Taekwondo has the ability to enhance self-esteem by working on your physical and mental powers. It can help build confidence by encouraging and help you take control of your life. It demands respect and trust with self and others. That is why today, Tucson Biz Beat is honored to salute Master Alan Roberts and Victory Taekwondo South, Rita Ranch’s premier martial arts school.

Roberts, a 4th Degree Black Belt, Taekwondo, 1st Degree Black Belt, Combat Hapkido is the owner and instructor of Victory Taekwondo South and said he has had a dream since he was a child of owning and running a martial arts school. Also called a dojang, his first school was in South Tucson at a friend’s gym.  “Those were the early days, when we only had about 3 students”, Master Roberts says and then laughs.

“I always knew I wanted to open a school, but we had to start small.”  Master Roberts says that his love of martial arts and his desire to teach it grew out of what it provided for him as a youth.  “I was in trouble a lot and martial arts taught me to have respect for myself and others; it taught me the discipline I needed so badly”.

Taekwondo literally translated means, “the way of the hand and foot”.  In the 1940′s General Choi combined the hand techniques of Japanese Karate and the ancient foot fighting of Korea Taekkyeon and created Taekwondo. Alan Roberts knew this when he began his martial arts training at the age of 11 years old at his local elementary school training under Master Lee who was, himself, from Korea. Flash forward about 30 years and Alan Roberts, holding a 4^th degree in Taekwondo, a 1^st degree in Combat Hapkido and a brown belt in Judo opens his first martial arts school.

Today, Victory Taekwondo South martial arts academy in Rita Ranch at Houghton & Valencia is opened 6 days a week and has well over 150 active students. Master Roberts and his instructor team have built a custom, all encompassing curriculum from the ground up incorporating traditional Taekwondo, Judo and Hapkido.

They have classes for 3-5 year olds called, Little Samurais.  These classes focus on what Victory calls, “PreSkills” which is a curriculum based on attributes and activities that teach, balance, focus, teamwork and more.  This program prepares them for the Victory Kids class.

The Victory Kids class is for 5-11 year old kids.  This program is far more than just punching and kicking.  The staff at Victory have developed an entire Life Skills program that focuses on attributes such as, respect, family, responsibly, integrity, attitude and courtesy, to name a few.

Additionally, Victory Taekwondo South also has exciting and high-energy adult classes that focus more on proper techniques of the art, self-defense and lots of fitness. “We have created a place of community here, this dojang is for the residents of Rita Ranch; it is their dojang”, says Master Roberts.  The ‘community’ they have created extends beyond the training floor; the group regularly gets together outside of the school for social gatherings such as family BBQ’s and parties.  Every couple of months the school hosts a “Parent’s Night Out” where the kids come and eat pizza, do Taekwondo and watch a movie while the parents get a night out to themselves.

Master Roberts, along with his wife Kelly Roberts and his staff are always looking for additional ways to provide more services to the community.  They are currently developing a Victory Fitness program, which is a type of boot camp workout with martial arts flair and hope to roll it out after the 1^st of the year.

Victory Taekwondo South is much more than just a Taekwondo studio and they do much more than teach. Roberts and his team teach mind body spirit techniques that help people walk a better path, feel better about themselves and reach for higher goals. It is nothing more than an honor for Tucson Biz Beat to salute this wonderful studio and the people who make it all possible. Roberts and his team is building a better community for Tucson and is proud of his community. He teaches free Taekwondo at AZ Ranch Haven once a month and offers his services as often as he can to help improve his community of Tucson.

Ever been in pain, and that pain lingers on and on and you have tried everything from physical therapy to chiropractic care, to acupuncture, to massage therapies, and even surgery and still feel the pain? Have you sat there and said to yourself that you have tried everything and you are still in pain? Well ask yourself this; have you tried Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT)?

Tucson Biz Beat salutes Nathaniel Thise who is Tucson’s only certified MAT therapist. When Nate was 26 years old, he said he felt like “Superman with a kryptonite necklace around his neck.” Nate was a football player in his youth and was into fitness and in great health, but that did not stop injury.  He graduated high school and joined the military. He was very fit but was still plagued with chronic pain from his football days. He tried everything to find some sort of pain relief. At times he was able to get some relief, but it was normally short lived and the pain came right back.

One day a friend came to him and asked him if he had heard of Muscle Activation Techniques. He stated he had never heard of it. He researched it and began to do some of the therapies. For the first time in years and years his pain went away. Nate, who is a certified fitness trainer at the time, knew he had to learn the technique and help other experience pain relief. He wasted no time and flew to Chicago to get trained and certified. Nate said, “It was everything I thought it would be and more.”

