A short time back, I was delighted and surprised to receive a call from Lucretia Free (editor of The Vail Voice) notifying me that I had been nominated for Pima County Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year. Delighted as I was at such news, I was surprised as well that I had less than a 48 hour span of time to submit the required paperwork to the particular office of Pima County government that handles this project. Nonetheless, such acknowledgement within the community in which I have lived and worked for so long was certainly worthy of response. It was requested that I supply a number of names of colleges and business associates that I have worked with, or interacted with in the past, as references. These are associates who have busy careers that demand much of their time. Nonetheless, they took the necessary time to step forward and submit the requested material on my behalf in a timely manner. I am honored that they have done so, and am gratefully obliged to the following folks for their assistance.
JJ Lamb, Director of the Vail Preservation Society; Ray Carroll, Pima County Superintendent Ray District 4; Douglas Biggers, Editor/Publisher of the Edible Baja Arizona; James Schaub, Curator of Exhibitions Tohono Chul Park; and Vicky Milner, Purchaser for the Chapel of the Holy Cross, Sedona Arizona.
Though this award went to another deserving enterprise in our region, I am honored to have been considered a possible recipient. My small cottage industry has been situated here in Vail for more than 20 years. In that span of time, I have attempted to be a positive presence in the area through a number of projects connected with the Vail Preservation Society, as well as the Vail School District. Regardless of whether or not the crown of Small Business Entrepreneur came to rest upon my head, I am greatly honored by the above leaders in our community and beyond whose regard for my work was encouragement enough for them to step forward in the manner they have. Thanks to them, and all who moved my nomination forward.
Royce Davenport,
The Shop at Rancho Milagrito.
Vail, Arizona
