Meet The Judges

Sharon B. Foltz, Community Relations Director - Tucson Electric Power

Sharon Foltz, born in Canton, Ohio, has been involved in volunteerism most of her life and has been an administrator of volunteer programs for more than twenty years. As the State Volunteer Coordinator for the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation in the ‘70’s, she also served as a consultant to the Governor’s Office for community service projects and trainer for the Columbus Volunteer Center.

Settling in Tucson in 1981, she has been active in a wide array of civic activities. Through volunteer work as a children’s advocate for Pima Association of Governments, Parents Anonymous and involvement with her two daughters activities, she came to know and love Tucson as her home community. Volunteerism introduced her to the United Way of Greater Tucson where she was hired as the Director of Volunteer Development. Under her direction the Multicultural Leadership Development Program (MLDP) grew in reputation and financial solvency, providing annual workshops and resource training programs. 

Recruited in 1993 to her current position at Tucson Electric Power Company, she has worked with hundreds of local nonprofits, committees and neighborhood groups. As Director of Community Relations, she has continuous opportunities to put her creative and communication skills to work growing an integrated community relations program dedicated to serving the public. At TEP she coordinates the corporate volunteer program ( the Community Action Team), works with senior management on philanthropy strategy, manages all aspects of philanthropy program, board placements, corporate memberships and community partnerships.  

As a result of the CAT Program’s 1993 Points of Light Award, Sharon served on the Points of Light National Council of Workplace Volunteerism from 1994 – 1999. This wonderful opportunity allowed her to continue training of trainers and provide resources to business volunteer programs across the Nation.

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Joe Higgins - Owner, Talking Trash

Joe Higgins is a dedicated entrepreneur and small business owner with a proven track record in the Tucson business community. He has identified, started, grown and stabilized the following businesses in southern Arizona: Hydrogrowth and Abtech Industries (founded 1992 and 1996), Gotta Go Wireless (est. 1999 65+ employees and 12 locations in AZ & NM), Sports Buzz Haircuts (est 2001, 45+ employees and 9 locations), Talking Trash Waste Removal (est 2006 – 12+ employees in the commercial and residential trash collection market), Silverbell Pavilion Development (est 2005 –retail strip center).

Joe Higgins is a member of a number of business commissions and panels in Pima County and Tucson, including: City of Tucson Small Business Commission – 2007 Chairman, Citizen Sign Code Committee, Environmental Services Advisory Committee, TREO – Small Business Sub-Commission Chair (through 2006) and  Caballeros Del Sol – Business Ambassador Club of Tucson.

Joe recently ran for Pima County Board of Supervisors and is actively involved in Tucson business and political arenas.  Joe is the recipient of the 2004 Copper Cactus - Tucson Chamber/Wells Fargo Small Business Leader of the Year, 2005 Tucson Citizen 40 under 40 winner, 2008 Arizona Small Business Association Leader Award. Joe is actively involved in a number of local charity boards in Tucson including: Past President of Catholic Community Services Foundation, Salpointe Catholic High School, Founder of Foothills Sertoma service club.

Joe recently started a local talk show discussing politics and business. The show, Wake Up Tucson looks to educate, inform and call people to action to make Tucson a better place to live, raise a family and make a living. 

 

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Sherry Hoskinson - Director, McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship, Co-Director, Business / Law Exchange, The University of Arizona

Sherry Hoskinson is the director of the University of Arizona’s McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship, housing a nationally top ranked entrepreneurship education program including formal degree program in entrepreneurship, and is co-director of the university’s Business / Law Exchange.  Areas of focus have spanned full responsibility for design, planning, coordination, and implementation of the center’s nationally acclaimed academic programs, including development of new venture/innovation teaching models for award winning McGuire Entrepreneurship Program; highly visible outreach and development, research and scholarship, entrepreneurship awareness and promotion activities, and activities to advance the discipline of entrepreneurship across local and national academic and business communities. Major initiatives include design and successful implementation of broad-based Technology Transfer Initiatives; Knowledge Transfer Initiative; Business/Law Exchange; Mock Law Firm Course; Associates in Entrepreneurship Programs; Eller Entrepreneurship Scholars program; Rural Entrepreneurship Initiative, Innovation Frontier Arizona; K-12 IdeaFair, and numerous elective courses and discipline specific and interdisciplinary tracks and concentrations in entrepreneurship across campus.  Substantial fundraising and development (grants; sponsorships; gifts).