What Nate learned on his journey is that “No one approaches pain the way it should be.” He states that, “It really shouldn’t be where is the pain rather, why is there pain.”  He shakes his head. “Most therapies look at the symptoms instead of looking at the real cause of pain.”  He discovered that muscles give a constant signal however with injury or age there can be a muscular imbalance. “Muscle dictates what the stability of the joint is.” That is the basic concept to MAT.

In short, MAT looks at weak muscles and realizes that it has an influence on adjoining or opposing muscles. This causes these muscles to tighten as they try to stabilize the joint. This can lead to weakness or the development of pain. Since MAT looks at cause of discomfort, and not just the symptoms, relief can be achieved. “You need to have a system of what is working and what is not.”

I put this to the test personally since I have chronic pain issues. I have two bad knees and a lower chronic back condition. After a knee surgery went horribly wrong two years ago and another surgery had to be done to repair the botched surgery, my pain never went away. I do not believe in the use of pain medications and noticed my life was compromised because of pain. I tried many things and temporary relief was achieved but only for a few weeks. Nate put me through the process. What I discovered after the first session was I had a glimpse of what it was like to not have pain. It is not an overnight process, but living pain free can happen with MAT.

So today Tucson Biz Beat salutes Nathaniel Thise for bringing this technique to Tucson and helping our community deal with pain.  He is hopeful others will get certified and be able to reach out and help those who suffer from chronic pain and want to use a drug free method and actually cure the pain rather than mask the pain. If you have question and want to talk to Nate, or set up an appointment, you can email him at nathaniel.thise@gmail.com he is always eager to talk about pain relief.

So the joke goes like this; Two guys walk into a bar, order a shot of tequila and a few beers, get a napkin and write down their idea for a cool restaurant, bar and lounge. They talk about having it like a garage and have mechanics work on cars right where people are dining. Sort of like a one stop shop.  Get the punch line? Of course not because there is no punch line, this is how Hotrods was born and what makes them such a popular place, not to mention, look how many local people they employ which helps build our economy.

Today Tucson Biz Beat salutes Hotrods Old Vail. I think Vail and the surrounding areas have been waiting for a good place to eat. In fact, they waited so long that on opening day, there was over 8,000 people. The folks at Hotrods were not expecting this at all. In fact, they had to shut their doors and hire more people and make some adjustments, and that they did. If you ate there when they first opened you may have had a few negative things to say, but today, they are kicking strong and serving happy customers. to hang out for drinks or great food. They are simply different.

I have eaten there on three occasions and have been rather happy each time. On my first visit, I had a salad. It was clearly large enough to feed at least two or three people and I was quite happy with it. The salad was fresh and the ingredients were quality. My second and third time was both burger and fries and it was good. In fact, the double fried fries are the best in town. They were crispy, crunchy on the outside, and moist on the inside. I could just go there and eat these fries, but I doubt my new personal trainer would approve, so I have to be careful. The burger is made of 100% Harris beef. What makes this beef so good is Harris beef is minimally processed and contains no artificial ingredients, which made my burger awesome and cooked the way I liked it. Still nothing and I mean nothing could beat the chocolate shake I had. It was simply awesome! Did I say simply awesome? I mean out of this world!

Upstairs is the over 21 bar. It is a nice bar and the view is even nicer. Their drink menu reads like an auto shop. You can have an assortment of drinks like the toolbox or the sparkplug.  It has an outdoor patio and the good news is they have a variety of things going on at the bar including karaoke night on Wednesday, bike night on Thursdays, and they are even going to start receptions.

Okay so this sounds like a great joint to eat. They have pizza, pulled pork, salads, steak, burgers, pasta dishes and some fun appetizers, and much much more but what makes this place so unique is their huge garage that overlooks the entire restaurant. You can watch the great old cars they are working on and you can call and have your car worked on. In fact, down the road, they are going to have a “lube pit” sort of building going up so you can get an oil change and a burger all at once. They are also opening a body shop.  There are many plans in the making, which also means they are providing jobs for locals.

Manager, Matt, and assistant JJ really have worked hard to bring this new restaurant/bar/garage up to par. They know the first month or so they were getting the kinks out, but I have talked to several people who say they were glad they gave this cool diner and bar another chance because the quality has been great according to customers. They are even open on the weekend for breakfast and Matt bragged about breakfast for a few, which means it must be good. Their prices are comparable a burger and fries are 10 bucks and a shake is 5 bucks.

