Sam Harrell, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

SOS E2: Jacob Barr & Paul Mendoza, iRapture.com

April 2, 2021 by Sam Harrell

Tucson Business Radio

SOS E2: Jacob Barr & Paul Mendoza, iRapture.com

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GUESTS:

Jacob Barr, Owner of iRapture.com
iRapture.com
520-232-2121
jacob@irapture.com
iRapture.com
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter |

My backstory – I am a follower of Jesus.  I am blessed with a beautiful and sharp wife who shares this adventure through life with me.  Her name is Heather and she helps me make good decisions :)  My children are amazing: Kaylie the creative photographer, Jocelyn the organized and caring, Jacob the smart thespian, and Brooke my little friend who is also a small artist.

My education is grounded in an Entrepreneurship degree from the University of Arizona Eller College with a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship – so it makes sense that I run a company.

Working on projects that align with God’s will is where the passion gets poured in.  I really enjoy working to help pregnancy centers save lives and support people who need help.

Please reach out to me with your ideas – I love connecting and sharing ideas.

More About Jacob Business:

iRapture.com is where I get to express creative ideas and work with lots of people.  I enjoy working with pregnancy centers, faith-based organizations, and businesses across the country.  I enjoy learning about what people need and how their organization works, so I can help them achieve their goals through online marketing work.

Over the past 21 years, I have had the opportunity to work on countless website projects (probably about 2000 or so – but it feels like they are countless).

Paul Mendoza

Paul Mendoza is Co-Founder of Vib’n. For the last 4 years, his purpose has been to help our community by providing education to our youth and local businesses. He has worked with organizations like Local First AZ, Nogales Community Development, YWCA, Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and The Santa Cruz County Superintendent’s Office among many other organizations that, he says, have given him valuable knowledge in return. As a kid who grew up on the border with a very hard-working family, he is humbled to make empowering others his life’s work. From Vib’n Certified Youth Camp, where kids cultivate skills that will empower them into their future, to workshops created exclusively for our local business community’s needs, he feels there is nothing more gratifying than seeing participants start believing in themselves. His advice to Tucson: Keep V ib’n!

HOSTS

Don Zavis

Don Zavis is an accomplished executive with a successful history of taking private and public organizations to new levels of sales and profitability. He has an outstanding record of hiring the highest level of sales achievers, training them to their fullest potential, and consistently coaching them to perform in the top 10% of their industries. He has a unique ability to create a “sales culture” across the entire scope of the organization while fostering an environment of mutual achievement and reward. Professional education includes over 6,000 hours of practical, actual training.

Achievements

Responsible for the sales development of over 3,000 sales professionals
Trained / Coached over 1 Billion Dollars of revenue production
Personally purchased and profitably sold 23 business’s in differing industries
Ranked in the top 5% of Sales Trainers and Coaches nationwide

HWW E29: Catherine Okoroh, VP of Mortgage Lending

April 2, 2021 by Sam Harrell

Tucson Business Radio

HWW E29: Catherine Okoroh, VP of Mortgage Lending

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About Catherine Okoroh
Catherine Okoroh, VP of Mortgage Lending/Renovation Specialist
4315 S. Cottage Grove Ave. , Chicago, IL 60653
NMLS ID: 227286
O: (708) 995-3080 – C: (708) 351-7268 – F: (872) 206-4163

A highly experienced, Residential Lender for more than 20 years.  Catherine grew up on the Westside of Chicago and is an avid Financial Mentor to many who see her lending services.

She has helped tens of thousands become homeowners over the years and continues to educate and provide the customer service she believes everyone deserves. 

She also served as the Director of Financial Literacy for a Not-for-Profit Organization and was the 1st Financial Coach for the City Colleges of Chicago, where she was able to design and implement the first ever financial literacy program in a city college setting. 

She has helped many of her past students and continues to provide financial education in various volunteering capacities. Catherine is married and has two children. 

She loves to bake, spend time with friends, play board games, watch good movies and any outdoor activities.  She loves to laugh and enjoys life to the fullest. 

 See some of Catherine’s Articles, reviews, and educational links below. She is looking forward to making your acquaintance and helping all that reach out to her for assistance.

