Amazing Arizonans

Start your engines, you won’t want this conversation to speed on by. A Phoenix native and longtime community development executive, Latasha Causey, is the first female African American track president in NASCAR history and the second woman to hold the position at Phoenix Raceway. It was a pleasure to get to know her, I know you’ll enjoy it too.

I love talking with successful people. Rick Smith, the CEO of Axon, is definitely one of my favorite conversations. You may know his company as Taser. Our conversation is about his road to success, from starting his company in a garage in Tucson to growing it into a $40,000,000,000 multinational company. He discusses his successes and failures. He talks about the lessons learned and the fight to keep his world headquarters in Scottsdale.

The latest episode of Amazing Arizonans stars David Kimmerle, the president of Sanderson Ford, a car dealership that has served the Valley for decades. I met David almost 20 years ago when we were looking for a location to start a Memorial Day ride. Sanderson Ford was a quick yes to our request. Getting to know David over the years has been a privilege. He has such a great story.

If you’re a sports fan in Arizona you know the name Dan Bickley. No one knows more about Arizona sports than Dan. His dedication to the truth and the written word has made him an Arizona Icon. He’s an accomplished author and broadcaster as well. On the episode of Amazing Arizonans you’ll learn about his early days as a reporter. Who his mentors were and how he developed his unique style. Dan has a gift for capturing the emotion of the moment and make us feel like we are right there with him. Dan is one of my favorite people. I think you’re going to love this conversation.

I love country music. I moved to Arizona in early 1995. At that time their were three iconic country bands in Arizona. One of those bands is The Herndon Brothers. On this episode of Amazing Arizonans I sit with Ray Herndon. He shares stories of writing hit songs for some of the biggest stars in Country Music. We talk about his hits with McBride and the Ride. The legendary country bar Handlebar J’s that he still owns and operates. So if you love Arizona and are a country music fan, you’re going to love this conversation.

On this episode of Amazing Arizonans, Mike Broomhead sits down with Jody Jackson. She is one Arizona’s most recognizable sports figures. She has reported on some of the greatest and most memorable moments in Arizona. She pulls the curtain back on the most important people and moments in Arizona sports.

Most people can’t say that they know a Supreme Court justice. Mike has had the privilege of knowing Justice Clint Bolick for a long time before he reached the Arizona Supreme Court. They sat down for a chat about his incredible career.

Mountainside Fitness CEO Tom Hatten has an incredible story. Having a vision to open a gym in the Valley to building an empire that is synonymous with fitness in Arizona. But the story of how difficult it was getting started and how close he was to closing first location is a story of determination and grit. Mike Broomhead sits down with Hatten in this episode of Amazing Arizonans. 

Our guest this week on Amazing Arizonans is a Superstar from the 80's. Supermodel Kim Alexis. Featured on over 500 magazine covers, including being featured in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition six times. She had a huge career in broadcasting and she continues to be an influencer and advocate for healthy living. Our conversation about faith is truly inspirational. She has an amazing life, I hope you love the conversation as much as we did.

The last name Hickman runs deep in the Valley. The legacy of Buckeye-based Hickman’s Family Farms, is a farm that's been helping Arizonans make omelets since 1944. We were excited to sit down with Clint Hickman and dive deeper into the history of his families success on this episode of Amazing Arizonans.