CEOs You Should Know - Phoenix

CEOs You Should Know - Phoenix

As part of iHeartMedia’s commitment to the communities we serve, we are introducing CEO's You Should Know, a monthly program feature that profiles the businesses that drive our economy. CEO's You Should Know interviews will air each month on KFYI and promoted across our portfolio of seven broadcast properties: News Talk 550 KFYI, 102.5 KNIX, 99.9 KEZ, 95.5 The Mountain, 104.7 KISS FM, Mix 96.9 and Fox Sports 910. CEO’s included in these segments will represent local and international firms, because all play a part in driving the Phoenix business community.

Episodes

April 25, 2025 30 mins
Rachel Sacco is the President & CEO of Experience Scottsdale. Since 1986, Rachel has been a driving force in Arizona's destination marketing, transforming the Scottsdale tourism landscape. From leading the tourism division at the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce to becoming the first president and CEO of the stand-alone Experience Scottsdale, Rachel's journey is one of dedication and visionary leadership - achieving numerous...
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John Merwin is the CEO of 3Z Brands and founder of Brooklyn Bedding, a leading sleep product manufacturer. His journey in the mattress industry began in 2000 while attending college, where he joined his brother’s liquidation business. Over time, John transitioned to manufacturing, pioneering the bed-in-a-box concept and launching BrooklynBedding.com in 2008. 3Z Brands stands out for its vertically integrated approach, ensuring qual...
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February 13, 2025 34 mins
Mike Rypka helped to lead Torchy’s Tacos from a small dream on the back of a food trailer in Austin, Texas to a thriving fast casual taco chain spreading across multiple states. As CEO, Mike ignites his passion for food, commitment to his employees, and dedication to the customer experience to drive Torchy’s Tacos to its current success.

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Since her appointment as President and CEO in 2010, Dr. Ganzert has spearheaded unprecedented growth and transformational change at the historic 145-year-old nonprofit, American Humane. American Humane has reemerged as the most effective humane organization, directly impacting the lives of more animals around the world than any other organization through innovative, life-changing and life-saving programs that set the gold standard ...
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Blending a deep love of classical music with a passion for business, Peter Kjome is recognized as a thoughtful leader who engages key stakeholders to achieve artistic and economic success. He became President and CEO of The Phoenix Symphony on February 1, 2023.

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Cameron Andrew Bawden, raised in Gilbert, Arizona is an ambitious entrepreneur and dedicated family man. At 36 years old, Cameron has already made substantial strides in the business world, having spent the last 14 years building Hype Pharm, a conglomerate consisting of Green Mango Pest Control, Coconut Carpet Cleaning, and Agave Autoglass.
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Justin Bayless became driven to find solutions to complex problems in the healthcare industry particularly when it came to communities that would otherwise be left behind. Relentless in his pursuit of improving the patient experience, Bayless Integrated Healthcare paved the way incorporating the most important health care services under one roof: primary care and behavioral health. In 2018, Bayless Integrated Healthcare also became...
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Rick Smith is the CEO of Axon Enterprise. He founded the company in a Tucson garage in 1993 after two of his classmates were shot and killed. Originally known as TASER International, Axon’s mission is to protect life — which includes making bullets obsolete. Rick’s family bet everything they had to get the company off the ground, nearly driving his parents to financial insolvency, and were saved only through TASER’s initial public ...
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September 13, 2024 21 mins
A mentor, father, husband and visionary, Jarrod has held leadership roles with several non-profit and public-private initiatives in Nevada. He previously served as Co-Executive Director of the San Francisco/Silicon Valley Inc. Magazine’s Business Owners Council, was a board member for Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA) and an advisory board member for the Nevada Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology (NCET). He’s ta...
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Latasha Causey is the President of NASCAR’s Phoenix Raceway, overseeing the promotion and operation of the modernized facility that is a top motorsports and entertainment destination in the Phoenix, AZ, market.

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William “Wick” Pilcher is a fourth-generation Arizonan, having lived in Phoenix all his life. After graduating from ASU in 1978, Wick joined his father’s insurance business, Olliver/Pilcher, the company later becoming Corroon & Black and then Willis of Arizona. In June l992, Mr. Pilcher resigned his position as Chairman/CEO of the Arizona operation to found Wick Pilcher Insurance. Mr. Pilcher sold his business to USI Insurance ...
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Dean Newlund is the founder and CEO of Mission Facilitators International, a boutique training and development firm based out of Phoenix, Arizona, with the sole purpose of helping organizations become more connected to their purpose and their people.

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Anuj Khanna is a Partner of CapitalView Investment Partners. Mr. Khanna is responsible for deal origination, transaction execution, portfolio management, fundraising, and administration of the firm’s operations. He has over 12 years of investing and other relevant experience and has sat on the board of directors of eight portfolio companies.
Prior to co-founding CapitalView Investment Partners in 2017, Mr. Khanna was a Principal wit...
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April 24, 2024 25 mins
With more than 35 years of diverse healthcare experience, Todd LaPorte leads an integrated health system with six acute-care hospitals, numerous outpatient facilities, a research institute, and various community services impacting social determinants of health and military preparedness.

HonorHealth is Arizona’s seventh largest employer, with a presence throughout much of the growing Phoenix metropolitan area.
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Mr. Vaughn serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of Alliant International University since 2015. Prior to joining Alliant in 2015, Mr. Vaughn served as the President and CEO of Trident University, California, where he also served as Chief Operating Officer (“COO”).

He started his career in higher education at National University in San Diego and has served in various roles at institutions including Regional Dea...
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Marcia Mintz has more than 20 years of global and national corporate and nonprofit experience. Most recently, she served as President of John C. Lincoln Health Foundation and Senior Vice President of community benefit programs and services of HonorHealth.

Ms. Mintz has served as the chief development officer of Valley of the Sun United Way. Prior to that, she worked in the Bay Area creating corporate and individual partnerships for ...
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Denise Woodard is the Founder and CEO of Partake Foods, the allergy-friendly company that was inspired by her daughter’s experience with food allergies. Key moments this year include that Partake Foods announced it became a Certified B Corporation, and launched a collab with Ben & Jerry’s! Created in 2016, Denise started the business by self-distributing (selling cookies out of her car around NYC) and self-funding (depleting he...
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Michael Hund is the CEO of EB Research Partnership (EBRP), a trailblazing medical research organization focused on curing Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a life-threatening genetic skin disease. Under his leadership EBRP has accelerated the landscape from 2 to over 40 clinical trials and via their award winning venture philanthropy methodology funded the first FDA approved treatment for EB in 2023, the first ever topical gene therapy.

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February 8, 2024 23 mins
Over the last 30 plus years Mr. Craig Siegler, CEO of Liquid Oxygen has successfully financed, operated, founded, sold and taken public numerous companies in all areas of manufacturing, distribution and technology. Siegler has and continues to serve as a board member and advisor to various corporate, educational, and charitable organizations. Here is his story!

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Now in its tenth year, Simon leads Teen Cancer America, the only national charity in the USA working directly with hospitals to advise, support and fund them in the development of specialized facilities and programs for adolescents and young adults with cancer. The charity is built on the successful model of Teenage Cancer Trust, UK where Simon was Chief Executive Officer for 13 years before launching Teen Cancer America in 2012.
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