ARTICLES

https://www.mpamag.com/site-search/?keyword=catherine+okoroh

https://www.mpamag.com/news/turning-a-turndown-into-a-triumph-245520.aspx

 Article – Catherine Okoroh Quoted in National Publication with readership in the millions.

https://time.com/nextadvisor/mortgages/no-closing-cost-mortgage/

 ZILLOW REVIEWS
https://www.zillow.com/lender-profile/CatherineOkoroh/ – Reviews from my clients.

 EDUCATION LINKS

Money Mondays – Joseph Business School (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zXndTe03K4

https://mayaakai.com/the-credit-hour-of-power/ (2020)

Real Talk About Renovation (2019)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMUeV7IrW9M

Credit Hour of Power with Maya Akai – WVON (2014)
https://www.blogtalkradio.com/mayaakaipresents/2014/10/02/the-maya-akai-show-the-credit-hour-of-power-with-catherine-okoroh-9-25-14

**LICENSED IN: MD, GA, IN & IL**

HIGHLY EXPERIENCED IN: RENOVATION, VA, FHA, CONV OR DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. 

About the Host

Karen M. Fisher
Senior Loan Officer
NMLS ID# 180167 – AZ MLO Lic# 0911886

Summit Funding, Inc.
5151 E. Broadway Blvd., Ste. 700
Tucson, AZ 85711
Branch NMLS ID# 1464335 – Summit Funding, Inc NMLS ID#3199
AZ Lic# 0925837 – Equal Housing Opportunity

(520) 447-2279 Direct Phone
Karen.Fisher@SummitFunding.net
www.OurNeighborsOurHeroes.com

As a Senior Loan Officer, I originate residential home loans (1-4 Units) for purchase or refinance transactions for owner-occupied, second homes, or investment properties. I am licensed in the State of Arizona; however, I can connect you to great mortgage loan officers anywhere in the United States or Canada. I have been a loan officer for just over 20 years. In the prior 17 years, I was a Realtor, an Associate Broker, Branch Manager, and Designated Broker. My beloved husband Scott and I have been married for over 37 years, we have an awesome daughter Allison who is engaged to her Gonzaga University sweetheart, Enrique. I love to read, travel, hike, golf, camp, entrepreneurial ideas, inventions, animals, and children. My key to success is to focus on excellence, not perfection, and being growth-minded.

IMPACT E5: Steve Asp, Catalina Mountain Elks Club #2815

April 2, 2021 by Sam Harrell

Tucson Business Radio

IMPACT E5: Steve Asp, Catalina Mountain Elks Club #2815

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Steve Asp, Exalted Ruler
Catalina Mountain Elks Lodge #2815
6045 N Oracle Rd
Tucson, AZ 85738
520 825-0893 / 503 680-0007
sfasp2002@gmail.com
bpoe2815@arizonaelks.org

Raised in a small town in northern Illinois. Served in the US Army from 1964 to 1967. Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement Administration from Western Illinois University, Master’s Degree in Police Science from Washington State University. Almost 30- year career in law enforcement including Police Officer in Pullman WA and Portland, OR plus teaching Criminal Justice at Minot State College in ND. Retired from Portland Police Bureau as a Lieutenant in 2001. Moved to Tucson in 2002. Been an Elk for 20 years.

About Catalina Mountain Elks Lodge #2815

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is a fraternal, non-profit organization whose mission is to provide service to the community. Specific activities are directed towards programs for youths and our country’s veterans.

There is a social aspect to the Elks as well. Each Lodge has a Social Quarters where events are planned for the members. They are usually open on a daily basis to provide places for members to congregate and socialize.

SHOW HOST:
Barbara McClure, Executive Director
IMPACT of Southern Arizona
3535 E Hawser Street
Tucson, AZ 85739
520-825-0009 / Mobile Phone: 206-915-0919
barbara@impactsoaz.org
www.impactsoaz.org
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter |

Barbara McClure wakes up each morning passionate about going to work at a place that improves lives and inspires futures every day! She has been the Executive Director of a Tucson social service nonprofit called IMPACT of Southern Arizona, for ten years. What is it that keeps you passionate about your role Barbara?

Barbara has been a visionary and planner with decades of experience as a small business owner and in nonprofit leadership; her innovative ideas and strategic thinking, along with a talent for bringing the community together, has helped grow IMPACT five-fold in a very short time. Her talents and interests are diverse but all center around helping people, improving the community, bolstering education, building capacity and sustainability, being vocal about the rights and conditions of others, experiencing art, nurturing all inhabitants of your garden, and enjoying life to the fullest.

