05/01/2006
CONTACT: Michelle Bolton, (602) 263-7690 or Kim Noble, (310) 743-1626
National honor awarded to Joy Staveley of Canyoneers
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NFIB/Arizona Small-Business Champion Joy Staveley and state Rep. Albert Tom. |
PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Flagstaff entrepreneur Joy Staveley is NFIB's state Small-Business Champion of the Year for 2006, it was announced today.
The honor was conferred upon her by the Leadership Council of the 10,000-member NFIB/Arizona, the state's largest small-business advocacy group. Each year, NFIB singles out a small-business owner in all 50 states for special recognition and honors him or her with its prestigious "Small-Business Champion" award. This is the third year the national group has recognized small-business owners who go the extra mile for Main Street, mom-and-pop enterprises. Last year's winner was Malcolm Barrett of Prescott and in 2004, the award was presented to Kirk Adams of Mesa.
Joy and her husband Gaylord have owned Canyoneers, a company providing river trips down the Grand Canyon, since 1957. She has been an NFIB member for 25 years and is a member of its Arizona Leadership Council and the chairman of its Flagstaff Area Action Council. Staveley is also a member of the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce and was on the board of the State Compensation Fund of Arizona, until last year.
"Joy Staveley is more than just a businesswoman; equally important, as one of the first people visitors from around the world meet, she is one of Arizona's best ambassadors, providing them with some of their most memorable life moments by safely guiding them around our state's No.1 attraction," said Michelle Bolton, NFIB/Arizona state director. Not only has her work added to the positive image visitors have of Arizona, but her selfless dedication includes providing expert legislative testimony to the benefit of tens of thousands of small-business owners across the state. She is truly a state treasure, friend of small business, and all around model citizen."
Staveley lobbied the federal government for Small-Business Health Plans and for repeal of the death tax. At the state capitol, she has provided small businesses' side on such issues as tax cuts, private property rights and document shredding.
