About

Focus of The Redwood Alliance

The problem with most phoenix networking groups is they focus solely on passing referrals.  Our founders and Leadership Teams have all participated in several traditional networking groups. We all felt these traditional networking groups were missing many more opportunities and ways to help fellow members be successful and grow their businesses. Our vision is to add additional levels of mentoring and assistance to our members including strategic planning,  alternative marketing solutions,  payroll and human resource issues,  accounting and tax discussions, procrastination and time management challenges to name a few.  In essence, members of The Redwood Alliance become a business advisory board or board of directors, helping  each other strengthen and grow our business in a variety of ways.

Dwight Getting – Gettingraphic

In the graphic design industry for over 20 years Dwight Getting, owner of Gettingraphic has been running a successful Graphic Design and Website Development company for the past 10-years.. Dwight trained under the industry respected Lee Parise of Parise Marketing Group in the early stages of his career. He later moved onto work for the Creative & Marketing Department of Federated Department Stores in New York City. When Dwight decided to move to Arizona, he opened his own company so he can focus on helping others build their businesses well. Now Dwight Getting runs a successful graphic design / website development agency working with such clients as Arizona State University (ASU), Alzheimer’s Foundation, Playboy Magazine, PetSmart, Mazatzal Casino, Santa Clara Flamily Health Plan, Cobalt Mortgage and the AmSafe, just to name a few.

Chris Keune – Rim 2 Rim Benefits

Chris Keune is a 17 year veteran of the health insurance industry. Over the past several years, Chris has worked in several different positions which gives him a unique perspective on healthcare. He has worked for insurance carriers, as an independent insurance broker, and is a small business owner. This diverse background helps him see the insurance industry from a variety of perspectives.

After working for several years for large insurance companies including Humana and Ameritas, Chris decided to join a small but successful agency in Scottsdale. As an independent broker, Chris was able to work directly with small business owners both in Arizona as well as in other states. It was during this time that Chris truly began to appreciate the challenges that many business owners face on a regular basis. After three successful years with Creative Benefit Concepts, Chris decided to join the ranks of other small business owners. He and his wife, Beth, started Rim 2 Rim Benefits, a boutique insurance agency catering to the needs of business owners. The agency was named after their love of hiking rim to rim in the Grand Canyon. Next year will mark their six annual hike in the Canyon.

Rim 2 Rim Benefits currently serves as the broker of record for the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. This relationship has allowed him to connect with several business owners in the Phoenix metro area. His agency works with companies both large and small although he truly enjoys educating and guiding small business owners. Chris also is involved with other organizations in the Valley such as BNI and Kiwanis. He has built a large, quality network of local business owners that share his passion for providing excellent guidance and service to their clients.

Chris brings his knowledge and experience from the insurance industry and from his multiple business networks to The Redwood Alliance. His goal, and the goal of his co founders, is to help each member grow their business to new heights.

Lester Abrams – In-motion Promotions

Les Abrams is a former CPA and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in multiple facets of business management, marketing, accounting and finance, sales and operations, including an established history of creating, managing, building brands and  profitable enterprises.

Les started his business career as a CPA with Coopers & Lybrand, currently know as Price-Waterhouse/Coopers.  Next, he held positions as both Financial Vice-President and Controller for Kaufman and Broad, Inc in their real estate syndication and asset management division.  Les partnered with and became Executive VP-Director of Acquisitions at American Capital Investors, then one of the leading national real estate syndication firms in the country.  He was integrally involved in helping raise in excess of $75,000,000 of private equity for limited partnerships investing in real estate projects located throughout the United States.  Primary responsibilities were locating, analyzing, negotiating and acquiring a majority of the properties and in the preparation of the private placement memorandum and financial projections.

Once again following his entrepreneurial instincts, Les co-founded High Five Sportswear, a manufacturer and distributer of custom logo fashion apparel to the corporate, promotional and premium incentive marketplace.  Apparel products were additional sold at retail stores under various specialty licenses and for private label customers.  This business also raised $3.9 million of equity with the successful completion of an Initial Public Offering placing it on the NASDAQ Stock Exchanges.  High Five was also recognized and selected for inclusion in Inc. Magazine’s prestigious “Inc. 500: Listing of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies”.

Currently Les owns In-Motion Promotions, a full service promotional products company, helping clients expand their sales and customer base using creative marketing strategies. The company supplies custom branded apparel and a wide variety of promotional products for creating customer awareness, building sales, corporate events, employee incentive programs, charitable fund raisers, etc.  And Marco Polo Pool Care, a swimming pool care business operating in the North/East Valley since 2001, which provides its customers with traditional weekly service, repairs and maintenance.

Les brings all his business and life experiences to The Redwood Alliance and, along with this co-founders, is dedicated to helping members take their businesses to greater heights and achieve their entrepreneurial dreams.

Learn more about the Redwood Alliance, call 888-271-8627.