Amazing Arizonans

The last name Hickman runs deep in the Valley. The legacy of Buckeye-based Hickman’s Family Farms , is a farm that's been helping Arizonans make omelets since 1944. We were excited to sit down with Clint Hickman and dive deeper into the history of his families success on this episode of Amazing Arizonans. 

This week's episode features an amazing musician, Shem von Schroeck. A Valley resident who has played with some of the greatest names in music. The singer, songwriter and composer has performed on the opera stage as well as with legendary acts like Toto, the Eagles, Kenny Loggins, Ambrosia, Air Supply and many more.

This episode of Amazing Arizonans was so much fun for me. I met Randall Hedden at a charity function where he was performing and I was the emcee. He is an artist and is internationally know for his speed painting. His work is very popular and he’s raised over five million dollars for charity with his work. We talk about how he became a speed painter. His love of art and his love of giving to...

Marvin Young better known as Young MC is a valley resident known for some classic songs and is still making great music! On this episode of Amazing Arizonans I talk with him about his career. Growing up in Queens New York and the beginning of hip hop, winning a Grammy for his mega hit "Bust A Move" and co-writing hits like "Funky Cold Medina" and "Wild Thing". He has a career that spans more than...

For this installment of Amazing Arizonans, Mike sits down with Danny Seiden, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Danny’s background and experience makes him very interesting. He’s helped shape public policy in many different ways, being a staffer for elected officials, including former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey.

President of Grand Canyon University, Brian Mueller is this week's guest on Amazing Arizonans. We talked about how the school came to be and what's to come in it's big future. 

I had the pleasure of talking with former Arizona Senator Jon Kyl for the episode of Amazing Arizonans. I met the Senator over twenty years ago. He is known as an expert on the U.S. Constitution and sat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He also is an expert in water legislation and as a key figure in the Central Arizona Project. Ensuring water security throughout the western states. We get a behi...

Erik Moses, Fiesta Bowl CEO joins Mike Broomhead on the latest episode of KTAR's  Amazing Arizonans podcast.    

This week on Amazing Arizonans we talk with Arizona’s Morning News co-anchor Jayme West and her amazing career in news.

Our guest for Amazing Arizonans this week is Jim Cross. Jim is a member of the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame and has spent 25 reporting for KTAR news. 

In the latest Amazing Arizonans podcast, former Congressman John Shadegg discusses growing up with a father who helped shape Maricopa County politics.

The American dream is alive and well. A perfect example of that story is this week's guest, Michael Zistatsis. Michael came to America and started working at Christo's as a busboy, eventually working his way up to manager and then a partner. His story truly exemplifies the American dream. I hope you enjoy it!

Chance Cozby is the Executive Director of the Thunderbirds, the organization that hosts the WM Phoenix Open. We talked about the massive growth of the tournament and the money that is raised. Cozby also posts his recipes and cooking skills and has amassed about a million followers online. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Bill Shover is one of the founding members of the Fiesta Bowl. The game has an economic and cultural impact on Arizona. Bill Shover had the idea of a bowl game in the desert to highlight the talent of the football teams from Arizona’s universities. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Karrin Taylor Robson is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. She was a member of the Arizona Board of Regents and a candidate for governor. Mrs. Robson's perspective on public service and giving to the community is inspirational. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

W. Steven Martin is a a country music DJ Hall of Famer. He has met the biggest names in country music. W. has raised awareness for the most worthwhile causes in the Valley. He’s done it all selflessly and humbly. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Jay Dobyns tells us the dangers he faced, the fallout that followed and his road back to civilian life. He’s written two books about his experiences, "No Angel" and "Catching Hell." His story is very compelling. I hope you enjoy it.

Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb has over 20 years in law enforcement and was a candidate for the United States Senate in 2024. But he has had such an interesting life. He’s lived all over the world. He served as a missionary in Argentina and volunteers all over Arizona. He tells us of a deeply moving experience he had while serving as a missionary and how it affected how he treats people. I h...

Jimmy Walker is one of the most interesting, motivating, humble and faithful people I’ve ever met! Celebrity Fight Night is a star-studded charity event that has become internationally known and attended. It was started by Jimmy as a way for professional athletes and international stars to raise money for charity. He is truly what Amazing Arizonans is all about. I hope you love this conversa...

The goal of Amazing Arizonans is to let the audience see and hear amazing stories from legendary Arizonans. Frank Caliendo certainly qualifies.  Frank is not only the best in the business as an impersonator, he is also a brilliant joke writer. He makes both look very easy. I loved talking with him about the creative process. For someone that is so well known and talented, he is soft spoken an...

The goal of Amazing Arizonans is to let the audience see and hear amazing stories from legendary Arizonans. Pat McMahon certainly qualifies. Of course, we talk about the glory days of the Wallace and Ladmo show and his radio, television and music career. But we also learn about his early life. Born in Kansas. Going to college in Iowa. His time in the U.S. Army. How he ended up in Phoenix Arizona a...

The word legend is often overused. But when it comes to my guest on Amazing Arizonans it is definitely appropriate. I had the privilege of talking with former Suns broadcaster Al McCoy. Discussing his humble roots growing up on a farm in Iowa and his dream of being in radio. He describes being told that he was never going to be a good broadcaster and how he never gave up on his dream. His memories...

On this episode of Amazing Arizonans I sit down with Paula Pedene. If you’re a veteran, you are probably familiar with Mrs. Pedene. She is a Navy veteran and worked for the Phoenix VA for decades. She was a central part of two separate whistleblower cases at the VA. The best   known case was the falsification of patient care documents. The VA was reporting that patients were getting car...

In this episode of Amazing Arizonans I have a conversation with Kirk Nurmi. Kirk is best known for being the attorney for convicted murderer Jodi Arias. But his life after defending Ms. Arias is truly remarkable. I met Kirk because I (like many people) assumed that he came up with the defense strategy for Ms. Arias. After watching a documentary about the case, I realized that I was wrong and had K...

In this episode of Amazing Arizonans I have the privilege of talking with the Adjutant of the Arizona National Guard General Kerry Muehlenbeck. The General commands both the Army National Guard and the Air Guard. General Muehlenbeck was a great athlete. From high school, to college and eventually playing for the Army on the national softball team. She is a professor at heart and loves teaching. He...