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4 AZ non profits create A place to call home

5 Celebrating Mid-Century Modern Design

6 Eateries embrace adaptive reuse

7 Indie films put state in the spotlight

Inside downtown

Tucson’s transformationRevival Savoring success

in the gourmet

chocolate businesssweet

HOME COURTADVANTAGEWhen it comes to basketball, the NBA’s Phoenix Suns

know a thing or two about what it takes to build a

winning team. The Suns have made it to the Western

Conference playoffs 29 times and to the NBA Finals

twice. They have had MVPs, Coaches of the Year,

Players of the Year, and leaders in an array of statistical

categories during the team’s 47-year history.

The Phoenix Suns team is more than just the athletes

playing basketball on the court. They also carry their

winning ways to the team’s front office, where they

work to develop strong relationships with Arizona

businesses—The most recent being with National Bank

of Arizona, now the Official Bank of the Phoenix Suns

and Mercury.

“We’re an organization that takes pride in working

with Arizona businesses,” says Jim Pitman, Executive

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the

Phoenix Suns. “We’ve had a strong relationship with

NB|AZ since 2011 and it only made sense for us to

partner with them.”

Kevin Cooney, NB|AZ Corporate Banker, couldn’t

agree more—especially when it comes to translating

that relationship to Suns fans.

“Phoenix is a basketball town. People who attend

games, watch them on television or listen to them on

the radio understand the quality of the relationships

the team has with local businesses,” he says. “As we

celebrate our 30th year, the partnership with the Suns

is a huge opportunity for us to bring our message of

commitment to Arizona to a broader audience.”

The relationship between NB|AZ and the Phoenix

Suns and Mercury is unique in that NB|AZ is not only

the official bank sponsor, but also provides banking

services to the teams.

“The fact that we actually bank the Phoenix Suns

and Mercury, and have for a few years now, provides

validity and a solid foundation for a winning

partnership,” says Cooney. “NB I AZ has a great home

court advantage with our local banking expertise and

dedicated customer service.”

NB|AZ Corporate Banker Kevin Cooney (left) and Phoenix Suns CFO Jim Pitman (right) make a great team both on and off the court.

EAZ-0004 - 002 - Official Bank of the Suns - ToPrint002.indd 1 11/4/14 2:04 PM

PB+J CREATIVEcontent + photography + design2040 S. Alma School Road, Suite 1-312Chandler, AZ 85286602-821-9164

NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONACorporate Center6001 N. 24th St.Phoenix, AZ 85016602-235-6000

Elevate AZ magazine may contain trademarks or trade names owned by parties who are not affiliated with National Bank of Arizona, Zions Bancorporation, or its affiliates. Use of such marks does not im-ply any sponsorship by or affiliation with third parties, and National Bank of Arizona does not claim any ownership of or make representations about products and services offered under or associated with such marks. Articles are offered for informational purposes only and should not be construed as tax, legal, financial or business advice. Please contact a professional about your specific needs and advice. © 2014 National Bank of Arizona.® All rights reserved.

PUBLISHER National Bank of Arizona

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Vance, mark.vance@nbarizona.com

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Michelle Jacoby, michelle@pb-jcreative.com

MANAGING EDITOR Jenavi Kasper, jenavi.kasper@nbarizona.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR, NB | AZ Nick Bradshaw, nick.bradshaw@nbarizona.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PB+J CREATIVE Pamela Norman, pnormandesigns@me.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER Chris Adams, cwadams@me.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Aaron Berman, Sally J. Clasen, Bruce Farr, Susie Steckner

PHOTOGRAPHER Mark Lipczynski, mark@marklipczynski.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Grace Stufkosky

ON THE COVERThe Rialto Theater is just one of sev-eral entertainment venues breathing new life into downtown Tucson. To read more about the area’s resurgence, go to page 12. Photo by Mark Lipczynski.

welcom

e home

Go to ElevateAZ.com to add your name to the subscription list.

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SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN Tucson in 1984, National Bank of Arizona has been unapologetically pro-Arizona. This issue of Elevate AZ continues our effort to focus on the great things happening in this state, from Tucson’s revitalized downtown —a shining example of the power of public/private partnerships that work—to one of Arizona's favorite chocolatiers Julia Baker, a native of Cincinnati, whose vision and determination proves that success here in Arizona can be within everyone’s reach.

At last month’s Arizona Leadership Forum, Dr. Lattie Coor, chairman and CEO of the Center for the Future of Arizona, cited recent Gallup data showing that since the early 1900s, Arizona has remained a “receiving state,” or a place people from all over the world choose as a place to live.

“We are a state of constantly arriving new people,” Coor said. “The more we incorporate that fact into who we are and what we do, the better we’re going to be.”