And now Barbara is about to experience another exciting chapter in her life with hosting a brand-new Radio Show Podcast here on the Tucson Business RadioX Network starting in November.

IMPACT of Southern Arizona is a 20 – year old social service nonprofit stabilizing families and seniors, and moving people out of poverty. IMPACT’s programs are designed to stretch household budgets so earned income can be spent on necessities such as improved housing conditions, fuel to get to work, utilizes, and needed medical attention and prescriptions. Its clients are your neighbors! People come to IMPACT because it is a welcoming place where they are always treated with dignity and respect, and where they find resources, referrals, coaching, and help to attain the skills that can move them forward into self-sufficiency.

Barbara grew up in Pasadena CA, moved to Long Beach for college, got married and started our family then moved to Seattle area ten years later. Took our youngest son on an 11-month motorhome trip to get to Tucson – Homeschooled for 10th grade.

We vacationed at a rustic cabin when I was growing up, where we had no phone or television; and spent all our time outside fishing, hiking, horseback riding, listening to old radio shows, playing pool, reading comic books from the local small grocer, and using our imaginations all day long. I always admired the superheroes who defended people and cities like Gotham and Metropolis, so when our three boys were born, we named them after familiar character: Colin (Bryce for an overlay of Bruce Wayne, Kent, and Parker. Our first grandchild was born last year, and as in the family tradition, named Logan, after the Wolverine. I used to always tell them they were my superheroes – and they still are today!

Barbara loves working with numbers and has always loved math and the organization of things, so accounting seemed perfect, but I soon realized that I if I became a CPA I would have to spend many months inside doing tax returns, and that did not appeal to me as a long–term career! I have a great imagination and enjoy creating things, so thought I should find a better path that might nurture that side of my personality. I was working in the shipping industry in SoCal at the time and fell in love with import and export, so shifted my majors to Marketing and International Business. Those were wonderful fits, and I imagined graduating and moving to the largest port on the planet, in Germany; then, I met my future husband and things took a different turn.

A little bit about how Barbara got into Nonprofit work:

All along with my husband and I were always involved in nonprofits and community volunteer opportunities, and often said it was too bad we could not make a living doing those things we loved so much. Leadership roles in PTO, Boy Scouts, Historical Societies, Junior League, Elks, Rotary and more. Then when we moved to Tucson I looked for a local opportunity to impact my community. A Board position was about to open at IMPACT, and my local bank branch manager, Peggy Smoot, suggested I would be very passionate about getting involved in the mission work there. I worked in the Food Bank.

There are thousands of nonprofits in Tucson. What makes IMPACT Unique is that they bring the community together to stabilize families and move people out of poverty. Our true success lies in partnering with a large number of businesses, agencies, social clubs and other nonprofits. We invest $2.5 million in the community each year, and we do it all with a lean staff of amazing professionals supported by more than 170 volunteer shifts each week! We have put great systems in place to run efficiently, effectively and with a commitment to sustainability and integrity, protecting the community’s investment in our work, striving for perfect audits, being innovative, building capacity and most importantly – treating everyone with dignity and respect. We are an award-winning nonprofit with numerous nods to incredible customer service. Our clients are your neighbors… We improve lives and inspire futures of people living in Southern AZ.

So, IMPACT is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and you have been at the helm half that time. Share with me the things IMPACT has accomplished over the years, and the things you have planned for this celebratory year.

TMBS E158, AJ Barkley, Lending Executive for BofA

March 31, 2021 by Sam Harrell

Tucson Business Radio

TMBS E158, AJ Barkley, Lending Executive for BofA

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About AJ Barkley

AJ Barkley is the Neighborhood Lending Executive for Bank of America, responsible for identifying opportunities to drive successful homeownership among low- to moderate-income borrowers, underserved communities, and multicultural borrowers across the economic spectrum.

More than ever, GETTING INTO A HOME OF YOUR OWN has challenges.

Bidding wars. Rising home prices. Limited inventory. The past year has inspired many to re-evaluate their living spaces and the shifts in the way people use their homes combined with low mortgage rates have led to a competitive market where a new wave of first-time homebuyers is eager to change things up in a home of their own but face challenges.

Most recently, Bank of America tripled its affordable homeownership initiative to $15 billion through 2025, aiming to help more than 60,000 individuals and families to purchase homes.

