity of the community and the
future possibilities for our children and
grandchildren? If your idea of prosperity
is the highest taxes ever, questionable
dialogues on the use of those taxes,
walkability and bike paths and the city
and county government telling you
what you can and cannot do with your
property, both today and for generations
to come, then we are doing great.
How do those outside our community view us today? Not so well, I
am afraid, and with good reason. Las
Cruces was at No. 2 in the nation as
a best-performing small city, Forbes/
Milken Institute – Best Small Metro
Area for Business & Careers in 2004.
Today we are at 55, last year we were
82. Where will we be next year when
the new gross receipts tax and increased
minimum wage are factored in?
We received many notices nationally
for being a great retirement town, but
with these latest turns locally causing a
higher cost of living we are bound to see
a change in that perspective. Kiplinger,
a Washington, D.C.-based publisher of
business forecasts and personal finance,
advice has put New Mexico on the list
as one of the worst states to retire in the
U.S. Our local actions are contributing
to that designation.
How do we view our community
today in the area of prosperity and the
future? If you are just retired here, then
it is a pretty good perspective. If you
are raising a family, building a career or
business, then things are not so great.
The mindset for many of our best and
brightest young people is to leave right
out of the gate. Those who are trying
to put down roots and grow here are
becoming discouraged due to the lack
of promise and opportunities. We are
certainly not attracting young professionals who will help build the future of
our community. Many who had success
here, in the past, are discouraged to the
point of pulling up stakes and going
to where the opportunity to succeed is
more of a reality
We need to consider our direction
and right the course before we undo
everything that made our community a
great place to live not so long ago. We
still have a wealth of hardworking, dedicated folks who, if given the chance, will
succeed and bring with them prosperity
for this community.
Recently, I heard a city councillor say the city has a new, three-year
strategic plan that focuses on economic
growth and development at a public
address. I hope they understand it is the
people of this community who build
the economic base, not the government.
The government should merely set the
stage for such growth and allow the private sector to go from there.
Everyone knows that bad news
travels fast. We need leadership that will
not signal to those who would invest in
our community they are not welcome.
If you are a pro-business person who
would like to see this community
prosper, we want to help you regardless
of your party affiliation by offering
a candidates training opportunity
Saturday, May 9. Please join us in our
efforts to make that a reality. You can
find more information on our website,
www.lascruces.org.
L5*647(::PUN
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A gauge of Las Cruces’ economic
indicators published by the Greater Las
Cruces Chamber of Commerce.
Gross Receipts Tax
August
2014
2013
% Change
Total YTD
73,460,637
74,693,967
-1.7%
Source: City of Las Cruces
Building Permits
Total
YTD
March 2015
March 2014
%
Change
# of
Permits
381
545
-43.0%
Valuation
$22,801,759
$26,522,092
-16.3%
Source: City of Las Cruces
Labor Market Statistics
February
2015
2014
% Change
Civilian Labor Force
93,956
92,187
1.9%
Total Employment
87,163
85,616
1.8%
Total Unemployment
6,793
6,571
3.3%
Unemployment Rate
7.2%
7.1%
1.4%
Source: New Mexico Work Force Connection
Market Statistics – Home Sales All Residential
February
Average
Sales Price
Average
Days on
Market
Total
Listed
Total
Sold
2015
$158,972
125
261
136
2014
$174,099
113
244
134
Source: Las Cruces Association of Realtors
10,844 People interacted with
the Chamber’s website
45 People inquired about relocation
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THE BOTTOM LINE • May 2015 • 9
/HDGHUVKLSOHDUQVDERXWÁH[LELOLW\
Economic Development Day takes group around southern New Mexico
Economic development is about making
plans – and then adjusting those plans – no
matter how well-laid – when the landscape
shifts.
That was the prevailing message members
of the 2015 Leadership Las Cruces cohort
heard Friday, April 17, during a daylong
series of talks and tours focused on economic
development and small business in the region.
Downtown Las Cruces Partnership’s
Arianna Parsons shared plans to create a
public gathering space between the city’s
historic Mesquite and Alameda districts.
She envisions an “outdoor room” with an
amphitheater, shade trees and a mix of retail
and residential space. The plan involves
increasing public access by converting Water
Street to a two-way street. Parsons said
groundbreaking could happen as soon as July.