His message was boosted by keynote speaker, Seth Godin, author of “Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us,” who spoke about how liked-minded people who come together can create monumental change.

We can’t possibly agree on everything. We come from too many different places, backgrounds and experiences. What we can all agree on is that we’ve chosen to make Arizona our home. Either as natives who have stayed, or as immigrants looking for something different, we have decided to give Arizona a shot.

As Seth helped everyone understand, being different is OK. Being indifferent is not. We hope you enjoy this issue of Elevate AZ as we celebrate 30 years of calling Arizona home.

ON FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, nearly 1,000 leaders representing

the private, public and nonprofit sectors gathered to

learn and discuss the great progress being made all

across Arizona addressing the critical issues outlined

in the Citizen’s Agenda published by The Arizona We Want

Institute.

The 2014 Arizona Leadership Forum featured renowned

leadership authority Seth Godin as the keynote speaker.

Godin spoke at length, as did many other statewide authori-

ties, on the power of like-minded people coming together and

leading real, sustainable change. Creating meaningful change

for Arizona’s residents takes a concerted effort on the part of

all three sectors mentioned above.

The recently announced Starbucks College Achievement

Plan in partnership with Arizona State University was another

highlight of the day. This partnership between Starbucks and

ASU provides a unique opportunity and a case study in part-

nership as a way to advance other ideas in Arizona.

Dervala Hanley, VP of Strategy at Starbucks, explained

that if you work at Starbucks in the U.S., you can now get a

bachelor’s degree in any field: psychology, business, engi-

neering. There’s no obligation for an employee student to stay

at Starbucks after they finish their degree.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and Tucson Mayor Jonathan

Rothschild highlighted their unique relationship as leaders

who are thinking about partnerships differently and working

together to elevate the state.

For more examples of how Arizona is leading, information

and videos from the forum and to learn how you can get

involved, visit arizonaleadership.org.

‘People like us do things like this’

Arizona Leadership Forum promotes the power

of like-minded leaders

WRAP-UP

Marketing expert and author Seth Godin takes a moment backstage to prepare for his keynote speech at the Arizona Leadership Forum.

Mark Lipczynski

Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication

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The Art of BankingYOU DON’T HAVE TO BE a Phi Beta

Kappa to know that NB|AZ provides a

wide variety of banking expertise for

our clients. In Kate Van Driel’s case,

however, it definitely comes in handy.

An NB|AZ executive banking rela-

tionship manager, Kate earned that

distinction while studying educa-

tion and art at Wartburg College in

Waverly, Iowa.

“I always wanted to be an art

teacher, but I have found that I get to

use my artistic and academic nature

even more in banking,” she says.

“Bringing clients the right financial

solutions is like creating a piece of

fine art. It takes passion, commitment

and overall an ability to connect with

your audience.”

Kate is proud to be able to dem-

onstrate the “art of banking” with her

clients, including Julia Baker.

Read about Julia's story of “sweet” success on PAGE 8.

Class actTHE 8TH ANNUAL Taste of the Biltmore was held on Oct. 2 at the NB|AZ Corporate Headquarters in Phoenix. The annual event featured tastes from more than 20 restaurants in the Biltmore area with ticket sales benefitting a local nonprofit organization.

For the second year, NB|AZ selected Act One as the recipient of the proceeds from Taste of the Bilt-more. Act One provides access to the arts through the educational Field Trip Program for Title 1 schools and the Culture Pass Program at public libraries through-out the Valley. Annually, more than 200,000 students and families experience live performing and visual arts through this nonprofit organization. This year’s event raised more than $20,000 for Act One.

“We were beyond thrilled that NB|AZ chose Act One as their partner again for this year’s Taste of the Biltmore,” says Act One founder Linda “Mac” Perlich. “They created such a memorable event and opportunity for us to bring awareness of our efforts to bring the arts to children who would not ordinar-ily get the experience.”

To learn more about Act One, go to act1az.org

TEAMWORK

ARIZONANS HAVE BEEN humming that tune since 1971, the year of the inaugural Fiesta Bowl Parade. Now celebrating its 44th year, the parade is Arizona’s largest single-day spectator event, annually attracting more than 100,000 people who line the 2-mile parade route.

The growth in size and the quality of the parade have been phe-nomenal. This is due in large part to the parade’s fantastic sponsors, as well as the dedicated group of volunteers who have worked long and hard to ensure its success, many of which have been working on the event since its inception.

National Bank of Arizona, the state’s largest community bank, is proud to announce a multi-year partnership to serve as the title sponsor of the Fiesta Bowl Parade, now known as the National Bank of Arizona Fiesta Bowl Parade.

