Amazing Arizonans

Amy Van Dyken is an Olympic record holder in swimming. She is still active as a commentator and ambassador for the sport. We talk about her career in swimming and in broadcasting. We also talk about the accident that changed her life. An ATV accident rendered her paralyzed from the waist down. But her attitude is remarkable. You’ll learn how she’s taken the accident and used it as an o...

There are so many great people in Arizona and my guest this week on Amazing Arizonans is certainly among the very best. His name is Steve Zabilski. I met Steve when he was the CEO of St. Vincent De Paul in Phoenix. He remains on their board, but he is now the CEO of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.  Steve has dedicated his life to philanthropy, with his success in the business world al...

General Mick McGuire speaks his mind, it’s why I love our conversations. He’s been a fighter pilot, the Adjutant General of the Arizona national Guard and a candidate for the U.S. Senate. We discuss leadership and one of the most controversial times in his tenure as the Adjutant General when he refused to send National Guard troops to Washington DC after January 6th 2021. He gives us a...

I met one of the most interesting and inspirational people for this episode of Amazing Arizonans. Her name is Barbara Barrett. She is an ASU graduate. She has been an ambassador, Secretary of the Air Force and started the U S Space Force. She’s worked for two U S Presidents and continues to impact American policy. She talks about being inspired by her friend Sandra Day O’Connor. Raised...

I love Amazing Arizonans because we can take the time to learn more about the people that make our community better. Peoria mayor Jason Beck definitely qualifies. Jason is a very successful businessman. He has built a multimillion dollar company called TYR Tactical. Building body armor and armor plating for military and police departments all over the world. He brings his business mind to leading...

What would you do if you found yourself in a life or death situation? My guest this week on Amazing Arizonans found himself in that situation. His name is Thomas Yoxall. Driving to California very early one morning he drove past an accident scene on the I10. He saw a suspect brutally beating a DPS Trooper. Thomas was forced to shoot the suspect to save the troopers life. He describes that day and...

I love meeting people with amazing stories. It is why Amazing Arizonans is such a fun podcast to do. In this episode I talk with Bobb Cooper. Bobb spent 27 years as the Executive Director of the Valley Youth Theater. There have been many well know stars of stage and screen that had their careers launched at the Valley Youth Theater. Bobb talks about his love for the theater and his love for invest...

I love to hear when someone gets to live their dream. Our goal with Amazing Arizonans is to hear amazing stories from right here in the Grand Canyon state. This episode checks both boxes. I talk with Ralph Velez Jr. Known internationally as Ramblin’ Ralph. He is a world-famous boxing ring announcer. He’s worked some of the biggest fights in the world on some of the biggest platforms. H...

In this powerful episode of Amazing Arizonans, I sit down with Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, a man whose life and work embody courage, conviction and an unwavering commitment to both faith and country. Dr. Jasser is no stranger to the spotlight. A respected physician, U.S. Navy veteran and outspoken advocate for reform within the Muslim faith, he has spent the past two decades challenging extremism. Since the...

Steven Brophy, the president and CEO of the Aztec Land and Cattle Company, joins Amazing Arizonans. It's one of our biggest private landowners. Amazing Arizonans is presented by Resolution Copper.

This week I sit down with the head of Arizona Public Service, Ted Geisler. Ted is an Arizona native and grew up working for APS. We discuss the balance between the cost of building and maintaining a reliable power grid and the cost to APS customers. We talk about the different ways that electricity is made and delivered in Arizona. From traditional power generation, to solar, wind, hydro electric...

I have had the privilege of talking with so many great people on Amazing Arizonans. But I have never had a bigger response to a guest than in this episode. My guest is Frank Sloup. You know him as “Fridays with Frank” on social media. Frank is arguably the most recognizable cop on social media. Almost a half dozen people in our building waited to meet him and get photos. He's a deputy...

