B

Pacific Pride station

to open in San Luis/B2
SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 2011

plugged into
Cutting-edge contractor has deep roots in Yuma
BY JOYCE LOBECK
SUN STAFF WRITER
There’s a company in town
whose roots extend back three gen-
erations and a vision that reaches
to the future.
Operating out of a building
where his grandfather previously
had an electrical business, Clint
Harrington and his wife, Ari, are
the owners of the up-and-coming
MAC Electric they started in 2005.
For such a young business, the
company can claim a part in some
very big and cutting-edge projects
around the community. It’s also
getting recognition.
Last year, the business was
nominated for the Outstanding
50 Asian Americans in Business
Award. This year, they’re a nomi-
nee for the Small Business of the
Year Award given by the Small
Business Administration.
Three months after being in-
corporated in October 2005, MAC
Electric was awarded the contract
for the electrical work on the Ari-
zona Western College Ag/Science
building.
“It was a leap of faith on their
part,” said Ari.
Clint believes it also was a mea-
sure of the reputation his father
and before him his grandfather
had built in the community.
But the Harringtons had paid
their dues, too. Both are graduates
of the University of Arizona with
biosystem engineering degrees
and had working experience be-
fore going into business: Ari with
Jim Davies’ civil engineering firm
and Clint with his father’s electri-
cal business. Clint also has com-
pleted the electrical apprentice
training program, and Ari is in
her fourth year.
Since their big start, they’ve
been the electrical subcontractor
on such projects as: the Kofa High
School campus rebuild; construc-
tion of the Yuma County Court an-
nex and work at Yuma Commerce
Center; detention facilities; food
processors; and Marine Corps Air
Station Yuma.
In the process, the business has
grown from three people and two
trucks to 50 employees and a fleet
of 35 trucks.
ARI AND CLINT HARRINGTON  pose by the solar display they take to trade
shows to promote the technology.
They’re also gaining an exper-
tise in cutting-edge renewable en-
ergy technology.
It was something that kind of
dropped in their laps, Clint said.
“It just makes sense,” Ari added.
“It’s exciting to consider the possi-
bilities of new technology.”
Their first foray into solar power
was the AWC project that included
a solar energy system.
Since then MAC Electric has
done the electrical work for such
high-profile solar projects around
the community
PHOT BY JOYCE LOBECK/YUMA SUN
the community including the just
completed project at the Yuma In-
ternational Airport and systems at
G&H dairy and the University of
Arizona Agricultural Center.
Each of these projects involved
different technologies. The airport
project consisted of installing so-
lar photovoltaic panels on shade
parking. The UA project system is
a concentrating system made by
Soliant. It uses lenses to concen-
trate the sunlight 500 times and di-
rect it to solar cells for electricity
generation.
The system at the G&H Dairy
processing plant at the corner of
24th Street and Avenue 3E consists
of 33 power dishes, each capable of
producing 3,000 watts of electric-
ity.
MAC Electric’s roots go back to
Cal and Joanne Harrington, who
operated C&H Electric at 2499 S.
Virginia Drive. After closing the
business, the building housed a
dance studio for several years.
Today it is home to MAC Elec-
tric.
“There were clouds on the ceil-
ing and mirrors on the walls,” Ari
recalled. Today it’s a modern of-
fice, warehouse and shop for the
business.
Clint’s father, David, also has an
electrical business, D&H. At times
he and his son are competitors,
other times a team, with D&H help-
ing out with resources and advice.
The “M” in MAC stands for the
Harrington’s oldest child, son Mad-
dox, who was born the same year
as the company; “A” is for Ari; and
the “C” for Clint. Since then, the
couple has had two more children.
When established, Ari was made
the majority owner and the busi-
ness recently became certified as a
minority woman-owned business.
That has helped the business as it
competes for government jobs, in
particular the development now
underway at MCAS Yuma as the
air station prepares for the arrival
next year of the F-35 joint strike
fighter.
Ari serves as the quality control
manager while Clint is a project
manager and does a lot of the es-
timations. But they’re quick to
credit their employees for the suc-
cess of the business, with the dedi-
cation, experience and diversity
they bring.
Asked whether working together
sometimes gets to be too much to-
getherness, Ari replied that there
are days they don’t see each other.
She may be out at MCAS Yuma
while Clint is in Nogales, where
they had a big contract.
What it does, she said, is give
them a common goal. “It makes it
easy to understand when the other
has to work at night or be away.”