“As one of the kids lining the parade route back in 1973, I’m thrilled that NB|AZ is partnering with the Fiesta Bowl Committee to continue this longstanding community tradition,” says Mark Vance, vice president of marketing. “We are so excited to support the efforts of the thousands of volunteers statewide who love the parade as much as we do.”

To learn more about the Fiesta Bowl Parade, visit fiestabowl.org.

I love a parade! CELEBRATIONS

The annual Fiesta Bowl

Parade rings in its 44th

year with National Bank

of Arizona as its new

title sponsor.

Fiesta

Bowl

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Kate Van Driel

Bowled Over

Finding Julia

TVJulia brings her love

and expertise in all

things sweet right

to your living room with her show

“Sweet Julia.” The show, which airs

on the Cooking Channel, features

recipes and how-tos of Julia’s signa-

ture creations.

BoutiqueShop ’til you drop at the

Julia Baker Confections

located at the Biltmore Fashion Park

in Phoenix. Indulge in chocolates and

desserts, or sip on an assortment of

coffees and hot chocolates.

OnlineHave a package of

Julia’s decadent choco-

lates delivered right to your door

with a simple click of your mouse.

JuliaBaker.com offers sweets perfect

for any occasion, as well as an as-

sortment of recipes.

ON SUNDAY, FEB. 1, 2015—and for the weeks leading up to it—the eyes of the world will once again be focused on Arizona. This time, the NFL Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLIX will be the reason.

The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee and National Bank of Arizona are proud to announce that NB|AZ is an official partner. NB|AZ will be the primary sponsor of the visiting CEO Exchange, which plays host to visiting corporate leaders who will learn why Arizona and its

economic climate is so attractive to companies looking to relocate their businesses.

“NB|AZ has a long tradition of supporting and leading economic development efforts across our state,” says CEO Keith Maio. “This partnership provides us with a plat-form to do what we do best…bring people together to talk about the great opportunities that exist in Arizona.”

Visit azsuperbowl.com to learn more.

4

WORKS

Denise Resnik, founder of First Place, sees her dream of a housing program for adults with autism become a reality.

AFORMER DRUG addict. An abused mother and child. A developmentally disabled young woman. A college student with autism. Their stories differ, but they share a common thread: Each person needs a place to call home.

Across Arizona, nonprofit organizations are providing transitional housing programs, along with crucial support services, to assist these indi-viduals and families. The programs are critical to promoting self-sufficiency and independence, and touch people in need every day.

Catholic Charities is offering one of those life-changing programs. The faith-based nonprofit’s permanency housing programs in Cottonwood and Flagstaff provide subsidized housing to homeless families with at least one parent with a diagnosed substance use disorder.

The program does have certain requirements, however. Participants must be employed and en-rolled in a recovery program. They must also have scheduled meetings with a caseworker, attend life skills classes and contribute a minimum of 5 per-cent of their income to a savings plan.

Another organization dedicated to changing lives is First Place in Phoenix. For founder Denise Resnik, it’s where hope lives. There, adults with au-tism and other special abilities will find a safe place to live and learn and grow. They will find support and independence. And they will find a community

focused on helping lead them to their next place.First Place is a project almost two decades in the

making for Resnik, whose autistic son Matt is 23 years old and working hard to find his way in the world.

“I have been working on this plan almost since the first day the school bus arrived,” says Resnik, president of DRA Strategic Communications and co-founder of the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC). “I was determined that he and others like him would have far greater [liv-ing] choices than those I have toured.”

First Place is set to open its pilot site this fall in collaboration with SARRC and the Foundation for Senior Living. The campus includes six two-bed-room apartments for students with autism, age 18 and older; 15 apartments for senior citizens; a com-munity center and a community garden. Individual-ized programs will help students develop indepen-dent living skills as they engage in work, community college and/or SARRC training programs.

The future First Place mixed-use property, supported by a $15 million capital campaign now underway, will open in mid-2016. Plans call for 50 apartments leased by residents who are supported by independent living services. In addition, a tu-ition-based academy will assist students transition-ing to independent living and a leadership institute will bring together experts focused on creating more housing choices.

Resnik sees a bright future for First Place beyond Arizona. She envisions the project being replicated elsewhere to improve home options.

For Resnik, “First Place is about hope and fulfill-ing a dream that adults with autism can have a home of their own, a job, friends and a community that supports them.” Susie Steckner

Arizona nonprofits give those in need a place to call home

HOMETOWN HEROESA range of transitional housing programs assist Arizonans in need, including:

1 Homeward Bound, Phoenix. Serves families with children fleeing domestic violence and/or homelessness. homewardboundaz.org

2 Chapel Haven, Tucson. Serves adults with developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders.chapelhaven.org

3 Catholic Charities, Cottonwood and Flagstaff. Serves low-income and/or homeless individuals and families. catholiccharitiesaz.org

cominghome

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Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication

R ALPH HAVER. Al Beadle.