Bank of America Community Homeownership Commitment™: Tell us about that!

The Bank of America Community Homeownership Commitment™ is a $5 billion initiative to help eligible homebuyers purchase a home affordably. Some of the components are:

Loans requiring a down payment as low as 3 percent, some with no mortgage insurance required
Through a Down Payment Grant program available in more than 260 cities and counties across the country, the bank will give eligible homebuyers 3% of the home purchase price (up to $10,000) to be used for a down payment. No repayment is required.
Qualified homebuyers may also be eligible for the bank’s closing cost grant program, a lender credit through which they could receive up to $7,500 toward non-recurring closing costs or to permanently buy down their interest rate.

CTWJ E24: Martha Chinnock, i3 Media Solutions

March 26, 2021 by Sam Harrell

Tucson Business Radio

CTWJ E24: Martha Chinnock, i3 Media Solutions

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i3 Media Solutions
PO Box 91091
Tucson, AZ 85752
Phones: 520.505.8921
Email: martha@i3mediasolutions.com
i3mediasolutions.com
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter |

I was born and raised in Ohio. I met my husband while studying Technical Writing at Bowling Green State University. After graduation, he commissioned into the US Air Force and we started a twenty-plus-year adventure living all across the US and in South Korea, raising our two children, and working, volunteering, and traveling! We have lived in Tucson this time since 2015 – previously also lived here 2004-2007.

For more than those twenty years, I’ve been keeping clients satisfied with excellent customer service across various fields. Helping businesses find solutions for their digital marketing is truly my passion and I am so lucky to have found i3 Media Solutions! I enjoy the process of getting to know our clients in order to help create just the right strategy for their individual needs. When I’m not working to suit businesses with creative solutions, you might see me at local networking or philanthropic events around Tucson. I am a Board Member of the Junior Achievement of Arizona, Southern District, 100+ Women Who Care Tucson, and Davis-Monthan Spouses’ Club. I enjoy spending time planning my next Disney trip and volunteering at Salpointe Catholic High School with my daughter’s extra-curricular activities.

About your business:

i3 Media Solutions is a digital-forward, creative agency. We help with a wide variety of needs, including website design, social media, search engine optimization, and more! We are independently owned, representing clients throughout the United States with a perfect balance of innovation, creativity, strategy, and personalized support.

Our commitment to our clients is to be there for them every step of the way, helping them make well-informed decisions, giving them access to the newest technologies, and supporting them with customized services, all in order to help them achieve their goals. We love what we do!

i3 believes in employing an integrated marketing approach to create a unified, seamless experience for consumers while they interact with your business. Our experts know that marketing works best when all parts of it work together! When your social media, search engine optimization, email promotions, and website all authentically represent your business, your ideal clients will be drawn into your business.

About Your Host

Jaime Overturf
Farmers Agent, Entrepreneur
2555 N Campbell Ave
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 293-2900
joverturf@farmersagent.com

As a local Farmers® agent in Tucson, AZ, Jaime Overturf helps customers identify the insurance coverage that best fits their needs. This process is straightforward and personalized to help make them more informed about their insurance options.

Jaime has the knowledge and experience to help customers better understand their coverage options–whether that Jaime has the knowledge and experience to help customers better understand their coverage options–whether that’s auto, home, life, business insurance, and more. You can connect with Jaime on Facebook.

CAW E13: Dr. Paul Melendez, UofA Eller College of Mgmt

March 26, 2021 by Sam Harrell

Tucson Business Radio

CAW E13: Dr. Paul Melendez, UofA Eller College of Mgmt

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Dr. Paul Melendez, Professor and Assistant Department Head
University of Arizona Eller College of Management
McClelland Hall, 1130 E Helen Street
Tucson, AZ ZIP: 85721
Email: pmelendez@eller.arizona.edu

Dr. Paul Melendez is a native Tucsonan and a proud Wildcat. He has been with the Eller College of Management since 1996, currently serving as a Professor and Assistant Department Head in the Department of Management and Organizations and Founder of the Center for Leadership Ethics.

As a Professor, he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in business ethics, international management, organizational behavior, human resources, and innovation, and has been consistently ranked as one of the top professors in the college. In 2019, he authored a textbook titled Moral Problems in Management: An Objective Model of Analysis, and has led academic programs to emerge economies in South America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. He consults for clients around the world on ethical-decision making, transformational leadership, and innovation.