Joann Garay of the Small Business
Development Center at Doña Ana
Community College highlighted the free and
confidential services her bilingual staff offer
to help businesses in Doña Ana and Sierra
counties start up or expand: using market
data to identify your customers, competitors,
ideal locations and marketing strategies.
The cohort then traveled to neighboring
Sierra County to check the progress at Dam
Site and Spaceport America.
Dam Site’s new owner, Neil Brown,
said the biggest threat to his business isn’t
low water levels – after all, most every slip
at the nearby marina has a boat in it – but
media accounts he believes exaggerate the
low levels. Dam Site plans to celebrate the
100th anniversary of Elephant Butte Dam’s
construction next year; the date and festivities
are yet to be decided. Longer-term plans are
to continue restoring the property’s historic
lodging.
At the Spaceport America, things are
quiet inside the combination welcome
center/firehouse. Tour guide Gary Ramshaw
said the spaceport’s tenant, Virgin Galactic,
suffered a major setback last year when one
of its spacecraft crashed in California. The
company, however, is still signing up the
likes of John Travolta and Lady Gaga for the
$250,000 experience of suborbital launch.
Ramshaw said once those flights begin, such
customers will impact the local economy in
the days they – and their entourages – spend
in the area before and after launch.
Leadership Las Cruces thanks the
day’s speakers, as well as top sponsors
El Paso Electric and St. Clair Winery.
The cohort’s upcoming tours focus on
the region’s agricultural, educational,
governmental, health care and military
The
Leadership
Las Cruces
Class visited
the Elephant
Butte Dam
Site Restaurant
during April’s
trip.
Class tours
Spaceport
America.
sectors. The program also incorporates
monthly trainings by DACC’s Customized
Training Program, such as the marketing
presentation Marina Atma delivered.
For more information, visit www.
lascruces.org/leadership_las_cruces.php.
1HZ0H[LFR/HJLVODWLYH8SGDWH%UHDNIDVW
Legislators recap the 60-day session
Early in the morning of Friday, April 17,
New Mexico Senate President Pro Tempore
Mary Kay Papen and Sen. John Arthur
Smith addressed the Greater Las Cruces
Chamber of Commerce’s first-ever New
Mexico Legislative Update Breakfast.
About 100 business and community
leaders turned out to hear a brief recap of
the 60-day legislative session. This new
event was designed to bring full circle the
initiatives put forth as part of Las Cruces
Day in Santa Fe in January.
Smith, chair of the Legislative Finance
Committee, spoke of the responsibility of
legislature to balance the budget, which
was accomplished. However, the $264
million capital outlay did not see the
light of day. Papen commented on the
tough session, the need to complete the
southern road to Spaceport America and
the possibility of a special session being
called.
The Chamber will be a part of the interim committees to be held this summer
and fall in order to keep the items that
were not moved through this year’s legislative session fresh on the minds of our
elected officials.
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Students learn how to repel at April’s military trip.
Repelling instructors, civilians and White Sands Missile Range personnel
welcomed the Junior Leadership class during Military Day April 15.
Jr. Leadership visits WSMR
Rappeling, just one of the Military Day activities
Wednesday, April 15, about 25 members of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber
of Commerce Junior Leadership class flung
themselves off a 40-foot tower.
No, they weren’t concerned about it being
tax deadline day and, yes, they were attached
to ropes.
Learning to rappel was the morning activity of the group’s visit to White Sands Missile
Range to learn more about the military’s role
and impact on the Las Cruces community.
Rappeling instructors/gurus Ed Taitano
and Ed Stahl showed class members how
to tie ropes around them to create a “seat,”
how to prepare and how to descend the wall
safely.
A few of the more daring student opted
to take their second rappel face first.
Following lunch at WSMR’s Frontier
Club, Executive Director Paul Mann addressed the group.
Mann discussed the importance of
leadership and passion and answered
questions, including what was the coolest
thing he’s ever seen at the range?
His response was to describe a recent day
when a massive B2 bomber flew over the
range and dropped some ordnance.
Next, the group heard a presentation and
saw a video from the WSMR public affairs
staff explaining the wide variety of testing,
evaluation and activities happening at the
Range.
