Press Releases

WELLS FARGO COPPER CACTUS AWARDS HONOR LOCAL COMPANIES Program Marks 10th Year of Recognizing Business Excellence

October 19, 2007, Tucson, Arizona – Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Wells Fargo Copper Cactus Awards program honored owners of eight Tucson businesses at the Westin La Paloma last night. More than 650 people attended the award presentation, honoring companies for their achievements in creating great workplaces, growing their companies and serving the community.

Sally Fernandez of Safety Dynamics also was honored as the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Small Business Leader of the Year.

In conjunction with the Copper Cactus Awards program, Wells Fargo awarded $2,000 scholarships to Jonathan Garcia, Victoria Gonzalez and Jeffrey Marvin Napier, who are studying business-related fields at the University of Arizona Eller College Of Management.  To date, $72,000 has been awarded to Eller students through the Wells Fargo Copper Cactus Awards scholarship program.

“The Wells Fargo Copper Cactus Awards is Southern Arizona’s oldest and largest small business recognition program, and it has grown tremendously,” said Larry Finuf, regional president for Wells Fargo in Tucson and Greater Arizona.  “When we began the program, we had 72 nominees.  This year, our 43 finalists were selected from more than 460 nominees.

“We’re proud of our longtime association with the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and with KOLD radio, Journal Broadcast and Inside Tucson Business,” Finuf added.  “Their support – and that of our awards reception emcees Bobby Rich of MIX-FM and Chuck George of KOLD – have been invaluable in making the Wells Fargo Copper Cactus Awards program a success.”

“We’ve seen attendance at the Wells Fargo Copper Cactus Awards celebration grow from 200 our first year to 650 for this year’s award presentation,” said Raymond Baer, manager for Wells Fargo Business Banking in Tucson and Greater Arizona.  “That demonstrates how our community appreciates the tremendous depth of talent and creativity of our small businesses and the important contributions they make to our region.”

Judges for the 2007 awards were:

• Dorothy Finley, chairman and CEO of Finley Distributing
• Sharon Foltz, Community Relations director of Tucson Electric Power Company
• Ellen Hargis, president and CEO of the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona
• Sherry Hoskinson, director, McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship, Eller College of Management and co-director of the UofA Business/Law Exchange
• Joe Snell, president and CEO of Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities
• Howard Stewart, president and CEO of AGM Container Controls

Winners were honored in three categories: Best Place to Work, Business Growth and Community Service.  To qualify for an award, a business must have 250 or fewer employees and be locally owned and operated, profitable and in operation more than two years.      

2007 Wells Fargo Copper Cactus Award Winners

Best Place to Work

• 1 to 30 employees:  simpleview
• 31 to 75 employees:  Heinfeld, Meech & Co.
• 76 to 250 employees:  Beach, Fleischman & Co.

Business Growth

• 1 to 30 employees:  Nextrio
• 31 to 75 employees:  Paragon Space Development
• 76 to 250 employees:  Engineering and Environmental Consultants

Community Service

• 1 to 30 employees:  Elastek
• 31 to 75 employees:  Breault Research Organization

In Arizona, Wells Fargo has 14,000 team members and 260 stores.  Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $549 billion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through almost 6,000 stores and the internet (wellsfargo.com) across North America and internationally. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the only bank in the United States, and one of only two banks worldwide, to have the highest credit rating from both Moody’s Investors Service, “Aaa,” and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, “AAA.”

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For more information, press only:
Leslie Melton , Paragon SDC 520-903-1000 ext 41
lmelton@paragonsdc.com