Branch features new décor and LGBTQ+ community bankers, joins bank’s flagship program

Phoenix, AZ – The U.S. Bank Phoenix Uptown branch located at 3800 North Central Avenue is celebrating becoming the bank’s newest LGBTQ+ flagship branch. To observe the new designation, the branch is hosting a ‘grand opening’ celebration on Thursday, Oct. 26, from Noon- 2 p.m.

During the event, U.S. Bank will further its commitment to the local LGBTQ+ community with a $1,500 donation to one•n•ten, a nonprofit dedicated to serving Phoenix’s LGBTQ+ youth by providing empowering social and service programs that promote self‐expression, self‐acceptance, leadership development, and healthy life choices.

The Phoenix Uptown branch is newest U.S. Bank LGBTQ+ flagship branch, joining others in Capitol Hill in Seattle, Castro District in San Francisco, and Lakeview East in Chicago. The U.S. Bank flagship program was created to deliver an in-branch experience featuring cultural relevance to enhance the customer experience for the diverse communities the bank serves. The branches accomplish this through various means, including but not limited to talent alignment and community engagement that reflects the communities U.S. Bank is a part of and serves, such as the LGBTQ+ community.

The Phoenix Uptown branch’s proximity to the historic Melrose neighborhood, which has a number of LGBTQ+ owned-businesses and community members, makes it an ideal location for the bank’s newest LGBTQ+ flagship.

WHO:                  U.S. Bank leadership and LGBTQ+ segment lead, one•n•ten leadership

WHEN:                Thursday, Oct. 26 from Noon- 2 p.m.

WHERE:              U.S. Bank Phoenix Uptown branch (3800 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, 85012)

WHAT:                 U.S. Bank will celebrate the redesignation of its Phoenix Uptown branch, which is now part of the bank’s LGBTQ+ flagship branch program. Authentic Puerto Rican cuisine will be provided by Phoenix Coqui. This event is open to the public.

WHY:                   The U.S. Bank LGBTQ+ flagship branch program emphasizes engagement with local LGBTQ+ centers and consists of employees who are either part of the LGBTQ+ community or allies that work in the branch. As part of the new flagship designation, this branch features an updated interior and exterior design that pays tribute to the LGBTQ+ culture.

VISUALS/INTERVIEWS  

· Ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the new flagship status.

· Check presentation to local nonprofit one•n•ten.

· U.S. Bank local leadership speaking on the bank’s commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, segment-specific products, and its goals to better serve LGBTQ+ customers.

· one•n•ten leadership speaking to the ongoing partnership with U.S. Bank.

· Local drag entertainment from Sassy “SD” DeMornay, Mx Phoenix Pride 2023 & Brooklyn D. DeMornay, Empress XVI/Queen Mother XVII of the Imperial Court of AZ.

· Performance by Dancing for one•n•ten 2023 performance champions.

· Interviews can be facilitated upon request.

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Contact:

Jake Holtrop, U.S. Bank West Region Communications

jake.holtrop@usbank.com | 713.205.0126

About U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp, with approximately 75,000 employees and $668 billion in assets as of September 30, 2023, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company serves millions of customers locally, nationally and globally through a diversified mix of businesses including consumer banking, business banking, commercial banking, institutional banking, payments and wealth management. U.S. Bancorp has been recognized for its approach to digital innovation, community partnerships and customer service, including being named one of the 2023 World’s Most Ethical Companies and Fortune’s most admired superregional bank. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Bancorp website at usbank.com and click on “About Us.”

U.S. Bank Phoenix Uptown Branch Manager Rudy Melgoza front of new artwork at the branch. The Phoenix Uptown branch is part of U.S. Bank’s new LGBTQ+ flagship branch program.

Attacks Based on Gender Identity Up 32.9% from Prior Year, Those Based on Sexual Orientation Up 13.8%; Race & Ethnicity-Based Hate Crimes Remain Largest Category

WASHINGTON — The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — sounded the alarm today as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released its annual crime report for 2022 showing that anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes were up sharply from the prior year, with a 13.8% increase in reports based on sexual orientation and a shocking 32.9% jump in reported hate crimes based on gender identity

In response to the FBI’s 2022 report, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson released the following statement:

“The rise in hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community is both shocking and heartbreaking, yet sadly, not unexpected. The constant stream of hostile rhetoric from fringe anti-equality figures, alongside the relentless passage of discriminatory bills, particularly those targeting transgender individuals, in state legislatures, created an environment where it was sadly foreseeable that individuals with violent tendencies might respond to this rhetoric. The FBI’s data serves as another alarming indicator of the state of emergency our community finds itself in.