Blaine Drake. Charles and

Arthur Schreiber.

Years ago, these were

household names to

Phoenicians—literally. As

residential and com-

mercial property architects and

designers, they played a significant

role in Phoenix’s explosive growth

in the three decades following

World War II.

However, as time passed—and

with the frenzied glut of new

development that took place from

the 1980s forward—these seminal

designers and their work fell off

people’s radars.

But as is the case with ev-

erything hip and trendy, they’re

making a comeback—thanks to the

increasing popularity of an online

building design resource called

the Modern Phoenix Neighborhood

Network, which features long-

format journalism and photography

that document and celebrate mid-

century (1945-1975) building design

in Arizona.

The site’s creator is Alison King,

a design history professor at the

Art Institute of Phoenix. In 2003,

she and her husband Matthew

decided to share their enthusiasm

for structural “art treasures” in the

Valley, as well as motivate Arizona

residents to, as King says, “care

for and preserve our mid-century

design stock.”

The first few months of the

couple's early exploration of the

city’s architectural styles were, as

King points out, “a very personal

journey.”

“We were driving around the

city and photographing houses in

neighborhoods that we thought

we might like to live in for our

first home,” she explains. “In the

process, we were getting to know

Phoenix all over again, learning

about how it was laid out, what par-

ticular design trends were used.”

The Kings began focusing their

interest on what they termed “mod-

ern and modern historic” homes

from that 30-year, post-war period

in Valley construction, and the idea

of sharing what they found online

grew organically from that interest.

King began publishing neighbor-

hood photos and other informa-

tion that she thought would bring

exposure to the many and varied

design trends that populated the

mid-century architectural ethos in

the Valley.

King was surprised to see the

site and message board explode

with activity. Random people began

contacting them to post photos, ask

about certain features and designs

and swap materials. The site quickly

became an online community that

now comprises nearly 5,000 active

members and has attracted more

than 4,500 Facebook followers.

King says that the website and its

focus have helped her grow as a de-

sign enthusiast. She speaks publicly

on the topic of modernist principles

in design and is constantly on the

hunt for new aspects of her profes-

sional and a vocational bent.

“It’s become a platform for me

to push myself in my own research

and to learn new things—new

information—and then take it to the

public to share it with them as well.”

Reaction to the neighborhood

network site is often such that it

generates a kind of “a-ha!” moment

in their lives, helping them view

their own and other works of resi-

dential and commercial architecture

in a new light.

As King points out, “We frequent-

ly get people telling us, ‘I always

[felt] there was something special

about that building or that house,

but I just didn’t know.’ They end up

feeling validated and quite excited

that they were able to recognize

greatness.” bruce farr

mode

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rvels TRAILBL ERS

The Marlen Grove neighborhood in north central Phoenix features a number of homes designed by Ralph Haver.

Neighborhood network celebrates mid-century modern design

Awards & AccoladesModern Phoenix has been recognized for its work showcasing mid-century modern design and architecture. Here are just a few:

2013Best Modern Architecture Tour, Phoenix New Times

Aspire Award, National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express

2012, 2013Best Home Tour, AZ Central Critic’s Choice

2009, 2011, 2012Best Home Tour, Phoenix New Times

6

AT THE TURN of the century, when Craig

Demarco’s trendsetting Postino Wine Bar

began construction, much of the buzz was

about how he and his company were actually

troubling to salvage what they could of

Phoenix’s old Arcadia post office to create

their new café.

Instead of knocking down the old structure and

starting anew, Demarco had the vision to retain that

bit of Arcadia neighborhood history and, using what

he could of the old post office, turn it into a concep-

tual backdrop for the hip new haunt. Thus, the postal

station’s loading dock became a cozy, al fresco patio

for patrons and its massive garage doors a means

of opening up the space to create an indoor/outdoor

ambiance for the restaurant.

It wasn’t an entirely new concept. San Francisco’s

1964 renovation of Ghiradelli Square is often cited as

the first such project in the United Sates, and Boston’s

Faneuil Hall Marketplace is another notable one. But

it was one of the first times a Phoenix-based devel-

oper and entrepreneur actively p ro m o t ed the idea of

reclaiming a bit of local history to use it as the founda-

tion for something new.

Through adaptive reuse, land-mark real estate transforms

into innovative dining spaces

So began “adaptive reuse” in the Valley.

More than a decade later, Phoenix and other cities

and towns throughout the state are alive with adaptive

redevelopment projects that celebrate and preserve

these localities’ historical and cultural underpinnings.