As Founder of the Center for Leadership Ethics, Paul leads efforts to improve organizational ethics through cutting-edge research, education, and outreach programs. The Center is the first of its kind at The University of Arizona and internationally renowned. Dr. Melendez has previously taught courses in public policy, public management, and the analysis of data for decision-making. He also served as Assistant Dean for Eller Executive Education where he successfully helped launch a non-profit, demand-driven, consulting wing for the college.

About the Business:

The Eller College of Management (Eller) is a business school at the University of Arizona located in Tucson, Arizona. The Eller College of Management began in 1913 as a bachelor’s degree program in commerce before becoming the University of Arizona School of Business and Public Administration in 1944. It is one of the largest colleges at the University of Arizona, with over 5,400 undergraduate students and nearly 700 graduate students. In addition, Eller has over 55,000 alumni worldwide.

The most recent U.S. News and World Report rank Eller 19th in undergraduate business programs in the U.S. (including public and private institutions), the highest-ranking college at the University of Arizona. Eller also boasts the #1 Public Management Information Systems and ranked #7 Entrepreneurship programs nationally. The MIS program has been ranked in the Top 5 by U.S. News since the inception of the rankings, one of only three programs in the U.S. with such a distinction. Eller’s programs in Supply Chain Logistics and Accounting ranked top 20 and Marketing ranked in the nation’s Top 25 by U.S. News as of 2008. The Department of Management and Organizations also ranked in the nation’s top 25 by U.S. News as of 2010.

He has a beautiful wife, son, and daughter. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling with his family, reading, and supporting various non-profit organizations as a volunteer and board member.

Host

Matt Nelson: Senior Vice President, Crest Insurance Group
Matt is a Senior Vice President at Crest Insurance Group in Tucson, consulting with companies to identify and implement insurance, risk management, and employee benefits solutions. With more than 15 years of industry experience, he has served as a keynote speaker on the healthcare industry, leadership, workplace culture, and risk management for professional organizations throughout Southern Arizona, including the City of Tucson, Greater Tucson Leadership, the Financial Executives and Affiliates of Tucson, and the CEO Roundtable of Tucson.

Matt is an active member in the Tucson community, having served as a Non-Commissioned Officer in the Arizona Army National Guard and volunteering with multiple local organizations, including as Treasurer and a Big Brother with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Southern Arizona, a volunteer with the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, Chair of the Pima County JTED’s Business and Industry Council, a builder with Habitat for Humanity and many other local youth charities.
Email: mnelson@crestins.com
Phone: 520.784.7636
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mattrnelson2

TMBS E157: Jeffrey Mans, Elite Sports CCO & MLB Analyst

March 26, 2021 by Sam Harrell

Tucson Business Radio

TMBS E157: Jeffrey Mans, Elite Sports CCO & MLB Analyst

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About Jeff Mans: Jeff Mans is a part-owner and Chief Content Officer of the Elite Sports Network.

He has been playing fantasy sports for over 30 years and is a 16-year veteran of the fantasy sports industry.

In addition to being a multi-award-winning writer and broadcaster, he has won multiple high-stakes league championships, is a 19-time DFS live final qualifier, and is two-time daily fantasy sports live final winner.

His work has been featured in dozens of newspapers, magazines & online sources. He was also featured in the documentary film “Living the Fantasy.”

His career winnings in fantasy sports are well over $1 million dollars. He is also the outspoken frontman of SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio, hosting a variety of live programs including Elite Sports from 4-6 PM ET every weekday.

 For more information, visit www.elitesportsbetting.com

TMBS E156: Debby Carreau – Inspired HR,

March 26, 2021 by Sam Harrell

Tucson Business Radio

TMBS E156: Debby Carreau - Inspired HR,

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About Debby Carreau

Debby Carreau is an entrepreneur, author, and media contributor.

As CEO & Founder of Inspired HR, Debby is widely recognized in the media and the business community as a workplace thought leader.

Her mission is to create a better working world for everyone.

Inspired HR has been recognized as Canada’s Top HR Consultancy and serves over 150,000 employees across North America.

Their Inspired Workplace TM certification serves to highlight and recognize progressive employers in Canada and beyond.

Debby has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 25 HR Professionals and one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women four times marking her entry into Canada’s Top 100 Hall of Fame as their youngest inductee.

