Business owner also an active volunteer

Phil Townsend came from a long line of farmers. So when he left Yuma in 1978 to become a newspaper man, it didn't take him long to realize he couldn't escape his heritage.

"I'm fourth generation here," he said. "My dad's side of the family was all farmers. I didn't dislike the newspaper business, but it wasn't where my heart was. I needed to get back to agriculture."

Born and raised in Yuma, Townsend graduated from Yuma High School in 1973. He attended Arizona Western College for a couple of years before leaving Yuma to attend the University of Arizona. He graduated in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in agriculture - agronomy and plant genetics.

He came back to Yuma and went to work for Western Farm Service. Around that time, he married his first wife, Diana, and the two, on their honeymoon, decided to buy the White Mountain newspapers -including the White Mountain Independent and Pinetop/Lakeside News - in northeastern Arizona.

"We moved up there and worked for three years," he said.

However, when the opportunity arose for Townsend to come back to Yuma, he jumped at it. He went to work for Joe Jensen at Sunland Chemical Co. in 1981. In 1985, he bought Jensen out.

"(Jensen) came in one day and said he was going to do something else and he had already been to the bank, and the loan was already lined up," Townsend said. "He told me to go sign the papers. It was exciting, but I was nervous. By then I was divorced, and it was all on me. For a long time, it was just me and a secretary."

However, 18 years later, Townsend's business is still going strong. But, he couldn't have done it without the help of his current wife, Debbie, to whom he has been happily married since 1989.

"(Debbie) figured out really early that if she wanted to see me she had to come in and help," he said.

Sunland Chemical Co. is one of only three independent farm chemical distributors left in the state of Arizona, something Townsend takes great pride in.

"It's difficult for independent distributors to succeed," he said. "Most are chains now."

One of the founding members of the Yuma-area Ag Council, Townsend belongs to several trade organizations - Yuma Vegetable Shippers, the Farm Bureau, Arizona Crop Protection Association, California Association of Pest Control Advisors (CAPCA) and Western Growers.

When he isn't busy at the office, which isn't often, Townsend likes to indulge in politics. But it's more than just a hobby. Townsend is currently in his third year as chairman of the Republican Party in Yuma. He was re-elected in December. He said he's a conservative Republican.

"I'm socially and fiscally conservative and (I) believe in being inclusive and listening to all opinions. My opinion is usually the right one, of course," he said, with tongue in cheek. "I'm very pleased with the direction of the party in Yuma."

When asked if he's considered running for office himself, he said, "I enjoy it, but I can't. I can't leave my business. I am my business."

Townsend said his Republican values were shaped largely by Barry Goldwater. 'I was a big admirer of Goldwater, who was our U.S. Senator, in my formative years - the '60s and early '70s," he said. "That's probably how my ideals were formed."

For several years now, Townsend has been an active contributor to the Yuma community, both financially and by giving his time.

"Right now we're involved with our church, which is the Grace Nazarene Church," he said. "We're supporters of Crossroads Mission. We've been very active in Hospice of Yuma and 4-H. We've also given to the Catholic high school. We're involved with Arizona Friends of the University of Arizona. We've been active in the past with Future Farmers Association programs."

Townsend was one of several Yumans nominated recently for the 2002 Outstanding Volunteer of the Year award presented by the Yuma Community Foundation at its annual "Heart of Yuma" awards banquet.

"That was quite an honor," he said.

Townsend also served on the Yuma Regional Medical Center Foundation board of directors for seven years and has been on the Hospice of Yuma board of directors for the last six years. He was president of Hospice of Yuma for two years. In addition, he and Debbie are co-community club leaders and beef leaders for the Yuma County 4-H Club. Townsend also spent four years on the Arizona 4-H Youth Club Foundation.

He offers some insight into why he's so active in the community.

"Yuma's always had to kind of stand on their own," he said. "We're betwixt and between and distant from every place else. If we wanted something as a community we had to pull together and do it ourselves. That's just the mentality of Yuma. Everyone knows what it takes, and they're very generous."

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Matt Riehl can be reached at mriehl@yumasun.com or 539-6936.