The Larsen Group

Bruce Frankel is a seasoned journalist with USA Today and People magazine, New York Times best-selling author, and poet.  His new book What Should I do with the Rest of My Life? features twelve intimate, inspiring stories of second-half success (post age 60), celebrating people who refused to let illness, stereotypes, and assumptions about aging stop them from realizing their dreams of becoming, among other things, an artist, athlete, activist, inventor, entrepreneur, dancer, teacher, filmmaker, psychologist, writer, and the nation’s oldest park ranger.  They all created their paths by walking on it.

www.brucefrankel.net                                 December 25, 2010              21 minutes

Beth Cole is a speaker, facilitator, and career and small business coach who leads a networking group at the public library in Oro Valley.   Her mantra is “Out of Work, but Not Out of Luck”, and she’s got a track record of enabling people to get on to “what’s next” to back up her wise advice, including discovering how being unemployed or even underemployed can be the best time of your life to experiment, learn and personally grow.  Beth’s credentials include being president and CEO of the Women’s Business Center in Washington DC, serving as a consultant to non-profits, and working in radio.

www.beth-cole.com                                      December 25, 2010              22 minutes

www.agingwellcoach.com

Stephen Kimble and Lynn Rae Lowe represent The Metal Arts Village.  An attorney, inventor and creator of metal monument art, Stephen bought the central Tucson property in 2004 and set out on a mission to build a community – literally and figuratively – for metal artists.  Lynn Rae has shown her work coast to coast, is a K-12 arts educator, has organized film, jazz and art festivals, and is founder/executive director of The Rose Petal Foundation which gifts “tools for creativity” to hospitalized children.  Together Stephen and Lynn Rae have created 12 studios in an architecturally significant plaza, a viewing and shopping destination spot abuzz with collaboration.

www.metalartsvillage.com                           December 18, 2010               22 minutes

Sue Porter introduces herself as “The Accidental Leader,” having evolved from being a stay-at-home mom orchestrating programs and camps for children, to being a coach and trainer helping individuals who find themselves unexpectedly in a leadership position.  She is licensed in the DISC assessment process which helps clients adapt to other people’s behavior style.  Sue believes in not just coping with, but thriving through change, something she experiences daily living with a physical disability caused by a car accident several years ago.

www.accidentalleader.com                           December 18, 2010               20 minutes

Andy Kanefield is the CEO of Dialect and author of Uncommon Sense: A CEO’s Tale of Getting in Sync.  Based on integrating the learnings of raising his special needs son, Parker, and a career in marketing and advertising, Andy and his business partner now work to help clients recognize the impact of cognitive diversity, how each employee is wired differently and motivated by different parts of an organization’s identity.  Their mission is to help align organizations, translating what they stand for to engage key stakeholders in a lasting way.

Michael Topf leads Topf Initiatives, a Safety, Health and Environmental consulting and training company based in Pennsylvania.  His team offers a holistic, integrated approach to achieve results in preventing accidents and injuries by directly addressing employees’ personal risk, attitudes and behaviors.  Michael trains people to become mindful on and off the job, to hone first their self-observations skills – the human factors required to focus on what we are doing, not taking shortcuts that can turn conscious choices into unconscious, risk-enabled, dangerous habits.

www.topfinitiatives.com                           December 11, 2010              22 minutes

Jamie and Maren Showkeir are seasoned organizational development consultants from Henning-Showkeir & Associates, and authors of the book Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment.  They work with clients around the world to focus on how ordinary conversations can lead to employees that are engaged and energized, instead of enabling relationships that are parent-child traps resulting in alienation and an uninspired workforce.  The Showkeirs believe real culture change comes through conversations where people expect one another to respond creatively with generosity and an attitude of improvement.
www.authenticconversations.com             December 11, 2010              22 minutes

Jane Marie Rief is the senior project manager for MySkillsmyFuture.org, a new website sponsored by CareerOneStop of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for the U.S. Department of Labor.  A recent 20 plus year corporate software project engineer who found herself unexpectedly in transition, Jane Marie now helps job seekers – unemployed and under-employed – sharpen their search strategy by first identifying and translating relevant skills from a current or previous occupation towards new opportunities.

Sean Kogan and Jeffrey McBride are from Halls of Frames, a third generation family owned and operated custom framing company with 12 retail outlets in Arizona.  Sean’s grandparents, Ben and Evelyn Kogan started the business in 1975 and believe their truly artistic artisan employees make the difference for customers.  Sean heads up corporate operations and is VP of Marketing, while Jeffrey has managed the Tucson branch since its inception in 1997.  They are in the business of helping people preserve memories of all shapes in sizes, with the mantra “Nobody Frames You Better!”