“We also know that this data is incomplete, that too many cities and states are reporting incomplete data, or even no data at all, on hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community. If we’re going to bring a stop to that violence, we need a full accounting of just how many hate crimes are taking place – and that requires every jurisdiction stepping up.”

The FBI’s report noted that there were 1,947 recorded incidents relating to an alleged victim’s sexual orientation in 2022, up from 1,711 the year before, and 469 relating to an alleged victim’s gender identity, vs. 353 the year before. The gender identity category included 338 instances that were specifically anti-transgender and 131 that targeted someone who was gender noncomforming.

Race/ethnicity motivated hate crimes remained the largest category with 56% of all hate crimes. Hate crimes based on religion moved into second, just ahead of sexual orientation.

More than 1 in 5 of any type of hate crime is now motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ bias, and the last two years have been the deadliest for transgender people, especially Black transgender women, that we have seen since HRC began tracking fatal violence against the community.

Even with these horrifying stats, the problem of incomplete data reporting for hate crimes is a longstanding one. In the “Blueprint for Positive Change,” a document released in November 2020 that offered a roadmap toward equality for the then-incoming Biden-Harris administration, HRC called for the Department of Justice to intensify efforts to encourage local law enforcement to report hate crimes statistics annually. While positive steps have been taken by the administration to improve reporting compliance, more is necessary in order to ensure more accurate and complete hate crimes reporting, including making the reporting mandatory.

The FBI’s report comes amid an unprecedented spike in anti-LGBTQ+ state legislation, with more than 550 bills introduced in 43 states, and more than 80 signed into law — more than doubling last year, which was previously the worst year on record. The wave of harmful and discriminatory legislation — some of which was engineered and championed by extremist GOP candidates running for president and their allies — and the concurrent spike in anti-transgender rhetoric and violence prompted HRC in June to declare a national state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people for the first time in the organization’s more than 40-year history.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ+ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Scottsdale Arts and the city of Scottsdale will celebrate the oldest and newest works in the city’s Permanent Art Collection with a special event from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 26 at the newly renovated Scottsdale Civic Center.

The event will feature the dedication of “The Desert’s Garden,” a new mosaic artwork installed by Arizona-based artist Tammi Lynch-Forrest near Scottsdale City Hall, and a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Louise Nevelson’s “Windows to the West,” the first large-scale artwork in the city’s collection. The two artworks are conveniently located just across the lawn from each other at Scottsdale Civic Center.

“This event will honor Scottsdale’s 50-year legacy of integrating public art into the building of our city,” said Kati Ballares, director of Scottsdale Public Art. “We know our residents and visitors appreciate how the city is so intentionally designed, but few people actually know that Scottsdale Public Art has played an ever-increasing role in this process since the early 1970s. The opening of the renovated Scottsdale Civic Center and the completion of our newest public artwork is a great opportunity to celebrate and tell this story.”

In addition to celebrating the public artworks, the event will also note the 55th anniversary of Scottsdale City Hall and its designation as a historic landmark. The event will feature dance performances, live music, food and giveaways.

The renovated Scottsdale Civic Center has already captured the attention of various organizations, including the Arizona Parks & Recreation Association, which awarded it an “Outstanding Facility” designation, recognizing it as the state’s best newly constructed facility of 2023 for populations of more than 100,000. Additionally, Engineering News-Record Southwest named Scottsdale Civic Center as the best landscape/urban development project in the region, which includes Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico.

For many years, “Windows to the West” — more formally titled “Atmosphere and Environments XVIII” — stood at the southeast corner of Scottsdale City Hall, near 75th Street. During the recent renovations of the outdoor spaces at the Civic Center, “Windows to the West” was placed in storage.

Shortly before the opening of the Civic Center’s first phase in January, “Windows to the West” returned, but in a new location north of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. This new placement is more appropriate for a sculpture nicknamed “Windows to the West,” as it faces the Civic Center’s West Paseo, a corridor stretching westward to connect with the shops along Main Street in Old Town Scottsdale.

Wendy Raisanen, curator of collections and exhibitions for Scottsdale Public Art, said “Windows to the West” started the city of Scottsdale’s permanent public art collection in the early 1970s when the Scottsdale Fine Arts Commission raised money, in concert with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, to commission the most esteemed female sculptor in the United States, Louise Nevelson (aged 73 at the time), for what was then the new Scottsdale Civic Center Mall.

“It was a bold move for the early 1970s, when nearly all public art in the country was created by men, and the other considered American sculptors for the project were men,” Raisanen said. “Nevelson was a real trailblazer in her art career and life. As a young artist at Scottsdale High School, I saw her as a role model and icon.”