They learned the range encompasses
more than 3,200 square miles of New Mexico
land space, and a near-infinite amount of airspace, as the air above the range is prohibited
by the FAA from commercial air travel. This
enables the many air missile tests that happen
throughout the range.
They learned there is an actual Navy
facility on the range, the USS Desert Ship,
which has capabilities that simulate naval
conditions.
They learned about the oryx – the
African desert animals that occupy much of
the range.
Upon their return to Las Cruces, one
group of students presented a multi-media
performance from the book “The Seven
Habits of Highly Effective Teens,” which the
class has been studying all year.
THE BOTTOM LINE • May 2015 • 11
Grant to help Armijo House rehabilitation
MVP awarded for dedication to project to preserve 150-year-old dwelling
Mesilla Valley Preservation
Inc. (MVP) has been awarded the
2015 Historic Preservation Grant
from the New Mexico Historic
Preservation Division (NMHPD),
funded by the National Park
Service Historic Preservation
Fund, for the rehabilitation of
Nestor Armijo House. The grant
is for $43,000.
Working together with the
Las Cruces Heritage Foundation,
which owns the property, MVP
has been involved with the
rehabilitation and preservation
of the house since the beginning
of the project. The generous
grant from NMHPD will help
achieve two important goals
of the rehabilitation: restoring
the character-defining exterior
woodwork and updating the
nomination of the house to the
National Register of Historic
Places with the latest research.
The woodwork on the Nestor
Armijo House contributes a
significant part of its character.
The grand porches and other
woodwork are largely original to
the 150-year-old house. Much of
the woodwork has weathered and
deteriorated and needs significant
work to be brought back to its
former glory. The matching
grant will help pay for this work,
including:
• Making all of the windows and
weather tight and operable, and
repairing and replacing original
trim
• Repairing and rehabilitating the
south porch
• Repairing and rehabilitating the
grand two-story north porch
The grant will also pay to
repair and rehabilitate an original
Armijo House window that MVP
salvaged and will donate back to
the project. The restored window
will be placed exactly at its original
location in the south façade,
replacing a bank teller window that
was added when a bank owned
the building. It is extremely rare
to be able to bring back this kind
of integrity to a historic building
once it is gone.
The Nestor Armijo house
was nominated to the National
Register of Historic Places in
1976. Research conducted by
MVP in conjunction with the
Architectural Resources Group
has shed new light on the
early origins of the house. The
NMHPD grant will help pay
for an update to the nomination
to the National Register. This
update will include the latest
research on the likely builder of
the house in 1866, Mesilla Valley
pioneer John D. Barncastle.
The update will also research
ties with the likely carpenter,
Benjamin Franklin Harrover.
Both Barncastle and Harrover
were Union veterans who came
to the Mesilla Valley with the
famed California Column during
the Civil War. The woodwork is a
tribute to Harrover’s skills.
“We are very grateful to the
New Mexico Historic Preservation
Division and the National Park
Service for seeing the value in the
Mesilla Valley
Preservation Inc. has
received a $43,000
grant that will be used
to fund the Armijo
House rehabilitation
project.
Mesilla Valley
Preservation Inc.
board members
Sonya Cooper,
Gregg Henry and
Eric Liefeld work with
former Greater Las
Cruces Chamber of
Commerce President
Richard Haas to erect
structural shoring to
the Nestor Armijo
House in 2012.
Xxxxxxx
Nestor Armijo house project as
it becomes the new home of the
Greater Las Cruces Chamber of
Commerce,” aaid Eric Liefeld,
president of MVP. “We are
honored to be helping to bring
back some of the original glory to
this important piece of Las Cruces
history, while clarifying its unique
story for the record books.”
MVP is dedicated to preserving
the architectural legacy of the
Mesilla Valley in southern New
Mexico, and “Preserving the future
of our past.”
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12 • May 2015 • THE BOTTOM LINE
THE BOTTOM LINE • May 2015 • 13
RENEWING AND NEW MEMBERS
Renewing
Allstate Insurance
Company - Mary
Iadicicco Insurance
Agency LLC
Mary Iadicicco
Alzheimer’s Association
Maia Sideris-Dorame
American Document
Services
Rick Jackson
Angel Care of New
Mexico Inc.
