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WITH
STEVE
RUTHERFORD
YCF BOARD MEMBER
Steve Rutherford is President of Rutherford Investments and serves as the volunteer board president of Greater Prescott Regional Economic Partnership (GPREP). He recently sat down with Paul Kirchgraber, YCF Director of Development, to talk about his involvement in this new organization.
PK: What exactly is GPREP?
SR: GPREP stands for Greater Prescott Regional Economic Partnership. It is a true 501(c)(6) public-private entity. Public members include all four municipalities - Prescott, Prescott Val- ley, Chino Valley, Dewey-Humboldt - as well as Yavapai County. We have a wide variety of private sector members as well, Yavapai College Foundation being one of them.
We believe that by working together toward a common vision for the future, we can realize our full potential as a region and ensure we are able to offer the jobs and quality of life that will keep our children and grandchildren right here in the greater Prescott region.
PK: Why is economic development important to you?
SR: I see economic development as a means of creating an en- vironment where people can improve their lot in life – not only for themselves, but also for their family and the grandkids. It’s critical that our communities work together to create jobs that in the fu- ture will ensure a strong local economy with diverse employment opportunities.
PK: What will GPREP result in for our community?
SR: The endgame for any economic development program is
to bring new wealth into the region. GPREP’s focus is to attract base industries. Attracting new industries from outside the region will not only bring new dollars and increase the tax base into the region, but it will also create new job opportunities for people in the community by creating new wealth.
PK: What is the relationship between GPREP and Yavapai College?
SR: The connection between regional economic development and Yavapai College is to get our students employed. We (the College) produce talent, don’t we? My goal, and GPREP’s goal, is to keep our talent here. YC Dean John Morgan has said many times, “Our best export is our kids.” We have to stop that. YC is a pipeline. We have to create meaningful job opportunities so that we can capture and retain the energy and resourcefulness of our students.
PK: GPREP has had a recent success. Can you tell me about that?
SR: Sure. We have attracted our first manufacturing company. They are ready to relocate to the Prescott area. They’ve leased a building and they will be hiring around 20 people. A lot of their hires can come from the exact Yavapai College pipeline that I referred to such as those who have gone through Yavapai Col- lege’s computerized numerical control (CNC) and gunsmithing programs.
We also currently have over 20 leads that we are working – busi- nesses that are interested in our county. I have been involved in economic development in the Prescott area for over 25 years and I have never seen that many leads in development. This is very exciting.
PK: You are a busy guy. Why do you invest your time volun- teering for the YC Foundation and GPREP?
SR: Volunteerism is very important to me. This community has played an important role in the lives of my family. It’s more than just our home, it’s where we chose to make a life. So, giving back to the community is important and it seemed only natural to get involved with the Foundation, and later with GPREP, because education and economic development go hand-in-hand. You can’t have one without the other.
PK: How has Yavapai College impacted you and your family?
SR: All three of my boys have gone to Yavapai College. My wife, Sue, graduated from the nursing program here. I now have a daughter-in-law enrolled in the nursing program at Yavapai College, and I have a four-year-old granddaughter who is a student at the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center. To say that Yavapai College has had a major impact on my family is
an understatement. I am passionate about this place because it continues to make such a positive impact in our community.
8 • www.yc.edu/ycf