If you are out by Houghton and Old Vail, it is a great place to have a drink or some great food. The decor is fun and designed to make you feel like you are sitting almost at a racing pit. So today, Tucson Biz Beat salutes Hotrods Old Vail. They have good food and good times at a great location.  Now if you don’t mind, I think I will go get a nice shake…errrr that is a salad I mean, yeah that’s it, I am off to get a salad.

Years ago I recall going to the folk Fest and listening to folk singer and songwriter Annie English. Her solid voice and songwriting style made me want to listen more. Her voice and strong will was like a bright light. Annie English has taken that bright light and turned it into healing and today, Tucson Biz Beat salutes Annie English and her business East Meets West.

Annie always felt music was healing and took that healing mentality that she so strongly holds and went to school and earned a degree is massage therapy, earned her Master’s in Acupuncture and became certified in a variety of integrative healing modalities.

She believes that an integrative approach to healing is the best way to heal the mind-body and spirit. Annie says she “listens and follows” what the body is saying. Often with traditional healing, we do not pay attention the body as a whole. Whether it is her music background, or her strong intuition, she is able to help facilitate healing by listening to the language of the body.

The modalities that English uses include massage, energy work, acupressure, cranial sacral, Reiki, and listening to the body. These expert modalities helps her heal issues such as addictions, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, PTSD, anxiety and depression, plus much more. Annie spends a few days a week at Sierra of Tucson outside her private practice to help people there.

Annie’s 22 years experience makes her an expert at what she does and people who have been helped by her have no problem singing her praise. Speaking of singing, she believes that music is a huge healing tool and said, “The voice is one of the best healing instruments there is.” She has no qualms about integrating music as part of her healing practices.

Annie states that part of her job is to find out where the “energy blockage is and restoring it.” With passion in her voice she says, “This is teaching people to feel with the heart as opposed to the head.” This attitude has helped English heal many local Tucsonans and assist them in their life with not only walking an improved path, but also walking it with ease and comfort.

If you are like me, you may have heard the name Annie English and related it to the Tucson music folk scene, but Annie English is far more than a musician, she is an experienced integrative healer and works full time in helping people restore themselves back to balance.

If you live in the Tucson Arizona area, by all means, drop her a line at Annie@eastmeetswesttherapies.com and see what all the talk is about. Restoring a person back to their natural balance is a number one hit for Annie English.

Anthony Diaz at Rosa’s

In May of this year, a family event would change my life and my outlook. My mother, who is my 83-year-old father’s caregiver fell and broke her hip. The week before she fell, I told her, I thought she was going to fall and break her hip and to give me instructions if that ever happened. My father has COPD, dementia and a sever anxiety disorder; he is almost impossible to handle. My mother never did tell us what to do, but she did write down a phone number and said to ask that person about a residential home. I wrote it down and found a lifesaver, so today, Tucson Biz Beat salutes, Rosa’s Chante Assisted Adult Care Living.

From the moment I went there, Anthony Diaz gave me hope and made me feel that my father would be okay. There was so little work that I had to do because Anthony made sure I had the help. I was concerned because my father gets upset easy, and has sundowners, which is a confused state and extreme agitation once the sun goes down. He assured me that they could handle it, as Rosa’s did what other places do not do; they specialize in dementia and the outbursts and aggressions that go with it.

What I loved even more about this nine bed adult care home was that they worked with these behaviors without over medicating their clients. Staff are trained to work on calming techniques rather than drugging techniques with the residents. Diaz called it “redirection therapy.”  This really worked because each time I visited my father, it was quiet and calm and I visited daily and different hours.

When you first walk into this beautiful home, there is elegance to it, yet a homey appeal.  I felt right at home. I did not feel like I was at a nursing home. There was nothing there that resembled a nursing home at all. It felt like just being at a friend’s house.  Anthony’s goal is to give elderly people a home environment versus an institutional environment. I might add he does a wonderful job.

Anthony says Rosa’s is “one stop shopping” for his residents. Whether it is haircuts, medical treatment or other services, most services come right to the home. They have a holistic health consultant, people who help with grief and loss and even a library that comes to the house. They offer pet therapy, encourage independence while building self-esteem and a caring home atmosphere.

My father tends to “wander” and so I was pleased that they had security in place for those who wander. I felt safe with my father being there and knew he would get his needs met. Rosa’s employees round the clock staff and adds to the Tucson economy. It is a family run business and is very family orientated.