Angela Ledesma
Applebee’s Grill & Bar Hickory Loop
Hal Scoggins
Applebee’s Grill & Bar Lohman
Steve Flores
Ashley Furniture
HomeStore
Wanda Bowman
Bank of the West
Brenda Allred
Billy the Kid
Charlie & Diane Rogers
Boys & Girls Clubs
of Las Cruces
Ashley Echavarria
Builders Source Inc.
Dan Salas
Caliber Collision
Lindsey Cadden
Comcast Cable
John Christopher
KVIA - TV 7
Michael Sepulveda
Corner Bakery Cafe
Anna Marquez
Mesilla Valley Dental
Care
Marianne Day, DDS, PA
Cowboys For Cancer
Research Inc.
Denny and Geraldine
Calhoun
Crown Building
Maintenance Inc.
Shawn McGuire
EnrichTheKids Inc.
Angelique Montes
Family Eye Care
Rodger V. Lewis
Farley’s Food, Fun &
Pub
Amber Lundquist
Fox Auto Group
Steve Fox
Gary Sandler Inc.
Realtors
Gary Sandler
Hester Agency
of Las Cruces
Kayla Jones
Holguin Insurance
Agency Inc.
Ray Holguin
Hoop-T-Dudes Custom
Embroidery
Mark McKinney
Hub International of
Texas
Marco Bencomo
Roberto’s Mexican
Food
Robert Estrada
Mesilla Valley Habitat
for Humanity
Maria Vasquez
Mesilla Valley Hospice
Jean Briley
Motel 6 - La Posada Ln
Pearl Olsen
North Main Family
Health Center, PC
Julie DeBry
Planet Development
Design/Build
Gary Rogers
Principal Financial
Melodee Smith
Property Consultants
LLC
Terriane Everhart
Village Inn Pancake
House - El Paseo
Gabe Martinez
Sierra Irrigation Inc.
John O’Byrne
Vista College
Lorena Castillo
Siesta RV Park
Rick Hoover
Your Host...New
Mexico
Joanne Bess
Small Business
Development Center
Jo Ann Garay
Stull Real Estate LLC
Karen Stull
Studio Blue Graphics
Haley Griffin
937-0966
Toucan Market
Richard Cole
Roadrunner Food Bank
Amanda Cuba
TownePlace Suites By
Marriott - Las Cruces
Ana Berrun
Javita Coffee
Gloria Tarazon
636-0182
Staples
Randall Peterson
526-4871
Rawson Building
Supply
Ben Rawson
524-3568
Café A Go Go
Katherine Velasco
522-0383
El Caldito Soup
Kitchen
Donna Wood
525-3831
C & V Enterprise - Critt
Coburn Sr.
Vicki Coburn
644-4648
Party Tenders
Justin Hodges
530-415-7959
The Pit Stop 292 Cafe
David Hoff
527-1993
Sonoma Palms
Apartments
Judy Pope
382-5611
Lohman Atrium Suites
Phil Straley
524-6800
Allaboards Marketing
LLC
Bobby Torres
265-0575
NM Shrimp Co.
Tracey Carrillo
639-5110
Budagher Generator
Inc.
Katie Budagher
635-6748
Ruby Tuesday
Johnnie Giovengo
521-4100
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Red Wing Shoes
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2013©
Top rating for City’s fire
suppression services
Las Cruces has obtained a Class 1 rating from the
Insurance Services Office Inc. (ISO), making it the first in
New Mexico and one of only 97 communities nationwide,
to achieve the top ranking.
The rating is based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being the
highest. The rating should result in lower insurance premiums for residential and commercial policyholders.
ISO provides reliable, up-to-date information about a
community’s fire-protection services to help establish appropriate fire insurance premiums for residential and commercial properties. ISO provides that information through
the Public Protection Classification (PPC) program.
This most recent PPC classification improves on Las
Cruces’ previous PPC of 2/9 obtained in March 2013.
“Obtaining a Class 1 ISO rating is of extreme significance
for Las Cruces. It demonstrates the City’s ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety of our residents and the protection of residential and commercial properties. I commend the
Fire Department for their hard work and dedication to make
our community one of the safest in the nation while helping
reduce insurance costs,” said Mayor Ken Miyagishima.