We kick off the new season of Amazing Arizonans with a legitimate superstar! Amy Van Dyken is an Olympic record holder in swimming. She is still active as a commentator and ambassador for the sport. We talk about her career in swimming and in broadcasting. We also talk about the accident that changed her life. An ATV accident rendered her paralyzed from the waist down. But her attitude is remarkab...

I had the privilege of sitting down with Diamondbacks legend Randy Johnson for this episode of Amazing Arizonans. Randy is such an interesting person, he was a photographer at USC before his baseball career and now it's his passion. We discuss his Hall of Fame baseball career, his time in Arizona and earning the World Series MVP. Definitely a great conversation with another Amazing Arizonan.

If you’re football fan you’re going to recognize my guest this week on Amazing Arizonans, Super Bowl winning quarterback from the Chicago Bears Jim McMahon. He talks about his time at BYU, his time in the NFL, his battles with league officials and why he decided to settle here in the Valley.

On this edition of Amazing Arizonans, I talked with Brad Blakeman. Mr. Blakeman has led an incredibly interesting life. He’s worked for four presidents. He’s traveled and worked all over the world. At a time where we are so politically divided, it’s great to get a perspective from someone that has been a part of so much history. Being with the president on 9/11 and telling the st...

Start your engines, you won’t want this conversation to speed on by. A Phoenix native and longtime community development executive, Latasha Causey, is the first female African American track president in NASCAR history and the second woman to hold the position at Phoenix Raceway. It was a pleasure to get to know her, I know you’ll enjoy it too.

I love talking with successful people. Rick Smith, the CEO of Axon, is definitely one of my favorite conversations. You may know his company as Taser. Our conversation is about his road to success, from starting his company in a garage in Tucson to growing it into a $40,000,000,000 multinational company. He discusses his successes and failures. He talks about the lessons learned and the fight to k...

The latest episode of Amazing Arizonans stars David Kimmerle, the president of  Sanderson Ford , a car dealership that has served the Valley for decades. I met David almost 20 years ago when we were looking for a location to start a Memorial Day ride. Sanderson Ford was a quick yes to our request. Getting to know David over the years has been a privilege. He has such a great story.

If you’re a sports fan in Arizona you know the name Dan Bickley. No one knows more about Arizona sports than Dan. His dedication to the truth and the written word has made him an Arizona Icon. He’s an accomplished author and broadcaster as well. On the episode of Amazing Arizonans you’ll learn about his early days as a reporter. Who his mentors were and how he developed his uniqu...

I love country music. I moved to Arizona in early 1995. At that time their were three iconic country bands in Arizona. One of those bands is The Herndon Brothers. On this episode of Amazing Arizonans I sit with Ray Herndon. He shares stories of writing hit songs for some of the biggest stars in Country Music. We talk about his hits with McBride and the Ride. The legendary country bar Handlebar J&r...

On this episode of Amazing Arizonans, Mike Broomhead sits down with Jody Jackson. She is one Arizona’s most recognizable sports figures. She has reported on some of the greatest and most memorable moments in Arizona. She pulls the curtain back on the most important people and moments in Arizona sports.

Most people can’t say that they know a Supreme Court justice. Mike has had the privilege of knowing Justice Clint Bolick for a long time before he reached the Arizona Supreme Court. They sat down for a chat about his incredible career.

Mountainside Fitness CEO Tom Hatten has an incredible story. Having a vision to open a gym in the Valley to building an empire that is synonymous with fitness in Arizona. But the story of how difficult it was getting started and how close he was to closing first location is a story of determination and grit. Mike Broomhead sits down with Hatten in this episode of Amazing Arizonans. 

Our guest this week on Amazing Arizonans is a Superstar from the 80's. Supermodel Kim Alexis. Featured on over 500 magazine covers, including being featured in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition six times. She had a huge career in broadcasting and she continues to be an influencer and advocate for healthy living. Our conversation about faith is truly inspirational. She has an amazing life, I...