Stewart Levine is a former lawyer and marketing executive who now serves as a “resolutionary” and creative problem solver for individual and company/organizational clients.  His recently re-released book Getting to Resolution: Turning Conflict into Collaboration was heralded as one of the 30 Best Business Books of the Year when first published in 1998.  Stewart’s conversational models create “Agreements for Results” and have been heralded by business, government and non-profit thought leaders as practical guides to stem the cost of conflict.
www.resolutionworks.com                    November 27, 2010             21 minutes

Dr. Jackie Stavros is a business school professor and heads the doctoral program at Lawrence Technological University in Michigan.  She is an appreciate inquiry expert and positive-at-the-core author, academic and consultant.  Her co-authored book The Thin Book of SOAR: Building Strengths-Based Strategy provides a roadmap from which strategy can become a part of everyone’s job, enabling true innovation and sustainable change to organizations of all sizes and shapes.
www.thinbook.com                                    November 20, 2010        20 minutes

Dr. Marcia Reynolds is a master executive coach, consultant and writer whose early 2010-released book grabs the heart and soul of many determined professionals.  Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women find Contentment and Direction is not about the super hero Wonder Woman, but rather points how often unknowingly high-achieving women are prone to wander, move from one thing to another without deliberate direction.  Marcia’s rigorous research-back work is based on in-depth interviews with leaders from around the US.
www.wanderwomanbook.com                  November 20, 2010        22 minutes

Susan and Ev Diehl have a passion for design and history.  As owners or consultants, they have restored and operated an athletic club, a prominent museum retail store and restaurant, and most recently with the help of other family members, a true labor of love in downtown Cody, Wyoming, the historic Chamberlin Inn. The 24-unit boutique inn is on the Registry of Small Elegant Hotels and dates back to 1900.  It is an apt outlet for the Diehls’ love of their community, and talents for entertaining others amidst historic preservation, architectural and interior design authenticity.

 www.chamberlininn.com                            November 13, 2010      22 minutes

Scott Armstrong is a talented designer and master craftsman who has had an intimate relationship with wood for more than thirty years.  As founder of Arrowleaf Studio in Cody, Wyoming, Scott creates graceful, animated, one of a kind, limited production, and commissioned pieces of fine cabinetry and furniture. His work involves solid woods for strength, figured veneers for their rare beauty and ecological benefits, and often touches of inlay for whimsical fun.  Trained in the fine arts and experienced as an illustrator and prototype builder, Scott continues to evolve his contemporary designs towards a fresh and innovative Western furniture-as-art style.

www.arrowleafstudio.com                          November 13, 2010       21 minutes

Karen Pomroy hears voices across international borders, those of horses mistreated by the premarin drug industry, and women who have contracted cancer from taking premarin for menopausal symptoms. Founded in 2004 near Green Valley, Arizona, Equine Voices Horse Rescue and Sanctuary was recently certified by the Global Federation of Animal Rescues and commended as a safe haven, recovery and placement agent.  Over 300 horses have benefited from their commitment.  A former marketing leader who took a year off to travel overseas, Karen returned to work with wild mustangs before founding this 501c3 non-profit known for its heart and compassion.

www.equinevoices.org                                 November 6, 2010         22 minutes

Live stream - Nightly News with Brian Williams  
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/43832782#43832782

Jeremy Logsdon has had a lifelong fascination with any and all computer problems. A patient, reflective and technologically fearless young man, Jeremy is gifted to think like a computer from the inside out. In fact, Jeremy’s individual and business clients call him “The Computer Whisperer.”  As a single father he founded Prompt Solutions in 1997 (a play on the DOS connection) to be able to have a flexible work/lifestyle and be the best father he could for his infant son.  Now on the cusp of expanding the business, Jeremy is passionate about thorough, complete problem resolution – from components to systems, hardware to software to internet interfaces.

www.promptsolutions.net                             November 6, 2010         22 minutes

Dr. Margaret Higgins is Executive Director of Haven and Casa de Palmas, a unique set of non-profits that offer refuge for women stricken by the disease of substance abuse.  The Haven is for women without financial means and their children to take up residence and leverage resources and approaches for recovery, personal reinvention and life long transformation. In five years Margaret and her team have double their impact, plus open a mid-tier shelter for women who can afford to come on their own. Originally from England, Margaret is a career segment shifter, moving from for-profit leadership in academia and communication to The Haven.
www.thehaventucson.org                               November 6, 2010         21 minutes
www.casadepalmas.org

Dr. Walter Harrison is the president of The University of Hartford, a private institution of over 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students based in seven colleges and schools, including signature art, music, architecture and engineering, science, and technology schools.  Its mission is to thrive in and contribute to our complex world. During Walt’s 12 year tenure UHart has experienced unprecedented growth and change from curriculum advances to a dramatic building campaign, including the addition of two unique public schools for children K-12 within its campus. 