One of them, The Newton, is a 17,000-square-foot

commercial, mixed-use space on the site of the legend-

ary (and long-shuttered) Beef Eaters Restaurant in

Phoenix. The restaurant opened its doors in 1961 and

quickly became an ultra-popular hub for dining, drinking

and all things convivial. In its 45-year run, the eatery en-

joyed a reputation as one of Phoenix’s flagship gather-

ing places, a symbol of the city’s warmth and hospitality

for visitors and locals alike.

Commemorating that sentiment, The Newton as-

pires to “honor the neighborhood’s roots while serving

as a creative and inspired gathering place for today’s

community.” Since it opened this past May, the devel-

opment has become home to the restaurant Southern

Rail, a new iteration of Tempe’s legendary Changing

Hands Bookstore, gardening supply shop Southwest

Gardner, as well as other retailers.

The Newton is also interesting because—with its

Southern Rail on the premises—it is an example of

adaptive reuse that essentially transforms an old, hal-

lowed restaurant into a popular new one. As much of

the original space was retained in the reconstruction

as possible, including the old restaurant’s four massive

fireplaces that are now focal points of the new busi-

nesses under its roof.

Lorenzo Perez, principal of Venue Projects, the

Phoenix redevelopment firm that purchased the Beef

Eaters building and created The Newton, also happens

to have been involved in the design and construction

of many of Craig Demarco’s restaurant reuse projects.

“It was a sign of the times,” Perez says, of his

entrée into adaptive reuse. “Phoenix has an abundant

collection of mid-century, masonry buildings—pretty

simple boxes that were starting to show their age. I

just thought that with the desire for sustainability and,

as Craig Demarco calls it, creating ‘soulful buildings

and experiences,’ there was a huge market opportu-

nity. We chose to focus on it and it’s worked out really

well.” bruce farr

The Newton was built on the site of the legendary Beef

Eaters Restaurant in Phoenix. The mixed-

use development, which retained many of the restaurant's structural elements,

is home to a restaurant, book

store and bar, and garden shop.

eat. drink. revitalize.

FOOD &DRINK

city-data.com

Arizona inspires the independent spirit in

filmmaking

visual effects

ARTS

&CULTURE

SINCE THE 1914 silent western “The Bargain,” Arizona’s variety of landscapes and dependable climate has made it one of the most filmed locations on earth. From blockbusters like “Return of the Jedi” (Yuma), “Forrest Gump” (Flagstaff and Twin Arrows) and “Gravity” (Lake Powell),

the state is forever embedded in Hollywood’s DNA.While a 2011 rollback of state tax incentives scaled

back Hollywood blockbuster productions here, Arizona continues to inspire a number of cinematic detours—sometimes for the obscurest of reasons.

In a scene from the 2012 adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road,” actor Kristen Stewart and company are driving though cotton fields, recalls film commissioner Phil Bradstock at the Phoenix Film Office.

“[The production team] was looking at the agriculture in Texas and New Mexico, which were having bad cotton seasons, and it turns out Arizona wasn’t hit by whatever was going on in the agricul-tural world,” he says.

Yet it’s Arizona’s own independent filmmakers who give the state the star treatment year round.

Take “Durant’s Never Closes,” a biopic currently in production about Jack Durant, founder of the titular Phoenix steakhouse. The movie stars Tom Sizemore, Pam Grier, Michael Richards, and direc-tor Peter Bogdanovich (“The Last Picture Show”).

“My interest is telling Arizona stories and this is one of the best of those,” says the film’s director Travis Mills of Running Wild Films. “Durant was a larger-than-life figure who died in 1987, but we keep talking about him and his restaurant, which is still open and will probably be open for a very long time. This story is legendary in Phoenix.”

Mills and co-producer William Long are actually no strangers to the restaurant—they shot scenes in their film “The Men Who Robbed the Bank” inside the restaurant. For this project, exteriors are being shot at the restaurant, while nearly all of the filming is being done on sets built inside the MonOrchid art gallery in downtown Phoenix.

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Most at home showcasing “under-seen” loca-tions in downtown Phoenix, Mills admits he also loves “exploring the diversity of the entire state in [his] films.”

Also capitalizing on the bounty of Arizona’s cinematographic opportunities is indie filmmaker Archer Wave Productions, which is currently in pro-duction on “The Walkers.” The dark thriller centers on a wake of murders that occur near the Navajo Reservation, drawing on tribal legends of skin- walkers: those who can turn into animals at will.

“We had an interview in Joshua Tree with a Na-vajo shaman who told us a lot and we captured it all on video,” says producer Matthew Mason. “We also set up an interview with a woman at the Heard Mu-seum, but on the day we showed up to shoot, she freaked out and we were escorted off the property by security and staff.”