Among the commission members making that bold move were two prominent Arizona-based artists: Philip C. Curtis, founder of what became Phoenix Art Museum, and Dorothy Fratt, whose work will be shown in a 2024 exhibition at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) in celebration of the museum’s 25th anniversary. Another member of that commission was Katherine “Kax” Kierland Herberger, a prominent philanthropist to the arts and mother of the late Judd Herberger, who continued his mother’s philanthropic legacy alongside his wife, Billie Jo Herberger, in recent decades.

When Nevelson came to Scottsdale to survey the site for her work, she said, “In a way it is fortunate that Scottsdale has attracted people who are so mature and realize how much it will mean to the environment to have good art.”

However, when “Windows to the West” was first installed in 1973, there were some vocal Scottsdale residents who didn’t appreciate the contemporary nature of the artwork, preferring western realism instead, Raisanen said. Eventually, many residents came to love “Windows to the West,” naming it the most popular sculpture of the collection in the late 1990s. It has also been recognized in recent years by Phoenix New Times as the “Best Permanent Public Art” in the publication’s annual Best of Phoenix awards.

Nevelson wrote to public art administrators in 1978, saying, “I would like to reconfirm that ‘Atmosphere and Environments’ was created for a more enclosed mall situation in which a continual flow of people would interact with the sculpture to complete my envisioned environment. The interactions of people with my work is the grace by which it lives a vital existence. The mall placement with its proximity to the vitality of the Fine Arts Center is also meaningful.”

Raisanen said she believes the sculpture’s new location — even closer to Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and SMoCA and at a prominent entrance to the Civic Center — finally fulfills the artist’s vision.

‘The Desert’s Garden’

Just as “Windows to the West” was an artistic highlight of the original Scottsdale Civic Center Mall in the 1970s, a new public artwork was commissioned for the reopening of what is now simply called Scottsdale Civic Center this year. Arizona-based artist Tammi Lynch-Forrest has created a colorful and detailed mosaic wall along a water feature at the southwest corner of Scottsdale City Hall.

Titled “The Desert’s Garden,” Lynch-Forrest’s work also acts as a timeline for the Scottsdale area, portraying three eras of the land through the plants and animals present. The artist said there are often misconceptions about the desert being a barren place, but this artwork highlights all the living things that make it a “desert garden.” Some of the tiles creating the expansive garden mosaic are smaller than a dime, and nearly all were hand-crafted by the artist.

When Lynch-Forrest first submitted a proposal for the artwork, the artist didn’t realize it would be in such a prominent place.

“I was just blown away by how beautiful the Civic Center was and how much happens there,” Lynch-Forrest said. “I’m beyond honored.”

The Oct. 26 event will begin at “Windows to the West,” with speakers and a dance performance by The Movement Source Dance Company, before moving to “The Desert’s Garden” dedication, featuring additional speakers, live music by Bad Cactus Brass Band, food and giveaways.

Other prominent public artworks located at Scottsdale Civic Center include Robert Indiana’s “LOVE” sculpture and George-Ann Tognoni’s figurative bronze works “The Yearlings” and “Winfield Scott Memorial.”

Learn more about the event and RSVP at ScottsdalePublicArt.org/events.

Boasting a prime location across the street from the esteemed SkySong ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Scottsdale is poised to become a preferred destination for business and leisure travelers, alike.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / August 22, 2023 / PEG Companies [“PEG”], a leading commercial real estate investment and development firm, will begin welcoming guests to its long-awaited SpringHill Suites by Marriott Scottsdale hotel, starting on August 30th, 2023, promising an unparalleled hospitality experience in the thriving ASU SkySong neighborhood.

Situated at 1500 N Scottsdale Road, the contemporary hotel is set to become the preferred choice for business and leisure travelers seeking a memorable stay in the area. With 117 well-appointed rooms, the new property features a blend of king and double queen suites with comfortable work areas and trundle beds for added flexibility for families and groups.

Devoted to guest relaxation, the hotel provides an extensive range of recreational facilities including a fully-equipped 24-hour fitness center that enables guests to maintain their fitness routines even while traveling. Additionally, the outdoor pool and hot tub welcome visitors to unwind after a busy day of activities. Other perks include speedy WiFi throughout the property, daily complimentary breakfasts, and more.

Leading the dedicated team at SpringHill Suites is General Manager Miguel Gaviria, a seasoned hospitality professional with a passion for delivering an unmatched guest experience.

“On behalf of the entire staff here at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Scottsdale, I am delighted to introduce and welcome guests to the newest desert gem in Arizona,” Gaviria said. “We are excited to be part of the Scottsdale business community and look forward to a long-lasting and prosperous partnership.”

The hotel began construction in March 2022. Now under the management of PEG’s hotel management company, PEG Hospitality Group, the team will continue to expand the new hotel’s hospitality staff, providing additional employment opportunities to the local community.

