From ASBA.com December 20, 2006  ASBA CEO Announced The Arizona Small Business Association, the state’s largest professional and business trade association (as ranked for four years by The Business Journal’s Book of Lists), today announced that Joan Koerber-Walker would join the ASBA leadership team as CEO effective December 20, 2006.  “The tireless and remarkable efforts of Chair, Ginny McMinn (founder and principal consultant of McMinn HR) and her search committee, over a period of several weeks have yielded the desired result in the person of Joan Koerber-Walker, whom I feel has the ideal leadership characteristics for ASBA at this particular point,” stated Allan Starr, ASBA president and President of Marketing Partners. “Her vision, energy and the emphasis she places on collaboration with other organizations for the greater good of the business community mark her as the right leader at the right time.”  This represents a logical transition for Koerber-Walker, because it combines the collective expertise of her career. Joan brings to ASBA over 25 years of business experience including executive management at a Fortune 500 company, entrepreneurial experience, and numerous community leadership positions. Her greatest talent is in creating sustainable results by combining the experience, skills and talents within teams to create focused business environments that maximize innovation, growth, profitability and return on investment.  “Joan Koerber-Walker is truly a dynamic person and an accomplished executive. Her insights, energy and track record as an innovator and dedicated small-business advocate portend of great things for ASBA. It is with a deep sense of anticipation and excitement that the directors and staff are looking forward to her assuming the Association’s reins,” Starr enthused.  Koerber-Walker became active in Arizona’s business community in 2002, when she left a successful career as an executive at Avnet, Inc. to launch her own company, CorePurpose, Inc. For the past five years she has been active in the community, working with businesses of all sizes to create focused business strategies and resource networks required to execute successfully. In addition to active participation in her own company, her leadership roles include serving as Chairman of the Advisory Board to Parenting Arizona, the state’s largest parent education and child abuse prevention organization, serving on the board of directors of the Arizona Technology Council, serving as President of the National Speakers Association-Arizona Chapter, and as the founding Chairman of the Board of the Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation – the organization which recently held the First Annual Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference. A coming together of 500 business leaders and entrepreneurs, the conference unified Arizona’s business community in a day of learning, innovation, sharing of business ideas, and making connections across Arizona’s business community.  “Joan will revolutionize the position of ASBA and of small business in Arizona. Her intelligence, ability, and passion for entrepreneurship are gifts she is giving ASBA for the New Year,” proclaimed a close associate, Francine Hardaway of Stealthmode Parters.  “One of my greatest joys is helping people and companies get from where they are to where they know they can be. Throughout my career, I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with great people and great organizations to achieve what others might have thought was difficult or even impossible. Now I am even luckier than ever to have the team at ASBA – our employees, our members, and our community partners to work with together as we support Arizona businesses in getting to where they know they can be!” Koerber-Walker stated.  According to Koerber-Walker, her role goes beyond that of a Chief Executive Officer. “As CEO, I am the “Chief Enthusiasm Officer” - ASBA's mission is to exceed its members' expectations in providing access to resources and benefits that aid in the development, growth and success of their businesses...and to deliver these services with a sense of warmth, professionalism, individual pride, and organizational spirit. My job as CEO is to ensure that our employees, our members and our community partners have what they need to successfully execute on our mission. With a team like ours, it’s easy to get excited. Our enthusiasm will be contagious as we create value for our members and continue to grow within the Arizona Business community.”  Leslie Barrett the Interim Chief Operating Officer affirmed, “The ASBA team looks forward to Joan coming on board. Her vision for the future of the organization is filled with passion and entrepreneurial spirit. I’ve known Joan to be an excellent leader, collaborator, and champion for small businesses across the state of Arizona. We can’t wait to put her to work!”  The new CEO denotes Entrepreneur Magazine has rated Arizona as the number one state in the union for entrepreneurship and small business opportunity and stated, “our job at ASBA is to ensure that our member companies have what they need to take advantage of making the most of their business.”  “ASBA offers opportunities to connect, to learn, and to come together as a single voice to share and impact the issues most important to Arizona Businesses. We define value as benefit minus cost. With membership dues of $125.00 per year, ASBA has the highest value proposition around,” she concluded.  ASBA will hold a press conference to introduce Koerber-Walker as the new CEO for members and the community to gather for a “meet and greet” at ASBA’s headquarters in Phoenix, December 20, 2006 at 3:00 PM. She will then attend her first official event as CEO at the ASBA Holiday Mixer which will be held at the Fiesta Inn in Tempe from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. (For details and registration, please visit www.asba.com.)  About the Arizona Small Business Association: Founded in 1973, Arizona Small Business Association (ASBA) is a member-driven statewide non-profit organization, business resource and advocate for nearly 3000 member companies, representing more than 70,000 employees.  For more information, visit www.asba.com.

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