Which, many will tell you, neatly sums up the life of the independent filmmaker.   Aaron berman

SEDONA FILM FESTIVAL

Independent filmmakers from around the world screen their works at this annual festival now in its 21st year. Feb 21 to March 1, 2015 sedon afilm festival.org

PHOENIX FILM FESTIVAL

This week-long festival showcases independent films with more than 150 screenings, seminars and special events. March 26 to April 2, 2015. phoen ixfilm festival.com

ARIZONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

In its 24th year, the festival has exhibited more than 2,260 films representing 90 countries to moviegoers in southern Arizona. Spring 2015. film festivalarizon a.com

PRESCOTT FILM FESTIVAL

This festival brings together cultural events and critically-acclaimed films and filmmakers from around the world. July 22-26, 2015. prescottfilm festival.com

Film Fests Cinema festivals throughout Arizona

Travis Mills (left) and William Long, directors with Running Wild Films, are currently in production of the biopic “Durant’s Never Closes" set in 1970s Phoenix.

9

Given her last name, it would seem julia baker was destined to become a pastry chef. But as a

trained statistician, even the data-driven Baker couldn’t forecast the probability she’d find success in the

luxury chocolate business.

stor y sally j. clasen photos gr ace stufkosky

10

Today, she oversees Julia Baker Creations, a chocolate and custom cake operation that includes a retail store at the Biltmore Fashion Park in Phoe-nix, an online storefront and a production facil-ity in Scottsdale. There, the master confectioner develops all recipes for her decadent cakes and sweets, which include truffles and hand-cut artisan chocolates that range in flavors from dark ganache to passion fruit and French caramel.

A Chocolate Star is Born She counts one-named celebrities like Bono and Oprah as customers, which has earned her the nick-name “chocolatier to the stars.” And then there’s the Cooking Channel TV show “Sweet Julia” that show-cases her culinary expertise to the cable masses. While she’s experiencing celebrity chef status now, her rise in the dessert industry has been 14 “hard” years in the making, according to Baker.

After pursuing undergraduate studies in applied statistics at North Carolina State and then gradu-ate work from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she set off on a corporate career working as a data software consultant that took her around the world at age 22.

While Baker’s mother was a great cook and she has fond memories of food experiences growing up in Cincinnati, it was Baker’s globetrotting ways that exposed her to a taste for the finer things in life.

“I would buy the Zagat’s Guide and then pick three top restaurants to go to in every city I visited,” she says. ”It was an escape. I learned about food and wine and fell in love with the industry.”

i wanted to show…what ’s it’s like to eat fresh chocolate in a boutique setting…being transported to another part of the world

Julia Baker has built her culinary empire from a small catering business to include an upscale chocolate boutique, cookbooks, a cooking show and plans for additional stores and a cocoa factory.

Student of the ClassicsRealizing that her true passion was cooking—not numbers—at age 30, Baker enrolled in the Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, taking notes in French phonetically since she didn’t speak the language. By the time she graduated, she was first in her class, achieving the highest honors in both pastry and cuisine—a fait accompli rarely achieved by a student at the prestigious culinary school. Her academic accomplishments led to an internship at Lasserre Restaurant under chef Jean-Louis Nomi-cus where she honed her classic French cooking techniques.

After living in Paris, Baker followed her then-boyfriend to Scottsdale in 2004. Despite her world-class education, she didn’t have much of a culinary direction until a neighbor sampled her petit fours and insisted Baker should sell them. That led to a an introduction to chefs Beau MacMillan and Chuck Wiley at the Sanctuary Resort, and an imme-diate dessert order of 400 for an event the following Saturday night.

“I had no idea what I was doing,” she says.By 2006, Baker had a fledgling catering business

and her warehouse in Scottsdale. She then opened her first retail chocolate boutique, which has since closed, at the Montelucia Resort.

“I’m happy to have landed here in the Valley,” Baker says of her Southwestern base. “It’s a great place to grow my business and it is an environment that embraces delicious food.”

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fresh chocolate in a boutique setting…being transported to another part of the world

1 Ask yourself, “How much am I willing to sacrifice so I can achieve that dream?”Baker says she relinquished all material things—a car, house and furniture—early on to fund and start Julia Baker Creations.

2 Sometimes you have to do something you don’t want to do. “You have to have an open mind and be flexible. At first, I didn’t want to make cakes. But the recession hit and stores were closing—I had to make cakes. I became the premier Valley cake maker and eventu-ally had one cake order for $50,000.”