Her extensive media work includes regular appearances as the workplace expert for CTV and CITYTV and regular contributions for CNBC and Entrepreneur Magazine. 

Debby is a premier partner with Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In foundation and sits on numerous boards including YPO, Elevation Group, and Women’s Executive Network Advisory board.

TMB E57: Marlee, Kim, Lorraine Cancer Awareness

March 26, 2021 by Sam Harrell

Tucson Business Radio

TMB E57: Marlee, Kim, Lorraine Cancer Awareness

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Kim Adair, Founder of Butt Check Inc for Colorectal Cancer Awareness. A 501c3-Non-Profit.
Kim also is the CMO and founder of Women Under the Sun Events & Networking.
Office: 738 N 5th Avenue. Tucson, Arizona-85705 #220
Phone: 520-272-3270

In May of 2006, I had visited my doctor who asked why I hadn’t had my colonoscopy yet. Dr. Aikin of Lakewood Colorado had given me a referral months earlier. I had a symptom all this time.

My father had colon cancer and my grandmother passed from it.

My physician wasn’t happy with me to say the least and told me to get in immediately.

Of course, this time I got my bottom right in for my colonoscopy. When colon cancer runs in your family you don’t wait for the magic “50” to get one. (New American Cancer Society guidelines are now 45)

I knew nothing about colon cancer and deep down didn’t want to know. I was nervous. “What if I had it?” I asked my best friend Mo Lukens. She said simply, “Then you’ll deal with it.”

I had a cancerous polyp. After the initial shock, I did what my girlfriend said. I dealt with it. Dr. Aikin set me up with surgeon Dr. Mozia and told me I was in good hands.

After surgery, Dr. Mozia visited me in my room at Lutheran Medical Center. “You’re home free,” he said.

Those were the sweetest words I will ever hear!

During the follow-up, my surgeon asked if I had heard Katie Couric was coming to town. I’m going to have to meet her, I thought to myself. Her husband had died of colon cancer at 42.

She was seen on The Today Show getting her colonoscopy so others would do the same.

I attended the fundraiser lunch for Rocky Mountain Cancer Center and fill out an “ask Katie a question” card: “Why are more and more men & women getting colon cancer and what can we do about it?” I asked.

Get the word out about early detection, she said. Bingo. That’s exactly the response I was looking for. And with your help, that’s what I’m going to do.

So, get your “butt checked” and pass it on! If you get nervous, call me. I’ll even drive you there!

Kim moved to Tucson from Colorado to be near the work of some of the top cancer research in the world at Arizona Cancer Center. Aside from owning her own successful small businesses, she has 35 years of advertising and marketing background. Kim was a senior advertising executive for a popular Colorado magazine, creating several popular community leader print campaigns, along with her own cancer print campaigns.

Lori Gonzalaz
Citi/Homesmart
6781 E Calle de Plata
Tucson, AZ 85715
Phones: 520-979-7426
Email: gonzo1188@aol.com

My name is Lori Gonzales. I was born in raised in Tucson, AZ. I am from a large family that stretches from Chicago to Washington State. My parents moved here in 1957 and began our family. I have had my real estate license since 2005 and in August of 2018, I became employed with Citi as a Customer Service Agent.

In March of 2020, the pandemic was upon us and I began working from home. It was nicer to work from home than I anticipated because I crave social interaction and knew I would miss the camaraderie.

In September, I went to get my annual mammogram which was late this year due to covid. I had been told in September that I would need a hip replacement and scheduled that on Sept 28th.

Meanwhile, the week before I had to have a breast biopsy on a finding in my mammogram. On Sept. 29th, I received a call from my doctor who informed me I had breast cancer.

I am now in a pandemic, working from home, and have breast cancer…ugh! At this point, I am forced to dig deep and find the silver lining: I’m losing my hair, but can’t go anywhere due to covid so no one will see me.

I’m working for a great company with amazing benefits that allow me to get the treatment I need with time to do so and I have a granddaughter and a grandson who was born in June.

While treatment hasn’t been easy, I realize how many blessings I have. I am lucky that I did not get my mammogram any sooner because when it was discovered, the cancer was very new and small. Had I gotten my annual mammogram in June it may not have shown up and a year later could have been worse and possible spread since it contained an aggressive gene.

I try to stay as positive as possible as the more negativity you possess comes great anxiety which is never good. I will continue to fight and hopefully, come out the other end a better person.