According to the ISO website: By classifying communities’ ability to suppress fires, ISO helps the communities
evaluate their public, fire protection services. The program
provides an objective, countrywide standard that helps fire
departments in planning and budgeting for facilities, equipment and training. And by securing lower fire insurance
premiums for communities with better public protection,
the PPC program provides incentives and rewards for communities that choose to improve their firefighting services.
The new rating takes effect on July 1. The Las Cruces
Fire Department (LCFD) will notify local insurance companies by mail, advising them of this change. A copy of the
letter will soon be available on the LCDF website, www.
clcfd.com.
LCFD encourages residents and business owners to contact their insurance agents to determine how the improved
ISO classification may affect insurance premiums.
City launches Business
Assistance Program
The City of Las Cruces Economic Development Office
has launched a Business Assistance Program designed to
assist current and emerging businesses in expanding their
product or service offerings.
The program also will assist businesses outside the region to relocate or establish local branches.
“We can help identify markets and competitors, and provide data that will help businesses make informed decisions
to develop core strategies,” said Gary Camarano, economic
development coordinator for the city.
A key tool offered by the department is Business Analyst
Online (BAO) by Esri, a California-based Geographic
Information System company. BAO provides demographic
and business data and generates reports and maps that provide a profile of the Las Cruces area and its markets to assess
the suitability of Las Cruces for relocation or expansion.
For more information or business assistance needs,
contact Cruz Ramos, economic development specialist, at
642-0454 or cramos@las-cruces.org.
Global company acquires ‘N
Compass of Las Cruces
The global insurance brokerage Hub International
Limited, has acquired the assets of Las Cruces-based N.
Compass Group Inc. (‘N Compass).
The firm will become part of Hub International New
Mexico, which is based in Albuquerque. ‘N Compass provides employee benefits insurance and
consulting services to the Las Cruces and El Paso areas, and
will further broaden Hub’s employee benefits footprint in
each state, the company announcement stated.
‘N Compass has provided benefits solution to companies
and municipalities since it was founded in 2000.
‘N Compass, led by Gilda Dorbandt, will relocate to
Hub’s existing Las Cruces offices. Dorbandt will join as senior vice president of employee benefits.
Hub International is committed to growth through organic efforts and acquisitions. It continues its aggressive
pace of identifying and acquiring entrepreneurial brokers
who are dedicated and focused on providing local market
specialization, while at the same time looking to leverage
the resources and tools of a global brokerage.
Headquartered in Chicago, Hub International Limited
is a global insurance brokerage that provides property and
casualty, life and health, employee benefits, investment and
risk management products and services through offices located in North America.
For more information, visit www.hubinternational.com.
City starts directory
for film producers
The City of Las Cruces Film Office is asking film industry professionals to submit résumés for inclusion in a comprehensive Film Crew Directory that will be made available
to the film production industry. The directory will establish a repository of local, skilled
professionals in a variety of work roles associated with film
that production companies can draw from. “Establishing a searchable online directory of local film
professionals through the film office webpage is a long overdue service,” said Gary Camarano, economic development
coordinator for the city. “Once established, it will help attract film activity and assist production companies to identify and contact local talent. In turn, local talent will also
benefit.”
Those interested in submitting should include a cover
letter with a résumé that provides information on skills and
professional affiliations. Also, note at least one paid, professional credit for each crew category cited. Film industry
standards require that a prospective crew member have professional credits in order to be considered for film production work.
The directory is for crew only and not for résumés from
actors or extras at this time. Those interested in registering
as a film crew member are encouraged to also register with
the New Mexico Film Office at https://nm.reel-scout.com/
crew_login.aspx.
Résumés will be made available through a link to be
posted on the city’s film webpage. For more information, call 642-0454.
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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SCHEDULE
MAY 2015
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
7:30 a.m.
Military Affairs
Committee
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
LCYP First Friday,
Dublin Street Pub
1
4 p.m.
11:30 a.m.
Government Affairs Classic Golf, Red
Committee
Hawk Golf Course
4 p.m.
Conquistadore
Executive
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3
4
Noon
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10
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5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
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8:30 to 9 a.m.
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17
18
Memorial Day –
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24
25
19
20
4 p.m.
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14
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22
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27
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