www.hartford.edu                                          October 30, 2010         22 minutes

Randie and Shelby Collier are the founders of Beyond Bread, a specialty Tucson restaurant where bread is just the beginning.  They offer over 30 varieties of handcrafted artisan breads, used to make delicious healthy sandwiches, complimented by unique salads, soups and decadent desserts.  All fresh ingredients are their mainstay.  The entrepreneurial journey continues with the imminent opening of an all new third restaurant, “on the dream list” when they joined us just 18 months ago.
www.beyondbread.com                                  October 23, 2010         22 minutes

Susan Buckeley Butler leads the SBB Institute as a mentor, coach, philanthropist and author with a passion for changing the game for women as leaders, and aspiring leaders.  Susan’s first book, Become the CEO of You, Inc., was featured in an early 2008 radio show.  Her new book, Women Count: A Guide to Changing the World, is drawing Susan into new circles, including Vision 2020, a group of 150 women luminaries setting the course for better a world – and not just for women – to have equal representation of the sexes in business, government and other sectors of society.

www.womencount.com                                  October 23, 2010         21 minutes

www.sbbinstitute.com

Tamara Woodbury is CEO of the Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, serving over 30,000 girls through the efforts of 9,000 volunteers. She has spent her entire career creating the conditions for personal and organizational transformation, in particular “leading from the inside out.  Tamara led a cultural revolution to abandon the traditional organizational chart and imbue leadership in each staff member and volunteer. The results -- unprecedented growth in services and resources bringing national recognition and research interest to the organization and community. 

Dr. Marilee Adams developed the innovative Question Thinking System approach to get results in work and life, a model/technique that is a culmination of experiences from her global consulting and prior psychotherapy careers.  Marilee recently released the second edition of her book, Change Your Questions, Change Your Life, a best seller that has sold over 80,000 copies and is available in twelve languages. She leads the Inquiry Institute, an organizational consulting firm that trains, advises and coaches clients to get results through staying on a path of learning as opposed to judging. 

www.inquiryinstitute.com                               October 16, 2010           21 minutes

Barbara Eisele is founder and president of Life Transformations, Now! an innovative, dynamic life coaching company based in Tucson. A former nurse, pioneer in wellness and stress management programs, and counselor, Barbara pursued coaching to generate, nurture and spread transformational learning for individuals, groups, and businesses.  She is also a perceptive and compassionate facilitator and partners with clients to help them create a shift in perspective that gives their lives greater clarity, purpose, motivation, productivity, and joy with tangible, measurable results.
www.lifetransformationsnow.com                   October 16, 2010          22 minutes

Nancy McCluskey-Moore is a healthcare and computer software marketing and communications professional.  She is Event Chair for the 8^th Annual Go Red for Women Luncheon, November 5^th at the J. W. Marriott Star Pass Resort.  Diana Cannon is Executive Director of the American Heart/American Stroke Association of Tucson, AZ.  Together they are passionately focused on raising funds to support research and education about cardiovascular disease.  Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death among women, 10X more prevalent than breast cancer, claiming 500,000 lives annually.
www.gored4womentucson.com                          October 9, 2010      20 minutes
www.heart.org

Dr. Navin Kedia is an Invasive Cardiologist with Southwest Heart and the Medical Director for the Carondelet Telecardiology Program. He educates patients about the differences between coronary artery disease and heart failure, in particular atherosclerosis (obstruction of the arteries from hardened fatty material deposits) being the core of the problem.  People who want to know what risk is in their genes just need to look in their jeans.  Diet, obesity, waist circumference, cholesterol, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and family history all contribute to risk.

www.swheart.com                                               October 9, 2010         23 minutes

Dr. L. Roderick Anderson is a popular guest lecturer throughout the state of Arizona on stroke prevention, diagnosis and treatment. He is on a mission to inform people on how to survive a “brain attack” by recognizing the symptoms of stroke and taking quick action.  One of only two board-certified vascular neurologists in Tucson with Western Neurosurgery, Ltd., Dr. Anderson practices general neurology with the Caronodelet Neurological Institute. He has been a principal investigator in numerous clinical research trials involving both acute treatment and stroke prevention.

www.carondelet.org                                           October 9, 2010          21 minutes

Bryce M. Towsley started The Outside Connection in 1985 based in Vermont as a booking agency for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation adventures.  It has since expanded to include Bryce’s award-winning writing and photography.  Bryce published his first article in 1980 and has done five books on guns, gunsmithing and hunting, and contributed to several other books.  His work covers a wide diversity of subjects, but none more important to him than the field of hunting and the firearms used for that sport. An avid, experienced hunter, Bryce travels globally to couple his vocation and avocation.
www.brycetowsley.com                           October 2, 2010                      22 minutes