PHOTO BY DAVE PASCHALL

ONE OF THE CUTTING-EDGE  renewable energy projects MAC Electric worked on is the power dish solar project at G&H Dairy.

Chick-fil-A again making plans for Yuma restaurant

A
pparently Yuma is
getting the long-
awaited Chick-fil-
A. Plans are mov-
ing through the process,
Alan Kircher, city of Yuma
deputy building official,
confirmed Thursday to
Comings and Goings.
He said the plan is to
locate the restaurant on
a free-standing pad with
a drive-through near the
strip center at the south-
west corner of Pacific
Avenue and 16th Street.
For the uninitiated,
Chick-fil-A is noted for its
chicken sandwiches and
the spelling-challenged cow
with the slogan “Eat Mor
Chikin” in its marketing.
The company origi-
nally had planned to open
a restaurant in Yuma in
2006, but those plans never
materialized.
***
Kircher also reported
that building permits have
Comings
and Goings
Joyce Lobeck
been issued for an expan-
sion and remodeling of
Nunes Vegetables plant at
4471 E. Gila Ridge Road.
The expansion calls for a
4,000-square-foot addition.
***
For the second year in
a row, Olsen’s Market-
Place IGA in Ajo has been
awarded the coveted 5 Star
certification for excel-
lence by IGA (Independent
Grocers Alliance). The
store was one of three in
Arizona to win the award
based on in-store apprais-
als, training and customer
feedback.
Employees and store
policies offer the same
excellent service at Olsen’s
MarketPlace IGA at Well-
ton that the grocer opened
in October.
Olsen has been in the
grocery business in Pima
and Yuma counties for 35
years.
***
Comprehensive renova-
tions and upgrades to 350
W. 16th St. are to begin
in the next few weeks,
according to the property
manager, Tom Pancrazi,
president of A.T. Pancrazi
Real Estate Services Inc.
The project is part of
a longer-term process to
reposition the 1960s four-
story, 24,000 square-foot
building located at the
intersection of 4th Avenue
and 16th Street as a key
component of a planned
financial and professional
center.
Phase 1 of the project
— which is scheduled for
completion by late spring
— will include an upgrade
of the electrical system
and a new, state-of-the-art
mechanical HVAC system.
Access to the building will
be maintained for tenants
and their customers, and
utilities and elevators will
remain functional during
the renovation.
Financing for the project
is being provided by The
Foothills Bank.
Many members of the
design-build team for the
project are local. The team
consists of Wayne A. Pea
Architect — project archi-
tect; Campbell Structural
— structural engineer;
PH Mechanical Engineer-
ing — mechanical engi-
neer; Enco Engineering
Inc. — electrical engineer;
DeNise Builders — general
contractor; B&H Refrig-
eration — mechanical
contractor; Klein’s Kustom
Electric Inc. — electrical
contractor; DMS Roofing
Inc. — roofing contractor;
and Brehe Consulting —
owner’s representative and
project management.
***
Serenity Yoga has a new
owner. Michael Little has
taken over from Stephanie
Martin, who has owned
and operated Serenity for
several years. She contin-
ues to own the property
where the studio is located
at 720 E. 22nd St.
Little has taught yoga
for several years and is a
registered yoga therapist.
In addition to the teach-
ing of yoga, Serenity
offers reiki, piloga and tai
chai classes and reflexol-
ogy treatments. For more
information, call 344-0078
or visit www.serenityyoga-
yuma.com.
The facility is shared
with reiki master Kasan- 5800 E. 32nd St. will be re-
dra Lor and Dr. Carl Myers, opening in early February.
who offers meditation one The restaurant, popular
evening a week.
***
NOVA Home Loans has
moved to new offices at 454
W. Catalina Drive (next
door to Staples). The office
phone number remains
726-7266.
Todd Craig, vice presi-
dent and branch manager
for the Yuma office, said
the company’s expansion
to the new, much larger
and nicer office will help
the branch grow NOVA’s
market share in Yuma
County.
NOVA Home Loans was
founded in 1980 in Arizona.
It currently has five loca-
tions in southern Arizona,
including the Yuma office.
The company also provides
loan services in several
other states.
***
Brown Bag Burger at
SEE COMINGS/B4
B4  YUMA SUN, SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 2011