Finally, what I really honored about Rosa’s is the fact the Diaz goes out of his way to talk with families and friends about the aging process and he knows the process well after twenty years of experience. In fact, this September Rosa’s will celebrate twenty years of being opened and they have a lot to brag about.  They offer so many services and an affordable price. They are a long-term care facility that helps people age with respect and dignity.

My father is home now, but I still go to Rosa’s Chante Assisted Adult Care Living to visit Anthony and their staff and residents. I still enjoy the fact that every time I go there, it is quiet, clean, and a sense of being home.

So today, Tucson Biz Beat salutes Rosa’s Chante Assisted Adult Care Living and Anthony Diaz for going out of his way to provide long-term care for the elderly. He is always available to talk with families and caregivers if they are looking positive options for their aging loved ones including respite care, and believes in keeping it local and real. Thanks Anthony for all you do for our elderly community in Tucson.

Tucson has such an eclectic variety of local businesses. We Tucsonans can do almost anything using local business including dealing with taxes. Sure, you can use a big name that will give you the essentials, or you can use a CPA and tax expert that is familiar with Arizona’s tax laws. Today Tucson Biz Beat proudly salutes Robert Studinger CPA and Tucson Tax Help.

Roberts diversified work experience can give you the leading edge on your taxes. You may not think it is important, however, if a person is good at taxes they not only can save you money, they can get you more money back. However, you need a sharp mind and someone who is qualified. That where Robert comes in because he is knowledgeable and can get Tucsonans what they need, good reliable help.

He is an active member of The Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants (ASCPA), so he is held to high standards and must maintain 40 hours of continuing education yearly. This keeps him current on all tax laws and he has a real focus on Arizona tax laws.

Studinger has spent over 28 years in Tucson. He came from Pennsylvania and he came here packed with an assortment of knowledge. He stated that what he noticed about Tucson is the people are open to new ideas, and he had great tax ideas that can help Arizonans and he has been doing so for many years.

Robert believes that Tucson has some great advantages and is excited to be in Tucson. He thinks the growth in Tucson opens opportunity for small businesses, and enjoys helping people set up their finances for their new growing business. He enjoys being in Tucson as it is conducive to one of his favorite past times, when he has time, and that is riding his ATV and sitting atop of a hill and looking at this beautiful city that he is part of.

Studinger also enjoys Cinnamon, the tax dog, and takes her for long walks as well as to work every day. She is simply part of the business. Robert takes real pride in making sure people are at ease and stay calm when it comes time to their taxes and financial status. He is like Prozac for the tax mind and has the ability to calm people so they are free from worry. These small joys offer him comfort and make him feel good about what he does.

Therefore, Today Tucson Biz Beat salutes Robert Studinger CPA for owning a small business and helping people in Tucson finding solutions to not only their taxes, but also their small financial business needs.

I am a Facebook fan there is no denying it. I use it for work and for personal use. I love everything about Facebook including how people I do not even know end up on my Facebook. For the past 5 or 6 months there has been a person on my Facebook that I keep saying, “Do I know this person?” I don’t but the pictures of a pregnant woman and what looks to be a happy group of family and friends keep appearing on my Facebook.  Then her son was born and I actually caught myself doing a meditation and offering them blessings. Good grief I do not know these people, yet through the photography, I feel like I am a part of this experience.

Today Tucson Biz Neat Salutes Movement Shala Photography with photographer Jade Beall. Her pictures are so realistic and profound that it makes you feel that you are part of the people’s lives that she photographs. Maybe that is the way Jade wanted it. She is a Tucson High graduate and thanks to her teacher, Jerry Halfmann, she discovered she has a passion for photography.

Jade is no ordinary photographer. She has a real focus on women, being real! Natural or as she puts it, “the authentic beauty of women.”  Jade stated, “I photograph women just as they are, not airbrushed and not done up. Instead women dancing, yoga-ing, being mothers and sister, just being real juicy women!”

Her pictures show it when you look at them. I always am keeping an ear and eye out for Tucson Biz Beat and how Beall photographed women caught my eye over and over. I am unsure if I have seen a photographer go for such natural stunning pictures of women before. “I love that I can show a woman how beautiful she really is through photography.” Jade says, “Our culture has failed at praising authentic beauty, in my opinion. I love that I can reflect the beauty which I see in all humans and facilitate a healing so that perhaps one can create a new story in believing that she is undeniably beautiful.”

