Namedropper 10-7-12

New to Yuma Visitors Bureau

Ashlie Davis has joined the staff of Yuma Visitors Bureau as the new administrative and events coordinator.

She brings experience in special event fundraising, having previously served as the director of fund development and marketing for Hospice of Yuma. Davis is a 2002 graduate of Yuma High School.

Bob Nidiffer has been named the new manager of the Visitor Information Center, a position he will assume in December.

A native of Indiana, he spent eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a AV-8A Harrier Rolls-Royce mechanic, then joined Rolls-Royce Inc. as a product support field service representative. In 34 years with Rolls-Royce, he traveled and lived around the world in several countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. A graduate of the University of Illinois, he has been involved in a variety of nonprofits since moving to Yuma in 1984.

Erin Hanagan will be the coordinator for YVB's Christmas Village as an independent contractor.

She recently relocated to Yuma with her family and is sharing with YVB her 25 years of experience in marketing, promotions and sponsorship with two global companies, The Walt Disney Company and Johnson & Johnson. Originally from Redondo Beach, Calif., she attended Brigham Young University.

Ruben D. Fontanes

Ruben D. Fontanes of Yuma is one of two new members appointed to serve on the board of directors of Mohave State Bank to expand the board from nine to 11 members.

A longtime Yuma resident, Fontanes currently serves on Mohave State Bank's community board. He is a Realtor at ERA Matt Fischer Realty, where he ranks as the firm's top producer specializing in residential, commercial and land listings.

He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. Prior to real estate, Fontanes worked as a comptroller in the farming industry and played professional baseball as a pitcher in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.

Also appointed to the bank's board was Jason R. Anderson, the owner and principal of Anderson Automotive in Lake Havasu City. A resident of Lake Havasu City for more than 13 years, he currently serves as a board member of Havasu for Higher Education, the organization that brought an Arizona State University campus to the city.

David Kish

Yuman David Kish is moving to Phoenix to be closer to the PBS Eight studios, where he will be hosting the cooking show, “Healthy Dishes and Desserts.”

Kish, writing under the pen name David Russell, is the author of “Living with a Yeast, Wheat or Sugar Intolerance.”

Aryca Arizaga Marron

Aryca Arizaga Marron, professor of Family Studies at Arizona Western College, will be attending and presenting at the National Council on Family Relations national conference on Oct. 31 at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix Hotel in Phoenix. She also is a lecturer and coordinator of the 2+2 Family Studies program for the University of Arizona in Yuma.

At the conference, Marron will co-present “Family Science as a Pathway to Higher Education Access and Success for Rural, Latina/o Students.” The presentation will discuss how family studies/science degree programs are available to rural Latino students and provide a degree pathway for them.

Peggy Alameda

Peggy Alameda of Top Flavor Farms has been named this year's winner of the EGRET (Expression of Gratitude and Recognition of Efforts for Tourism) by the Yuma Visitors Bureau for her significant contributions to the local hospitality industry.

Her award states: “Peggy Alameda has gone above and beyond the call of duty to help shape the agritourism experiences for the Yuma Visitors Bureau. Her contagious enthusiasm and passion for sharing the agriculture industry with visitors has raised the bar and elevated the tours and experiences to a new level. We commend her for her commitment to make Yuma a more enjoyable place for visitors and residents alike. She truly deserves this award for her can-do, positive attitude and we are so very grateful she is willing to continue in this role.”