Hoskinson serves or has served on the Executive Boards of USASBE and GCEC; IdeaFunding/IdeaXchange; The University of Arizona Corporate Relations and Intellectual Property Committees; The University of Arizona Extension and Outreach Planning Board, and has served on numerous boards of organizations, non profits, and university based projects. During her affiliation, the McGuire Center/ Karl Eller Center has been the recipient of numerous awards and national and global top rankings.

 

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Dave M. Iaconis, CPA

Dave Iaconis is one of the founding shareholders of BeachFleischman PC and the shareholder in charge of the firm’s Accounting and Auditing practice.  He has planned and managed the audits of numerous privately held companies and not-for-profit organizations during his 30 plus years in public accounting.  In addition, Dave applies his diverse background by providing management consulting services to his clients in helping them achieve their corporate and personal goals. 

He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Cleveland State University.  Dave has authored several articles on a variety of subjects to help educate business owners on how to take advantage of opportunities and avoid pitfalls, both of which he believes are key to the ultimate success of an organization.

In addition to being a Certified Public Accountant, he is an active member in several professional associations to include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants, Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and an Advisory Board Member of the Arizona Builder’s Alliance, where he also serves on their Scholarship Committee.  Dave has always had a strong sense of community and has been an advocate and member of many Tucson community organizations, such as Arizona Public Media (Advisory Board member and Chairman of the Financial Reporting Committee), StrengthBuilding Partners (Advisor), American Red Cross (Past Chairman and Treasurer), Tucson Unified Budget Advisory Committees, Business Development Finance Corporation, Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson, Junior Achievement, and United Way.

 

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Mark C. Irvin, CCIM, SIOR, Managing Member - Mark Irvin Commercial Real Estate Services, llc

Mark has been involved in commercial real estate his entire adult life coming from a family that has developed in excess of $150,000,000 in office properties throughout the United States.

He has been engaged in commercial real estate activities in Tucson, specializing exclusively in office and medical properties, since 1983. He and his firm are consistently recognized as one of Tucson's leading real estate firms.

Mark was the first office specialist to hold designations as both a CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) and SIOR (Society of Industrial and Office Realtors). In addition to his own report on the real estate market, he has been reporting on the state of the Tucson real estate market for the prestigious SIOR Professional Journal since 1990. Mark is also a four-time winner - including being a back-to-back-to-back winner - of the annual CCIM Office Market Forecast Competition before retiring from competition in 2006.

Like most members of the firm, Mark is very active in non-profit and professional organizations. He regularly does workshops for non-profit organizations highlighting board development and fund-raising strategies. Over the past 10 years he has presented his “How to Make Your Board The Board In Town” seminar free to over 50 agencies in Tucson.

His own personal board involvement includes:

• American Red Cross of Southern Arizona - Secretary and Past Board Member (2001 - 2005)
• CCIM Southern Arizona Chapter - Past President 1992 (Active Member since 1987)
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson - Emeritus Board Member, Past President, 1994 (Active Board Member since 1990)
• Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce - Chair Total Resource Campaign 2007
• Pima Community College Foundation - Past President, 2006 (Active Board Member since 2001)
• Rotary Club of Tucson - Past Board of Directors Member, 2002 - 2004, Current Membership Chair (Active Member since 1994)
• Southern Arizona Leadership Council, Member
• Wells Fargo Community Board

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