Capitol Lobbyist Gretchen Jacobs has joined Greenberg Traurig LLP in Phoenix. Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, Ms. Jacobs maintained her own lobbying firm where she worked with the Legislature and regulatory agencies. Ms. Jacobs’s work has earned accolades from state political leaders, including House Speaker Jake Flake, R-5. “Gretchen is top notch. She works well with everyone in the Legislature and there aren’t many lobbyists I would say that about,” he said. Jeff Verbin, managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig’s Phoenix office, said the firm has been looking to expand its governmental affairs practice in Arizona for some time.

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The Arizona Republican Party recently opened two new headquarters. Mesa Republican Headquarters is at 1818 E. Southern Ave., Suite 19A (Southern & Gilbert) and covers Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Apache Junction and Queen Creek. The telephone number is (480) 892-7692. The Tempe Republican Headquarters is at 975 E. Elliot Rd., Suite B-2 (Rural & Elliot) in Tempe. It covers Tempe, Guadalupe, Ahwatukee, Sun Lakes and Chandler. The phone number is (480) 839-5172.

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The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central & Southern Arizona and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northern Arizona will merge to form the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona. For nearly 25 years, the Central & Southern Arizona chapter has been granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. The Northern Arizona chapter has been serving critically ill children since 1983. The newly merged chapter headquarters will be the Wish House, 711 E. Northern Ave., in Phoenix. Satellite offices will remain open. Rebecca VillicaÑa, current president and CEO of the Central & Southern Arizona chapter, will serve as the new chapter’s CEO.

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Sandra A. Abalos, managing partner of Abalos & Associates, P.C., has been named the membership development representative for Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and will serve as a liaison for the national organization and the Arizona Chapter’s membership. WIPP is a national bi-partisan public policy organization that advocates on behalf of women in business. The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Phoenix Chapter and the 2003 Small Business Administration’s Arizona Small Business Person of the Year have named Ms. Abalos the 2002/2003 Business Owner of the Year. Abalos & Associates, P.C. is a CPA firm.

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Snell & Wilmer has been named the No. 1 law firm to do business with in Phoenix, according to a survey by Corporate Board Member Magazine, a national publication that covers corporate governance and boardroom issues. The magazine bases its findings on a poll of its readers — some 52,000 directors and general counsel of publicly held companies traded on the New York and American stock exchanges and the Nasdaq market. Snell & Wilmer is a full-service business law firm with more than 350 attorneys practicing in six offices throughout Western U.S.