Jade Beall stated that she spent part of her life “feeling unworthy and ugly” and said   “It feels good to feel beautiful.” She uses her natural eye to capture the beauty of everything. Jade says “Today, I am joyful servant in helping other women feel wonderful about themselves because life isn’t short, just a lot of people waste it. When we feel beautiful and worthy, we can stop focusing on a story that does not serve us and really enjoy this life, creating happiness for ourselves and for others!” Her pictures are wonderful and to try to pick one for this story would not do her justice so visit her site and look at the amazing talent Beall Has.

Photography and being a new mom is not her only passion. Beall may have an eye for beauty and can reflect the inner essence of people,  but she also has a passion for beat and movement and she turns her wonderful photography studio into a dance studio where she teaches West African dance. Classes are open to the public and the website offers a variety of good information for this and other skilled instructors.

So Tucson Biz Beat proudly salutes this powerful women, mother, photographer, dancer, instructor and thanks her for bringing her creativity and positive outlook of life to Tucson and joining the ranks of people who do business for themselves. Thank you Jade Beall.

Let’s get one thing straight. I was raised on good old American sandwiches. These tasty meals come in every size, shape and flavor. There is something to be said about a meal within bread. Today I have picked my all time favorite sandwich shop to salute. Sausage Deli at 2334 N First Ave on Grant and First. I have been going to Sausage Deli for over 18 years and eating their wonderful sandwiches and in those 18 years, I have never had a bad sandwich, not even one that was mediocre. They have always been fresh and wonderful.

Now there’s the key. Chris Fanelli, owner of the Sausage Deli for the past 9 years says, “What’s the secret? It’s fresh daily!” He will be very matter of fact about how fresh his deli is. “We cut our vegetables daily.” When he says vegetables, he means the onions, tomatoes, the bell pepper, and tomatoes and when he says cuts, he means slices. The veggies are cut paper-thin and plenty of them on a sandwich. I love the thin slices of veggies because when you take a bite, like any great sandwich, you get a balance of flavor, not just tomato or onion.

His bread is fresh daily as well. You will never get a day old slice of bread or roll. It will be bread that is fresh and soft, the way bread should be. They cook their roast beef right on site as well. It does not get much fresher than that. They also make their salads fresh daily so when you get their potato or cole slaw or macaroni salad you can bet that is fresh daily as well.

What I enjoy about the Deli is the variety. Chris makes sure he adds “charisma to lunch.” I normally like to order the mesquite cooked ham with all the fixings. However, they have a few sandwiches that are big sellers. They include, Italian Grinder, which is Genoa salami, pastrami, smoked provolone lettuce, tomato, green pepper, onions, pepperoncini peppers & Italian dressing. Another favorite is Omar (The Breathtaking) salami,turkey & swiss on an onion roll with bell pepper, onion, chopped pepperoncini peppers, mustard & Italian dressing. Though the name sounds odd, I have had the Susie Sorority which is turkey, havarti, lettuce, tomato & sprouts on whole wheat with mayo and it was quite good.

Of course, one the best things I like about Sausage Deli is it is not a chain. Chris Fanelli runs it. There is only one in town. Tucson Biz Beat celebrates the business owner, not the chain foods. Chris also employs about 8 people. “We’re a team here.” He says, “It’s like family.” I have always had great service with a smile from his workers. Chris makes it a point to emphasize that even though the team is like family, this is a business all the way and business is always first. That is so he can offer Tucson the best of the best.

So next time you have a hankering for something extra good, extra fresh, and at a reasonable price, go see Chris and have his team make you up one of the best sandwiches in town. As Chris would say they are “simple stupid.” I have to say I love that, his food is so simple; and the freshness makes this deli stand so tall. Today Tucson Biz Beat salutes Sausage Deli. So stop by, get a coupon, check out their specials and enjoy the freshness of Tucson, it really is simple stupid and hmmmmm good!

Tucson is enriched with many locally owned businesses. So many in fact it is hard to keep track of. Tucson Biz Beat salutes these locally owned businesses. In the quest to search for locally owned business, I have discovered an arena that has many locally owned businesses under one roof, or shall I say one sky. That is the farmers market.

To me, the farmers market is like a ritual. Going for my Sunday walk with live music, fresh wonderful smells, and bags filled with fresh produce. I love the Sunday Farmers market at St. Philip’s Plaza is located at 4280 N. Campbell Ave. In an hour I can walk this wonderful market with well over 40 little locally owned shops and come home with local treasures.