Agriculture Glance YPG Ammunition Preparation Branch

Farm Smart Program
The University of Cali-
fornia Desert Research and
Extension Center’s Farm
Smart Program contin-
ues through February to
acquaint participants with
agriculture in the area.
The program includes a
farm tour, lunch, musical
entertainment, activities,
handouts and fresh pro-
duce.
The tours are being held
several weekdays through
Feb. 25 at the center, 1004
E. Holton Road about 55
miles west of Yuma (take
Exit 120 off Interstate 8,
turn north and go 2 miles
to Evan Hewes Highway,
turn east and go 1.5 miles
to Meloland Road, make an
immediate right turn onto
Holton Road; parking is on
the left).
Cost is $15 per person.
Space is limited and res-
ervations are required by
calling 1-760-791-0261.
Training for new soil
fumigant rules
The U.S. Environmen-
tal Protection Agency is
implementing the next
phase of new soil fumigant
mitigation measures that
bring stronger restrictions.
The soil fumigants
that fall under these new
EPA regulations include
chloropicrin, dazomet,
1,3-dichloropropene, iodo-
methane, metam sodium/
potassium, methyl bromide
and methyl isothiocyanate
(MITC).
Changes include: all soil
fumigants will be classified
as restricted-use pesticides;
applicators in Arizona will
need to become certified;
additional worker protec-
tion measures; written
fumigant management
plans; registrants’ stew-
ardship and training
programs; mandatory good
agricultural practices;
buffer zones and buffer
posting; and emergency
preparedness and response
measures.
A training workshop will
be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb.
22 in Yuma. Applications
have been made for 4.5
credits. Other workshops
will be held in Buckeye,
Maricopa and Willcox.
celebrates injury-free 2010
For more information
about the Yuma workshop,
call Kurt Nolte at 726-3904.
CBP stops entry of new bug
A U.S. Customs and Bor-
der Protection agriculture
specialist from the Port of
San Diego stopped a highly
destructive beetle, never
before seen in the U.S.,
from entering the country
this month.
On Jan. 3, a maritime
shipping container filled
with fresh bananas from
Peru arrived at the Port of
San Diego. During inspec-
tion, a CBP agriculture
specialist spotted a live U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY MARK SCHAUER
beetle on the floor of the Despite the inherent dangers of assembling and handling live ammunition for military
container.
tests each day, there were no work-related injuries or illnesses in Yuma Proving Ground’s
The Plant Protection and
Ammunition Preparation Branch in 2010. YPG Commander Col. Thomas Payne (front from
Quarantine division of
left), Trax Test Services project manager Thomas Foltz and Yuma Test Center Commander Lt.
USDA’s Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service Col. Stephen Milton honor branch workers on Jan. 26 for their sterling safety record. Honorees
identified the beetle as include Thomas Becker (back row, from left), Joe Munoz, Jose Bonilla, Adrian Fernandez,
Gymnetis pantherina and Frank Garcia, Ignacio Hernandez, Mark Ishmael, Gary Mack, John J. Smith, Terrison Stewart,
confirmed that it was the
first recorded interception
Robert Trujillo, Buddy Berry, Antonio Cabrales, Terry Fisher, Ivan Mendivil, Dean Morgan,
of this bug anywhere in Rodney Munger, Jose Ortiz and Vicente Zendejas.
the United States. Accord-
ing to the USDA, the adult