3 Realize when good is good enough. “It’s hard to give up control. I want to be ‘perfect’ like Martha Stewart, too, but you have to learn to let go and give yourself a break. I write a score sheet and then remind myself what I’ve done.”

4 Be disciplined. Baker was a competitive swimmer in her youth—a trait that has kept her focused on getting to the finish line regardless of hurdles. “It takes an incredible amount of strength to get up and go back to the fight when you are knocked down, but you have to have stamina to get the job done.”

Julia Baker has had her ups and downs getting to the top of the luxury chocolate heap, and

she remembers the details of every bittersweet battle. How did she get where she is today?

Baker gives some entrepreneurial business advice:

business advice [f r o m a B a k e r ]

Passion for CookingBaker is serious about cooking, but is equally interest-ed in making it accessible to everyone. “Sweet Julia” is a vehicle for her to deconstruct classic cooking techniques and teach non-chefs to prepare other-wise intimidating recipes. Her high-likeability factor, combined with an authentically sweet and easy-going disposition, make Baker a natural TV chef.

“This isn’t rocket science,” she says. “I want view-ers to know how to be successful bakers or make an exquisite dinner.”

As the founder, CEO and executive chef of Julia Baker Creations, her momentum is fast moving. She’s just completed two cooking books and is in the middle of a company rebrand, including a rede-sign of her signature red hat box.

Besides launching another line of chocolate bars and a snack assortment called Sweet Essen-tials, she’s slated to open additional locations of her flagship Biltmore chocolate store/wine bar. A second one will launch in Dallas in October, then in Beverly Hills, as well as Atlanta, New York City and possibly Singapore. Plus, she’s in negotiations to buy a cocoa factory in Ghana.

“I wanted to show [people] in the Valley what it’s like to eat fresh chocolate in a boutique setting, as if they are being transported to another part of the world,” Baker explains of the luxe concept that serves her natural and preservative-free chocolates, specialty cakes, wine and champagne. “It’s similar to a European dessert experience. It mirrors a res-taurant dessert service rather than something from the shelf.”

The Exact RecipeBaker attributes her success as a culinary artist to sweat equity, but also her early training as a statisti-cian and having a head for numbers.

“The difference between cooks and chefs is math. As a chef you have to understand food costs and know how to increase or reduce ingredients based on percentages. Especially when you are baking and making chocolates, you have to be precise to the gram. It’s scientific,” she explains.

Baker’s analytical skills also have served her well as a business owner and TV chef.

“I’m still a statistician, trying to analyze and figure out the probability if a certain product or if a TV show recipe will work, or what day of the week a customer will buy something.”

Rather than stirring up ingredients, Baker now spends the bulk of her time managing her explosive brand including 47 employees. And she remains on a path of sweet self-discovery.

“I embrace food and live for it. I’m constantly learning. I get up in the morning and think about what I want for lunch. I visit every good restaurant. I taste every flavor and then think of it in terms of sweet,” she says.

But don’t expect any cheese or curry to show up in Baker’s original chocolate confections.

“I want to be different, but classic—and do them well.”

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Downtown Tucson's renaissance

is gussying up ‘the Old Pueblo’

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Elevate AZ, an NB|AZ Publication

Tucson—affectionately known as “the Old Pueblo” to countless generations of Arizonans—is turning over a new leaf. A groundswell of revi-talization sparked, in part, by the debut of a novel new trolley service is helping to transform the once-fading city core, bringing a burst of new businesses and life to Tucson’s historic downtown. story Bruce Farr

photos mark lipczynski

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New retail shops, cafés, breweries, galleries and nightspots are popping up; street vendors and food trucks are jockeying for space in the old barrios and neighborhoods; and great new eateries—like the Hub Restaurant & Creamery, Maynard’s Market & Kitchen, the Cup Café at the Hotel Congress and a new Pizzeria Bianco—are helping attract locals and visitors alike to the city’s long-languishing central corridor.

Already several years in the making, the revi-talization of the city’s downtown isn’t happening overnight or a moment too soon. According to a study conducted and published in 2010 by the Downtown Tucson Partnership, Tucson’s central corridor had been in a significant decline for more than 40 years. The study advised that it could take an entire generation to create the kind of bustling downtown environment that would attract people back into heart of the city.

Trolley a boonMany community leaders believe that the advent of the new Sun Link Tucson Streetcar line this year was a watershed moment for the city center’s flowering renaissance. The fixed guide-way electric rail system project was launched in 2010, when the city was awarded a $63 million Transportation and Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant from the Federal Transit Administra-tion. Christened this past July, the trolley line has eight ADA-compliant vehicles in service at 19 stop-ping points along a nearly 4-mile route, stretching from the Mercado district, proceeding downtown and through the Fourth Avenue business district and ending at the University of Arizona (UofA).