Where else can I go to get my fresh local produce, soaps, lotions, breads, salsa, pita chips, worms, apple juice all while listening to music, enjoying a cup of tea with a nice gourmet empanada and having my knifes sharpened?  The St. Philip’s Plaza farmers market of course.

Whether you want coffee beans, Mesquite flour tortilla, organic  and gluten free foods, goat cheese spreads, natural beef, seeds, plants, soaps, sprouts, rubs, pastries, fresh eggs, roasted chili, scones, prickly pears popsicles, homemade bread pudding, spices, and produce that is often freshly picked either that night or the morning of.

What I enjoy about farmers markets is I know the food and products are local and I am feeding into my own local economy. There is a wonderful feeling I get when I know I am giving my hard-earned money to local merchants rather than giving to big chains. I also know this is helping my local farmers to continue to grow and sell their products.

The other thing I really enjoy about local farmers markets is the quality of the product I am getting. My favorite place at the market was late the other day. They finally arrived. I caught myself helping them set up the tables so they could get going. “Thank you” the young many said to me, “We were busy picking this morning.” Now that is fresh, When my Kale is only 45 minutes old, I know the quality of my product is going to excellent. The quality of their produce is indeed amazing, however, the quality of the bakes goods is wonderful as well as the little shops that sell homemade soaps and lotions as well as oils and remedies and tinctures.

The other wonderful thing about local farmers markets is it is just a wonderful place to be. Unlike local supermarkets where there are lines, pushing and shoving, people dogging your heals and a rather uncomfortable feeling, the farmers markets are outdoors and very friendly. The merchants go out of their way to get to know you and offer you their latest sample, advice or tip. The air is normally fresh, the music live, and many familiar faces that greet you.

I love going to farmers market and I have to say that the Sunday Farmers market at St. Philip’s Plaza is my favorite, however, know there are several markets in Tucson. Jesse Owens Market on Fridays, the Saturday  Oro Valley Farmers’ Market, Tucson Farmers’ Market at Maynard’s on Saturdays, Rincon Valley farmers market on Saturdays which is a craft show as well, and the River Park farmers market is some of the local markets.

What is important is if you want high quality food at a fair price, and support local farms and business, then Tucson farmers markets is the place to go. So get your cooler and water, pack up the kids and dog and head out and support local business. So today Tucson Biz Beat salutes the local farmers markets and says thank you for keeping it homegrown and good.

Tucson small business owners are everywhere and we often take what they do for granted. So today, Tucson Biz Beat salutes Kyle Meades who is a speech pathologist and owner of  Therapy Group of Tucson. Kyle has been helping children as well as adults with speech since 1993. He goal is to provided speech pathology services to both children and adults with speech, language, swallowing, voice and fluency disorders.

As a speech pathologist Kyle assess, diagnose, treat and help prevent speech, language, cognitive-communication, voice, fluency, swallowing and other related disorders. He stated he got involved when his grandfather took him to volunteer at care homes and care centers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana when he was just a child. Kyle said, ‘At that time, I realized that people had trouble talking and communicating and I always wanted to know why.  It sparked an interest, so when I attended college at Louisiana State University, I looked into the field of Speech and Hearing and fell in love with it.

Meades believes that communication allows people to connect.  When there is a breakdown in the communication process, it keeps us from each other. He explains that in young children most communication is achieved through play.  If a child has difficulty communicating with other children, that child may not have ample opportunity to interact, play and socialize with other children, and this can have negative consequences on learning and development.  With adults, after a stroke for example, when communication is compromised, the effects can be devastating and extreme frustration can occur.   A speech and language pathologist can help restore and treat these various communication difficulties.

As a speech-language pathologist, Kyle will develop an individualized plan of care, tailored to each of his clients needs.  He teaches people how to make sounds, improve their voices, or increase their oral or written language skills to communicate more effectively. As a speech-language pathologists he knows how to help his clients how to develop, or recover, reliable communication and swallowing skills so they can fulfill their educational, vocational, and social roles.

Kyle believes that he is a compassionate, caring individual who will not stop until the job is complete. I share an office building with Kyle and watch the relationship he has with children and I noticed that he takes pride in his work, and is always eager to assist people with their communication needs.

Tucson is lucky to have this transplant who came here after hurricane Katrina and established his business here. Therefore, Tucson Biz Beat salutes Kyle Meades and Therapy Group of Tucson. He adds to the community of Tucson’s business owners and offers a special service that he loves and is aware how much it helps others.