COMINGS
beetles of this family are announced the 2010 annual the greater Yuma area.
known to attack the foliage dividend of 40 cents per ***
INEZ YOUNG, FNP of more than 300 different FROM PAGE B1
common share, an increase
of 5 cents per share, pay-
Angela Bran has joined
the staff of Jeanne A.
species of ornamental and
Now with Karen A. Watts NP, PLC agricultural crops. for its hamburgers, has able Jan. 15 to sharehold-
ers of record as of Dec. 31,
Weatherly’s Allstate
agency, 11611 S. Foothills
in the mission Valley Plaza 24th St. & Ave. C When a container of pro- been closed since being
2010. Blvd., Suite A. Bran is the
duce is found with a pest damaged by a fire in June
The bank ended 2010 business development and
Accepting New Patients that requires the shipper to 2010. In the meantime,
with $205,000,000 in total customer service represen-
take action, they are given owner Kayla Mattern has assets, $165,000,000 in loans tative for the agency and
Primary care of Adults and Families. the option to return the opened a second Brown and $171,000,000 in depos- can be reached at 305-1650.
Treating Chronic illnesses such shipment to the country of Bag Burger at Yuma Palms its. Bran has eight years of
as Obesity, Diabetes, High Blood origin, treat the produce Regional Center. Founded in 1997, the experience in the insur-
to ensure that there are no *** Foothills Bank is a state- ance industry in Yuma and
Pressure, and High Cholesterol.
pests or destroy the ship- The board of directors chartered commercial is studying to receive her
Focusing on Patient Education ment. of The Foothills Bank has bank with four branches in licenses in property and
Health Promotion and Maintenance. casualty insurance.
***
Sports Physicals & Immunizations Curves-Yuma Foothills is
Inez Young, Office hours are M-Th 8:30 - 5:30 for sale due to the reloca-
FNP and Fri 8:30 - 3pm tion of owner Jenny Sul-
pizio’s family to another
We accept: AHCCCS state.
Located at 11274 S.
Karen A. Watts, Fortuna Road, Suite B5-6,
NP, PLC in the Pioneer Shopping
Board Certified Center, the sale would be
completely turn-key for the
3970 W. 24th St. Suite 214 studio in a beautiful new
928-341-0058 location, trained staff and
established business.
Interested buyers can
contact her at jennysul-
pizio01@msn.com or call
FREE Legal Seminar! the club at 345-1726.
***
One member of the team
Save Money on Attorney Fees at Scilla’s Hair Studio is
during These Tough Times! leaving, but a new face
will be joining, announced
owner Priscilla Torres.
Local Attorney Vida Florez will be discussing Bankruptcy, Hairstylist Michelle
Family Law with Free forms, removal of Criminal Records Fletcher is retiring after
see web site for more info. some 20 years of making
people look beautiful.
Friday, February 11th • 6-8pm Taking her place is
Eddie Schnedler, who has
Location: Yuma Community Food Bank 25 years of experience
2404 E. 24th Street and had clientele in both
Phoenix and Los Angeles.
Limited Seating Most recently he worked
Please call (928)329-6101 to register in an upscale hair salon in
Seminars Also Last Friday of Each Month Scottsdale.
in San Luis, 708 N. Archibald For an appointment, stop
by Scilla’s at 335 S. 2nd Ave.
or call 329-9364.
The Law Offices of
***
VIDA Z. FLOREZ Got a yen for fresh oys-
150 W. Court Street • Yuma, AZ ters? Art and Billie Walton
lawofficevzf.com are selling them, flown in
twice a week from the state
of Washington, shucked
and in jars ready to be

2011
enjoyed.
“You can’t get any
fresher,” Walton observed.

NEighboRhood
The couple sell the
oysters from 10 a.m. to 3
p.m. Tuesdays through

ClEANup
Sundays from a stand at
11337 S. Foothills Blvd. in
the Foothills.
Report Comings and Goings to jlobeck@
yumasun.com or call Joyce Lobeck at
Starting Monday, January 31, 2011 and 539-6853.
continue through April 7, 2011. The
program is a ten week process for ten
outlined areas within the City limits.
All items must be placed at the curb for
SunSet Community HealtH CenterS
collection. House hazardous waste will
The Clinic You Can Trust

S
not be collected in this program. For unset Community Health Center’s family care clinics offer a full range of primary care services. Sunset
more information please call 373-4500. provides high quality primary medical and preventive care in a culturally sensitive, compassionate
and professional manner to all ages and stages of life. Sliding fee scale available for patients without
insurance and who do not qualify for AHCCCS. Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurances accepted.
— AREA 1 — SERVICES
January 31 to February 3 • Internal Medicine
• Pediatrics
• Diagnostic Laboratory Services (in house and referral)
• Ultrasound
• Gynecology/Obstetrics • Educational Services on: Diabetes, Nutrition,

Colorado Street to 1st Street

• Family Dental Services Cardiovascular, Exercise and Maintaining a
• Pharmacy Services Healthy Weight

and 815 E. Juan Sanchez Blvd.

Don’t Have Medical Insurance and Don’t Qualify for AHCCCS Come and See Us.
We Can Help You and Family Obtain the Medical Services Needed.
Avenue A to west City limits San Luis Clinic
(928) 627-3822 Los Servicios se Ofrecen en Español

801 N. 2nd Ave. 115 N. Somerton Ave. 2060 W. 24th St. 10425 Williams St.
San Luis Dental Clinic Somerton Medical & Dental Yuma Medical Clinic Wellton Medical & Dental
(928) 627-8584 (928) 627-2051 Medical (928) 344-4216 Internal Medical (928) 785-3256 Medical
Department of Public Works (928) 627-8806 Dental (928) 344-5112 Pediatrics (928) 785-8008 Dental
Solid Waste Division (928) 726-5950 Gynecology/Obstetrics (928) 726-5950 Gynecology/
Obstetrics
115 West 14th Street (928) 373-4500
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm