Winter 2010 - Kimber Lanning

She’s known as a tenacious, never-give-up champion – for Arizona’s Local First movement, for the indie music world, for creative reuse of old buildings, for filling in empty lots within the central city, for nonprofits and for creating a vibrant community for all. Kimber Lanning is not afraid to push buttons within the halls of government and business, and she’s likely just getting warmed up.

At the early age of 19, Kimber became the only female record store owner in the country when she opened up Stinkweeds. It’s still going strong at its latest location on Camelback just west of Central. She’s proud of the roll-up-your-sleeves effort she’s given Local First Arizona, a growing nonprofit association she founded to support locally-grown businesses and entrepreneurs, hoping the community would give them a “first look” and second thought when our purchasing power is put into action.

She’s managed to get on the agendas of various city councils and government entities across the Arizona to make her case about “buying local.” They and several big businesses have seen the light and are now tapping local businesses for their goods and services.

Kimber has done all this with little more than a vision and a never-give-up passion that has propelled her to do what’s right for the state. For that, Kimber Lanning is our final 2010 Be Inspired honoree.

What you may not know is that while wearing many hats and juggling many responsibilities, Kimber doesn’t ever want to be “too busy” to stop and help.

She’ll tell you though, that she’s “just like everyone else.” Perhaps it’s that understated way of thinking that begins to show us the Kimber we don’t really know. When reflecting on her proudest accomplishment, the partial list of amazing successes from above were not included in her answer. Instead, she shared a story about what happens when she’s not rallying a captive audience about Local First. This summer, when driving along busy Scottsdale Road and watching everyone else speeding along, she noticed a man in a wheelchair struggling to make his way in the middle of the summer heat. She saw his water bottle bounce away. She pulled over to get him his water bottle and realized he was having challenges getting through the construction – a sign was blocking his path. She moved it and he went on his way.

Her proudest moment – “not being too busy to notice someone in need.”

Despite all the notoriety (including even being discussed as a candidate for Phoenix Mayor) and being pulled in so many directions, Kimber remains grounded. “It has nothing to do what anyone else thinks. It has to do with me checking in with myself and make sure I’m still me.”

This Okinawa born, 25-year vegetarian who was inspired by the British rock band, Breathless, to pick up her drumming sticks at 26 and be part of an indie rock band today, is doing plenty to notice the richness of Arizona’s local businesses and the important role it has to play in our economic vitality and sustainability. That’s an inspiration to us all. And there is no doubt, Kimber is just getting started.

Summer 2010 - Katherine Cecala

“If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.” -Goethe

Sometimes it’s the quiet ones that sneak up and amaze you.  That’s Katherine Cecala – our Be Inspired Honoree for July/August.  She’s spent a lifetime of volunteering, changing people’s lives, mentoring and doing the quiet but powerful things that simply let you know she’s there for you.

Before it was even discussed openly in public, Katherine was advancing the need to battle against the deadly HIV and AIDS viruses and rallied Arizona’s conservatives to learn more about it in the early 90s and be part of the solution.  She’s led boards for the blind for years – not because she had any specific connection to the issue, but because they needed her expertise.  But these are only some of her hobbies. Her career is equally impressive.

But it’s not just her degrees –in engineering, business and law.  She defies compartmentalization.  She makes it her business to rekindle the human spirit with her unique focus on helping women discover their potential and uncover their possibilities. There are about two dozen women who Katherine has encouraged to go back to school and get a degree – and have done so. She’s also mentored pre-teen girls at risk through Scottsdale Prevention Institute and Phoenix Youth at Risk.  She has transformed already impressive organizations, including the Mayo Clinic and Hospital as well as the Valley of the Sun United Way with streamlined systems and processes, saving thousands, and sometimes millions of dollars for the group.

But our inspiration is what might be considered the tiniest things Katherine does. She shows up at a walk to honor a lost family member. And she’s just there to be with you.  She rallies a group to build a home for the homeless. She serves meals to the homeless.  She stops to give directions to someone confused, and word has it that she often takes them where they need to go.  She rounds up her friends and colleagues to help make a difference in the lives of others—serving meals at a shelter, laboring on a Saturday for Habitat for Humanity, adopting families for the holidays, collecting and then packaging food items, clothes, shoes and school supplies for children that otherwise would not have any.  It’s a hobby; it’s her hobby.

Anyone would be lucky to have Katherine as a friend.  Organizations are lucky to have her as a leader. Our community is better for it and now you know why.

“Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light.”- Albert Schweitzer

May/June 2010 - Eileen Brill Wagner

Revitalizing an urban core is no easy task, but that didn’t scare away Eileen Brill Wagner from taking on those efforts in quiet little Downtown Chandler.  Although she had lived in the city for more than 13 years, she had just relocated her home to central Phoenix when she got the opportunity to lead the historic center into a bustling city center. 

Even outside of the reverse commute, the first year was tough going.  With commitment, passion and long days, Eileen made it through to get the mix of locally-owned small businesses and city government moving in a positive, collaborative direction.  That’s why Eileen is our Be Inspired honoree for May. 

And what she loves most about the job is the inspiration she receives from the friendly shop owners who bring their passion and dreams to their business ventures.  Eileen is definitely “in her element” when she guides you along the boutiques, galleries, tea shops and restaurants, sharing the inside scoop, pointing out the wonderful historic markers and introducing you to the faces behind the places.

This Bronx born, Vermont raised dynamo felt her position with the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership brought all her skills to the fore – her writing and marketing efforts from her early days as a journalist and marketing company owner, to her community building experience she found through several years at Valley Leadership. 

Celebrating three years in August, Eileen is thrilled with what now has become a confluence of energy and drive to make things happen with the strong stock of historic buildings and the street-level business energy.  The old time Chandler families, she remarks, remember downtown in its glory days. The young crowd is seeing it revitalized and coming to hang out at the great restaurants and bars that have sprouted throughout.  Its central street, Arizona Avenue, is even in the middle of a transformation. 

To get to this point, Eileen spent time bringing people together to get them on the same page, creating the infrastructure for the Partnership, which was only a year old when she came on board.  That meant committees needed to be created, processes and procedures needed to be set up, and most importantly, relationships needed to be forged.

That work continues, but with groups like the entrepreneurs of Gangplank moving in, alongside restaurateurs and entrepreneurs setting up shop, and city leadership that sees the potential, we’ll likely be hearing more about downtown Chandler in the months to come.

But hey, why don’t you go visit for yourself and see Eileen’s handiwork.

March/April 2010 - Dan Klocke

Sometimes it’s the quiet ones that are most amazing.  Sometimes it’s the seemingly “small stuff” that make the biggest impact.  Dan Klocke is one of those quiet, “small stuff” guys.  While he works by day at the Downtown Phoenix Partnership in economic development, his passion becomes fully apparent when he’s involved in history and community-building.  Not many people know he put his money where his mouth is to save an historic home in the area and even had it moved to a different site so that a bit of Phoenix history could live on. 

His passion and commitment are equally apparent when he puts his heart and soul into the new Phoenix Public Market located on the southeast corner of Central and McKinley.  What gets him excited about this labor of love is the support it provides local farmers and small business entrepreneurs working to bring healthier choices to the greater community – a win-win all the way around. 

“Dan is one of the most committed, caring, smart and visionary people I have met,” notes Cindy Gentry, head of Community Food Connections, the nonprofit that operates the Phoenix Public Market. “He is willing to take hands-on responsibility for making the things he cares about thrive, ask the hard questions and pursue innovation, while preserving traditions and creating a sense of place. Dan does everything from set up to clean up, to budgeting and board development, as well as guide the long-term future of the market. He comes almost every weekend to help set up, got his food handler’s card from the County so he can help prepare and serve food in the store, works tirelessly to promote the project and our mission, connect us to new resources.” 

You have inspired us Dan! Thank you for putting your heart and hands into the big and small work of economic development in downtown Phoenix.

December 2009 - Steve Zabilski

He is a humble, understated inspiration to hundreds, if not thousands in our community. His quiet and powerful nature speaks as loudly when he simply listens, as when he shares the story of St. Vincent de Paul of Phoenix. For 13 years, Steve Zabilski has been the steward of volunteers and staff who, day after day, make hope possible for thousands facing homelessness. He oversees 200 employees, 7,000 volunteers and a $25 million annual budget that serves the poor with meals, medical and dental care, transitional housing and a variety of other assistance, along with the management of thrift stores.

Taking credit is not his style.  Steve will pass the praise on to others, and by doing so, showcases a real live example of servant leadership. He continues that example when he engages the community in service. He relishes showing off the work being done by the committed volunteers at the St. Vincent de Paul campuses, and helps those on the tour understand how volunteering and donating can enrich their lives.

For being a quiet, humble and heavily tasked leader, especially in these challenging times when the organization has seen a 30 percent increase in need, we applaud Steve for his tireless efforts in redefining a “roll up your sleeves” leader and celebrate him as our December “Be Inspired” honoree.

Consider supporting St. Vincent de Paul with donations to their thrift stores, or make an online donation directly on their website.

October 2009 - Jim McPherson

After hour emails, Facebook posts, coffee shop meetings and other random connections show his passion for a variety of community issues. At his core are the values of community building, preserving history and seeking a healthier future.  Jim McPherson is a bioscience champion by day and a community advocate by night (and all the spare time in between). And he doesn’t have to wear his passion on his sleeve, he just does the work.  He pokes for possibilities and he “bird dogs” opportunity.  He questions and he suggests. 

Jim has spent years working with groups like Downtown Voices Coalition that try and preserve and support a unique urban offering, along with serving on the boards of the Arizona Preservation Foundation and Arizona Heritage Alliance.  The latter’s most recent milestone: successfully advocating for the return of over $7 million in Heritage Fund grants for 36 economic development projects in communities all across the state.  You can find him at a gallery on First Fridays and on the streets of the Grand Avenue Street Festival talking about what’s truly sustainable and green: the adaptive reuse of historic properties.  We could go on.  This light rail riding, central city dwelling, quiet but continuous cheerleader for our city is a thrill to watch and to learn from.  For that and so much more, Jim is our October “Be Inspired” honoree. Give him a shout out on Facebook!

July 2009 - Deborah Dillon

Her name is synonymous with education in Phoenix. If you’ve ever been a principal for a day, or gotten at all involved in education, you would know Deborah Dillon. Now a new dream for this passionate community builder has been realized. In her 20 years with the city of Phoenix, her latest collaborative effort is the College Depot, housed in the main Burton Barr Public Library. It’s a one-stop shop where teens looking to make that important step into a college or university can go to get help, guidance, support and probably a hug and a smile too.

The Depot’s mission is to provide access to full-service college planning through outreach, guidance, resources and referrals. But that just doesn’t mean the student. Parents are invited to take part too. Check it out here http://www.phoenix.gov/collegedepot.

Deb’s mission, we guess, is everything education! She’s been hovering in the background, leading with a strong voice, and connecting with passion – the people and groups that can make a difference in the lives of our city’s youth. She’s inspired many and done so quietly and loudly when she needed to. Congrats Deb for earning many stars as the July “Be Inspired” honoree.


May 2009 - Greg Esser
He leaps tall buildings in a single bound, saves kittens and has invested more than 3,000 days and endured approximately 1,000 meetings to “work on strategies and solutions to help move toward the goal of a more vibrant urban community.” He is an artist and has held positions as a public arts program director in Phoenix and managed a similar program in Washington DC.

Inspired Connections applauds Greg Esser for his commitment and diligence to a thriving central core. Yes, we exaggerated a little with the leaping tall buildings part, but any person who contributes to an effort with the magnitude Greg does out of commitment to a vision, is symbolic of a super hero.

For those of you who don’t know Greg, he is the spirit and driving force behind Roosevelt Row, a dynamic, walkable urban mixed-use area with a significant concentration of artists and other creative professionals along Roosevelt Street between Grand Avenue and 16th Street. Greg is currently renovating a territorial house (that had been sold for demolition) in the area. In the process, he and his team rescued more than 100 cats, facilitated spaying/neutering and finding a home for each of them.

Greg says "the return on sweat equity is gradual and incremental" and comes with many strings attached (some in the form of small animals). But he is sticking with it. "While it seems that very little changes from day to day, looking back, the changes over five years and ten years are jaw-dropping. Looking forward, we are at the very earliest stages of the evolution of downtown Phoenix."

Thanks for keeping us and so many others inspired about art, downtown and the myriad of possibilities yet to come. Keep up the good work Greg! Connect to Greg and Roosevelt Row by visiting them on Facebook.

April 2009 - Sandy Bahr
Every day is Earth Day for our April "Be Inspired" honoree. Sandy Bahr started out volunteering and then transitioned to be a leader for Arizona’s natural environment. For the past 17 years her name has been synonymous with all things environment, a champion for preservation and protecting the magic that our state presents – all in an easy-going 70 hour work week! That’s what you call passion and dedication! (And when you can persuade your husband to pitch in for a poo picking venture, you know we’re talking about someone special here…wolf scat "poo" to be precise.) Click here to read more about the IC April "Be Inspired" honoree.

During the 11 years she has been the lead voice for the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club, it’s been hard to identify any one favorite accomplishment – and even then – she’s quick to point out that they were group efforts: helping return Fossil Creek to a wild and scenic, fully flowing Arizona water way with native fish; or could it be Arizona’s renewable energy standards; the reintroduction of the Mexican gray wolves, the California condors, the black footed ferrets, and the black-tailed prairie dogs. Sandy sees these victories as hope for the future.

But she also warns that global climate change is the greatest environmental challenge that faces us. Sandy is adamant that actions we take now will significantly impact the next generation. So she stays busy…busy connecting to the desert, the desert rivers, the amazing diversity of life we have in the Sonoran Desert, and puts in more double time to do everything to protect it. And then there is the old growth ponderosa pines . . . . but don’t get her started on those. Just remember, next time you take a hike and admire the panoramic scenes around you, you’ll know why we celebrate Sandy Bahr as April’s "Be Inspired" honoree. 

March 2009 - Kathleen Bartolomei
Kathleen Bartolomei is a quiet, sweet, diligent community leader who recently returned to the Phoenix area after having already left an imprint in the years she spent here before. She’s working in partnership with Scott Jacobson and serves as the perfect yin to his yang…for those of you who know Scott! They’re working diligently to take the Human Services Campus beyond its innovative collaboration of 12 agencies into a state-of-the-art sustainable campus that will help train the clients in new, sustainable jobs, bring new dollars to assist with the ever increasing need, and to re-engage the community. This work usually revolves around Kathleen’s unique “Chat and Chews” that mix salads and tortellini with insights and updates on the campus and its work. Kathleen is the glue that connects, the chef that warms your tummy so you feel welcome and loved and the empathetic soul who is always checking in or asking how she can help. She calls randomly to make sure the “players” are up on the latest news so they can advance their own efforts. She cares. And she’s funny and seems to have fun making bundt cakes. Who could be more deserving than that? Keep up the great effort Kathleen. You’re a grand humanitarian!