SpringHill Suites by Marriott Scottsdale plays a vital role in a larger master development project aimed at revitalizing the neighborhood formerly known as ‘Papago.’ The hotel’s strategic location and thoughtful planning are set to contribute significantly to the area’s transformation into a bustling business and leisure hub.

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About PEG Companies:

Founded in 2003, PEG Companies [“PEG”] is a vertically integrated commercial real estate investment firm focused on opportunistic and value-add opportunities in the Mountain West and across the United States. Initially best known for its creative and well-executed real estate developments, PEG today encompasses five synergistic companies that each manage a different phase of the commercial real estate investment process. Currently, PEG’s robust $2.4B AUM includes assets in multifamily residential, single-family rental communities, student housing, office, mixed-use, and hospitality throughout 29 states and two Canadian provinces. PEG Companies employs more than 1,100 employees nationwide.

About PEG Hospitality Group:

PEG Hospitality Group was founded on the belief that enduring success begins with the experience delivered to the guest, fostered by the relationships built with top-quality associates and development partners. In the six-plus decades since the Pearson family founded what would eventually become PEG Hospitality, the group has grown into a leading hospitality group with a portfolio of more than 30 properties in 19 states and over 1,100 associates. As an innovative and efficiency-integrated business, PEG Hospitality counts its expertise in hotel management, investment, and development as the pillars to continued growth and equity holder satisfaction. Based in Provo, Utah, and helmed by cousins Graydon Pearson and Carter Frank, PEG Hospitality manages over 3,500 keys under some of the most recognized hotel brands including those from Hilton Hotels Group, Marriott International, Hyatt Hotels, and IHG.

About SpringHill Suites:

SpringHill Suites by Marriott is the largest all-suites upscale hotel brand that is refreshingly different. With stylish surroundings that are beyond the ordinary at over 535 properties across the U.S. and Canada, guests are provided thoughtful, focused service in an uplifting atmosphere. Each spacious suite features an open, airy design that puts guests at ease, with separate living and sleeping areas. At SpringHill Suites, travelers can escape their routines and enjoy their time away. SpringHill Suites is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy®, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit marriottbonvoy.com. For more information or reservations, visit www.springhillsuites.com.

Contact Information

Ali Monsen
Vice President, Branding & Communications
amonsen@pegcompanies.com
801.783.7334

SOURCE: PEG Companies

Aloha…I’m Paul Jesus one of the managers at Betty’s Beach Cafe. As some of you may know…Betty’s did not survive! Lahaina Town has lost homes and businesses due to Hurricane Dora. This fundraiser is to help my staff that lost everything to relocate and get them back on their feet after this tragedy. Anything helps. Please keep Maui in your prayers as we figure out the next steps in rebuilding this beautiful town. We love and thank you all so much for all of your support throughout the years.

The LGBTQ+ community has been “exploding” back onto the travel scene in the past year as the COVID-19
pandemic wanes, according to David Paisley, senior research director with LGBTQ-focused Community Marketing
& Insights (CMI).

CMI recently completed its 17th Annual LGBTQ Community Survey, a broad look at the LGBTQ+ community, including its travel habits. Paisley spoke about the survey results this week during a webinar.

Paisley theorized that the LGBTQ+ community was slower to come back to travel than the general population because COVID became such a political issue in the United States.

The survey and other CMI research suggests travel is largely happening at a greater level than before the pandemic among the LGBTQ+ community, Paisley said. That is particularly true of people ages 18 to 54. There is still some reluctance to travel among older survey takers.

In other research Paisley conducts for specific destinations, he often asks where survey takers have traveled in the past 12 months. Statistics for every destination in 2023 are exceeding 2019 across the board, he said.

“I think the LGBTQ community went through a pattern [where] we were actually underperforming for a couple of years, and we’re sort of exploding out of it right now,” he said.

CMI’s Community Survey found that more than half of respondents planned to book a hotel room (57%) or take a flight primarily for vacation (52%) in the second half of the year. Just under half, 49%, plan to take a vacation by car from home. Only 12% said they did not expect to travel for vacation for the rest of the year.

Big cities or metro areas were the most popular destinations for those planning travel for the remainder of the year (55%), followed by a beach destination (40%) and a road trip (37%).

Of those planning to travel during the remainder of the year, 77% will travel within the mainland United States, 19% will go to Europe and 11% to Mexico. Rounding out the top five destinations are the Caribbean and Canada (tied at
9%) and Hawaii (7%).

This year, 14,432 self-identified LGBTQ+ community members completed the survey from April to June.

For more information on the survey go to Community Marketing Insights https://cmi.info/