Inside Tucson Business

1 week ago | insidetucsonbusiness.com | Karen Schaffner

Jason and Melissa Lobaugh happily and hopefully took over ownership of Workout Anytime, a 24-hour gym in Beaverton, Oregon, in 2019. They had never owned a business before; Jason was a police officer, and Melissa had 26 years of experience as a dental assistant. Two months later, the world came to a standstill. No one went out and everything closed. COVID-19 had come to town. “The guy I bought it from was a friend of mine and he must have had some sort of prophetic vision,” Jason said.

3 weeks ago | insidetucsonbusiness.com | Karen Schaffner

At 35 years old, Cassandra Bodanza is looking toward an electrifying and bright future, pursuing something few women consider. As part of a joint apprenticeship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), Bodanza is training to become a commercial electrician. “It seemed like a good fit,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed math. I’ve always enjoyed science, and I like being active, too.

3 weeks ago | insidetucsonbusiness.com | Karen Schaffner

As an entrepreneur, Mort Fertel, the CEO and co-founder of Poplin, recognizes a good business idea when he hears it. One day, his wife offered one. “My wife was home with our five kids buried in laundry,” he said. “She said, ‘This is crazy. I can tap an app and get to the airport, FaceTime someone on the other side of the world, but I’m still doing laundry like my grandmother.” Fertel agreed. “Technology has transformed every aspect of our lives,” he said.

3 weeks ago | insidetucsonbusiness.com | Christina Fuoco

Hughes Federal Credit Union is accepting applications for its 20th annual Roberta Reeves Scholarship and celebrating the milestone by doubling its total award amount to $20,000. This year, 10 high school seniors will each receive $2,000 to support their higher education goals. The scholarship, named in honor of Roberta Reeves, a long-serving Hughes Federal Credit Union’s Board of Directors member, has awarded more than $100,000 since its launch in 2005.

3 weeks ago | insidetucsonbusiness.com | Karen Schaffner

Tom Neuman and Cindy Rekemeyer understand the term “sandwich generation” all too well. “We are taking care of people on both sides of our generation,” Neuman said. “I was, too, until my dad passed away in 2021. We were raising three teenage kids and taking care of Cindy’s dad, who had a little bit of a medical issue.”Knowing the need for assistance, the partners brought Seniors Helping Seniors to Marana. “We’re trying to step in and help those families,” Neuman said.