According to Michael Graham, public informa-tion officer with the City of Tucson Transportation Administration, Sun Link’s ridership has signifi-cantly exceeded projections.

“We’ve been happily surprised,” Graham says. “We originally projected average daily ridership of around 3,600 and, at present, our numbers are averaging at roughly 4,100.”

Tucson mayor Jonathan Rothschild feels strongly that the streetcar project was a boon to the down-town revival.

“The streetcar, along with several other incentive programs the city has created, have transformed…a downtown area that had been nearly abandoned, turning it into a vibrant, fun, active place,” Roths-child says. “Music, theater, restaurants, retail, and modern office space and living space in a safe envi-ronment now bring as many as 25,000 people into our downtown on an active night.”

Behind the planDavid Lyons, regional president of National Bank of Arizona (NB | AZ), agrees with Mayor Rothschild’s assessment of the trolley line’s impact on the newly resurgent downtown. NB | AZ has been intimately involved in financing and promoting the down-town’s revival, financially partnering with several of the new business owners to help bring their plans and livelihoods to fruition. Many of the projects are, by design, directly on the streetcar line.

“Going from the UofA toward downtown, there’s a grocery store and restaurant called Time Mar-ket and also Delectables Café, which is on Fourth Avenue,” Lyons explains. “Once you get into the downtown, we have a long-standing relationship with the Hotel Congress…and with the Rialto The-atre, which is part of the Rialto Theatre Block. The owners have put in three restaurants there.”

Peter Wilke, who was among the first retail busi-ness entrepreneurs to envision a revitalized down-town, opened Time Market on University Drive in 1995. He has since been an active participant in the revival of the city core, opening three additional businesses in the same district.

“I’ve always been committed to the downtown area,” he says. “It had been in either a decline or some kind of weird stagnation and, at the time, there was no one else [investing in the downtown]…so I figured that if we could do something like this and other people would follow, then it would be better for downtown and for everyone else as well.”

Restore vs. rebuildThe Rialto Theatre, and the Hotel Congress are prime examples of how some Tucson entrepreneurs are wisely putting their money behind historic reno-vations rather than building from the ground up.

Constructed in 1920, the Rialto was, for many decades, an entertainment hub for Tucson resi-dents, from the era of silent films through the advent of talkies and, for a time, Spanish language films into the present, where it’s now being used as a concert venue for live entertainment. Its history, architecture and charm were certainly worthy of salvaging, civic leaders believe.

With an equally long history of serving travel-ers and the city’s citizens, the Hotel Congress has undergone a significant transformation through the years. In 2005, its Club Congress was remodeled and in 2009, the hotel was awarded the Tucson/Pima Historical Commission certificate. The hotel and its entertainment and service venues continue to be upgraded and draw an ever-larger crowd today.

The new Reilly Craft Pizza on Pennington Street is another NB | AZ-financed project that’s reinvent-ing real estate previously used for another purpose. Built in the early 1900s as a mortuary and operated as a funeral home for decades, the building’s own-ers have successfully retained much of its original architecture, melding it with a fresh, contemporary look. Reilly boasts an al fresco beer garden and inte-rior restaurant, along with two upstairs apartments.

From Lyons’ observation, all the new businesses are doing well.

“They’re attracting a lot of new local busi-ness clientele to the downtown city core, as well as drawing visitors from Phoenix and as far away as Flagstaff,” he says. “The majority of the people opening up these new shops are local business own-ers or people from elsewhere in the state who might just have a small restaurant or other retail operation and are seeking to expand or grow their business.

“All in all, it’s a great win for Tucson,” he says.    

Breathing new life into downtown Tucson is an

influx of small businesses and restaurants such as

Hub Restaurant & Creamery (right top) and Time Market

(right bottom).

ALL ABOARD!Launched in 2010, the Sun Link Tucson Streetcar has been a major contributor to the city’s resur-gence. With 19 stops along its 4-mile stretch, the streetcar carries passengers from the Mercado through downtown and the Fourth Avenue busi-ness district, to the University of Arizona. Highlights

on the route include:

— Fox Tucson Theatre— Hotel Congress— Rialto Theater— Pizzeria Bianco

— Time Market— Main Gate Square— Hub Restaurant

& Creamery

For a complete route map, visit sunlinkstreetcar.com.

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azExperience

GilbertTHE FARM AT AGRITOPIA

A pioneer in Arizona’s agribusiness is the Farm at Agritopia, a 15-acre, USDA Certified Organic urban farm in Gilbert. The farm grows fruits and vegetables year round, provides ingredients to local restaurants, and hosts special farm-to-table dinner events.Photo by Mark Lipczynski

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