January  2025

Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce Announces New President and CEO: Steve Bracety

Prescott Valley, AZ – December 2, 2024 – The Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the hiring of Steve Bracety as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. A well-known and respected community leader, Steve brings a wealth of business experience, leadership, and deep ties to the Prescott Valley community. He will start on January 22, 2025.

Steve is no stranger to the Chamber or the Prescott Valley community. Over the years, he has demonstrated his commitment to local businesses and economic growth, having served two terms on the Prescott Valley Chamber’s Board of Directors. His leadership roles within the Chamber included serving as Chairman and Treasurer, where he helped shape strategic direction, fostered community partnerships, and worked diligently to advance the Chamber’s mission.

In his most recent role as Vice President of Operations and Talent at Grace Hospitality, Steve was responsible for overseeing operational strategies and talent development, further honing his expertise in organizational leadership, community engagement, and fostering successful partnerships. His proven track record of excellence in business operations, as well as his passion for the Prescott Valley community, positions him to take the Chamber to new heights.

“I am incredibly excited to step into this new role and work alongside our dedicated team and community partners to support the continued growth of Prescott Valley,” said Steve Bracety. “The Chamber has always played a vital role in advocating for local businesses, and I look forward to strengthening those relationships and helping to create new opportunities for our members and residents alike.”

Steve’s leadership style is rooted in collaboration, community-driven values, and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing local businesses. His extensive knowledge of the Chamber industry, combined with his operational and leadership experience, makes him an ideal fit to lead the Prescott Valley Chamber into its next chapter.

Chamber Board Chair Robbie Houle expressed enthusiasm about his hiring. “We are thrilled to welcome Steve Bracety as our new President and CEO. His dedication to our community, his extensive leadership experience, and his longstanding relationship with the Chamber make him the perfect person to guide us forward. We are confident that under Steve’s leadership, the Chamber will continue to thrive and support the businesses that are the backbone of Prescott Valley.”

The Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce is committed to fostering a strong, vibrant, and diverse business community. With Steve Bracety at the helm, the Chamber is poised to continue its important work of advocating for businesses, providing resources and networking opportunities, and driving economic development throughout the region.

For more information about the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce, please visit pvchamber.org or contact the Chamber office at 928-772-8857.

• ARIZONA AGRICULTURAL LEGENDS TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE  
• ARIZONA FARM AND RANCH HALL OF FAME

• Buckeye, AZ, November 22, 2024—The Arizona Farm and Ranch (AZFAR) Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that seven agricultural legends will be inducted into the 2025 Hall of Fame on March 22, 2025, at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass celebration dinner. This prestigious honor recognizes individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the agricultural community in Arizona, celebrating their dedication, innovation, and leadership. 

• The honorees for 2025 whose significant contributions have left an indelible mark on the agricultural landscape include:

• Arizona State Cowbelles is the chapter of the American National CattleWomen and is active in beef promotion, education, legislation, community service, and scholarship. 

• Jessee Hooker Davis is a sixth generation of the Hooker family and runs the Sierra Bonita Ranch in Willcox, AZ.  He won numerous environment awards and was president of the Cochise/Graham Cattle Growers Association and the Arizona Cattle Growers Association. 

• Barbara Stevenson Jackson owns Vaquero Feeds and Livestock Supply, and  Animal Health Express in Tucson, AZ. She was the national president of the American National CattleWomen. Along with her husband, she owns a ranch in Sonoita. Her father, Carl Stevenson, established Red Rock Feed Yards. 

• The Ak Chin Farms Board nominated Leona Carlyle-Kakar from Tucson, AZ. Working alongside her two brothers, she lobbied for water to benefit the Ak Chin Farms. She was a trailblazer and well-known in Washington, DC, where she served over 40 years as a farm leader. Farm Enterprise recognized it as one of the largest and most successful farming communities in the United States.

• Ernest W. McFarland was a farmer and rancher in Pinal County who served as an Arizona  U.S. Senator, U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Arizona Governor, and Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court.  He was an expert on water law and a key player in the Central Arizona Project. 

• The Orme Family and ranch are ancestors of J.P. Orme, one of the founders of the Salt River Project. They established the Quarter Circle V Bar Ranch in Yavapai County, AZ, in 1929, the Orme Ranch School in 1930, and received the Wide Open Space Award from the Central Arizona Land Trust in Prescott in 2023.