Jim Wolfe is the Entrepreneur in Residence and a business school professor at George Mason University in Washington DC.  A founding partner of J-Street Consulting, he has over 30 years of global experience spurring more than 50 early stage companies to their next level of growth.  A lawyer and MBA by academic background, Jim has worked in the public and private sectors in the US and abroad.  He is passionate about how small business will fuel economic growth to “change the world” as we know it today.

www.jstreetconsulting.com                       September 25, 2010        22 minutes

www.georgemason.edu

Ken Schuster is the Director and Chief Curator of the Bradford Brinton Memorial & Museum in Big Horn, Wyoming.  Housed in a 1920’s summer home on a former gentelman’s working ranch, this Western art and history center is on the National Registry of Historic Places. Through Ken’s efforts over 20 years, it is an educational oasis of period-to-contemporary Western paintings, sculpture, Native American artifacts, rare books and signed documents. Exquisite art in an ideal setting – over 2,500 acres of Wyoming plains complete with free-roaming wildlife.

Norm Bour is a partner in OPIS Network, southern California-based business specialists with expertise in company turnarounds.  In collaboration with several cities and agencies, Norm and his colleagues have launched “Helping 100 Businesses in 100 Days”.  Based on public, private and non-profit partnership, their seminar/webinar education-based approach goes beyond typical chamber of commerce initiatives to move economic development through small business forward.

Jill Wiley is the Managing Partner of Waterfall Economidis Caldwell Hanshaw and Villamana, a full service legal practice of over 50 professionals.  Also a certified public accountant, Jill chairs the Trust and Estate Group.  Given aging US demographics and the roller coaster of change in federal tax laws, estate planning is full of landmines today including complex healthcare directives and new guidelines for youth/sibling financial management.  It is important now more than ever to seek top professional advice.
www.wechv.com                                           September 18, 2010        21 minutes

Lesli Pintor and Paola Tomassini are members of the National Bank of Arizona executive team, responsible for commercial real estate lending and executive banking, respectively.  Under their leadership a new Women’s Financial Group has been launched to offer a forum for professional women from a broad cross-section of businesses and non-profits in Tucson to benefit from connections, collaboration and community.  They are on a mission to “give forward” and help others with their businesses and careers.
www.nbarizona.com                                          September 11, 2010         21 minutes

Gina Mehmert leads Ruby Cross Associates Ltd., a market research practice that helps clients globally “bring customers inside their company,” building a solid brand and developing opportunities for business growth.  Beginning her career as a newspaper reporter, Gina has over 15 years of client- and agency-side marketing experience in the US and Europe, primarily in the IT and telecom industry.  She is an expert in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, with a keen ability to hear the voice of the customer.

www.rubycross.com                                          September 11, 2010         23 minutes

Josh Shellman is a natural horse trainer, 20-year veteran of the automotive parts business, and founder of the Queen Creek Horse Expo debuting on October 17^th at the new Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Center near Phoenix. This expo has been a dream of Josh’s for many years.  A sudden battle with kidney disease nearly took Josh’s life in 2006 and has prevented him from training horses for the time being; but, Josh is not letting life pass him by.  Part of the proceeds from the expo will benefit the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona.
www.queencreekexpo.com                                 September 4, 2010      20 minutes

Dr. James Ivie is the Director of Patient Services at the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona, responsible for programs for people at risk of developing chronic kidney disease, services for patients who already have kidney failure, and support for renal professionals who care for patients. Over 26 million Americans today have kidney disease, with but 1 in 10 aware of its tragic progression. Through an early detection program, the foundation is educating the public to ask their doctors to routinely monitor a relatively new measure of kidney function, the GFR.

www.azkidney.org                                             September 4, 2010        23 minutes

Allan Mardon is a New York City advertising and magazine illustrator-turned-contemporary Western painter, retiring to Tucson over 20 years ago.  Inspired by a conversation with Josh Shellman, Allan’s latest narrative painting Pegasus, The Winged Horse is featured in the advertising for the Queen Creek Horse Expo. The direction Allan took was reinforced by patrons’ reactions to A Celebration of the Horse, a painting he did six months earlier for another equestrian expo and charitable cause.  Allan was involved in helping save the life of the son of a friend stricken by kidney disease, by finding an organ donor with miraculously a direct tissue match.

www.allanmardon.com                                     September 4, 2010         21 minutes

Steve Sikora will be center stage at the Queen Creek Horse Expo on October 17^th.  Steve led a very successful air conditioning contracting company for over 20 years before converting his lifetime hobby of horseback riding into a career of horse training and teaching others the science, art and heart of natural horsemanship – on-the-ground training that stresses the more subtle, gentle and often non-verbal connection between rider and horse. Steve has since started hundreds of colts and worked with countless owners and their horses enabling trust in a safe environment.

www.stevesikora.com                                       September 4, 2010          21 minutes