• W.T. Gladden, from Buckeye, AZ, has farmed in the West Valley for decades. He is president of the Buckeye Water and Conservation District and advocates for agriculture and water rights locally and nationally. His most recent achievement in water policy was the passing of  SB 1081 in June 2024.

• Nominees whose work has significantly impacted the agricultural community exemplify excellence in one or more of the following areas: 

 Innovation: Pioneering new agricultural techniques or technologies.  Leadership: Demonstrating exceptional leadership in the agriculture sector.  Community Service: Contributing significantly to the welfare of the agriculture community.  Lifetime Achievement: Sustaining an enduring impact on Arizona agriculture throughout their career. 

The AZFAR Hall of Fame, as a platform for recognizing excellence, seeks to inspire and motivate future generations of farmers and ranchers by identifying those whose work has advanced the industry. 

For more information about the AZFAR Hall of Fame inductees or the nomination process, please visit www.azfarmandranch.org or contact Janice Bryson at (623) 556-6861 or janiceryanbryson@gmail.com. For media inquiries, to learn about sponsorship, or to attend the event, please visit our website or email Catherine Locke at admin@azfarmandranch.org.

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About Arizona Farm and Ranch Hall of Fame: The Arizona Farm and Ranch Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made significant contributions to agriculture in Arizona. Through recognition and celebration, the Hall of Fame aims to inspire future generations and promote the importance of agriculture in our state.

Catherine Locke

Administrative Director

Arizona Farm and Ranch Museum and Hall of Fame

Milestone Ceremony Honors 52 Future RNs, First Yavapai College Bachelors Degree in Nursing graduates

It was a semester for milestones for the Yavapai College Nursing Program, illuminated at a traditional pinning ceremony on Dec. 13 that saw 52 future RNs receive the rewards of their hard work and the first Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree-earners honored.

The future RNs were joined onstage by loved ones of all ages bestowing the well-earned pins and posing for celebratory photos. The six of a total of 19 BSN graduates who participated in the ceremony also were joined by family and presented with a medallion commemorating their continuing education.

The ceremony also featured a candlelight recitation of the “Commitment To Nursing” pledge, congratulatory speeches and individual award presentations.

YC President Dr. Lisa Rhine welcomed the overflow audience in the Jim and Linda Lee Performing Arts Center, sharing that she was overwhelmed with emotion seeing the large graduating class of future RNs and the first-ever BSN candidates gathered on stage. Dr. Rhine heralded as a “rite of passage” the ceremony celebrating the nursing students’ “intense study, fortitude, diligence and-- as our graduates are well aware, --sacrifice.” She acknowledged the sacrifices of family members, thanking them for “supporting and walking this journey with our students.”

Dr. Rhine said that while the graduates have the knowledge and skills to be “wildly successful” nurses, being a good human will ensure it. “Good humans and great nurses live their lives with integrity and grace, conduct their lives with purpose and give their best effort. Believe there is good in the world and BE the good in the world,” she said.

In his ceremony address, YC Nursing Associate Professor Trevor Nordin gave the fall 2024 graduating class a glimpse of the future saying, “as nurses, you’ll face days where everything is coming at you all at once, blurring everything together in the chaos of patient care. So I say trust your training, seek guidance and know that every challenging day will sharpen your instincts and build confidence.”

Before the ceremony, BSN graduate Amber Ewart of Prescott said the four-year degree on top of the associate’s degree that taught her how to be a nurse “opens a lot of doors” to possible leadership roles, teaching and administration in healthcare.

Associate degree graduate Sarah Gregory of Prescott said she started nursing school after working in healthcare for many years and caring for her father before his passing. “That was it. I came home after that and started chipping away at school.” Sarah said she was elated to be joined at the graduation and pinned by her young son and daughter who have “watched me work so hard for this, so it’s a big deal to them, too. We can finally make our dreams come true.”

Following are the first recipients of a Yavapai College bachelor’s degree in nursing:

Sirena Alvarez, Karen Black, Rhyann Davies, Michelle Diaz, Jennifer Doerksen, Amber Ewart, Shailee Hamm, Nicole M. Johnson, Starlett Morales, Aimee Olum, Emma Pundt, Aidan Raute, Gabriel Roybal, Jennifer Santoyo, Julia St. Pierre, Annalicia Stann, Nicole Welker and Clark White

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