John Hessinger

Community Development Director, Better Business Bureau

FOR AS LONG as John Hessinger can remember, he’s had two focuses in his career: helping and building.

“With the BBB I am able to do both daily, and, each bring unique challenges with unique opportunities. I love connecting to this community and digging in,” Hessinger said.

As the community development director for the Better Business Bureau, Hessigner focuses on member/ business outreach in Yuma and Imperial counties, a process that involves marketing solutions, event promotions and more. He also works with the media to share information from the BBB such as press releases and community happenings, while serving on a variety of community boards and committees throughout Yuma.

Part of his efforts, he noted, is to help build Yuma up, “through business, through promotion and through volunteerism.”

He’s been at the Better Business Bureau for four years, but said his most memorable professional moment came in March, when the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce called him in to give a BBB update. However, it was all a ruse – the goal was to surprise him with the honor of 2020 Chamber Champion for his community efforts.

Of the honor, Hessinger said it was “one of the few times in my life I was speechless.”

In the future, Hessigner said he plans to grow in his role at the Better Business Bureau while helping meet the need in the community.

Hessinger noted his favorite quote is, “You never know what a thing can be,” which fits well with the advice he offered to his fellow young professionals.

“Take Chances. The safe road is easy, but the tough road is rewarding.”

LICENSED ATTORNEY JESSICA Holzer says the best part of her job is helping people.

“Many times, our clients come to us because they have suffered a serious injury that wasn’t their fault and do not know what to do. They have medical bills that are piling up, their personal lives have been severely impacted, and they feel helpless. I get to help them out of a very difficult time and hold the adverse parties responsible for their negligence,” Holzer said.

She became a licensed attorney in Arizona in March 2019, and works at Territorial Law. However, she’s worked in Yuma’s legal community since 2009, when she began working for the Yuma County Superior Court.

Currently, Holzer practices in civil litigation, representing plaintiffs who have suffered injuries or loss caused by the negligent actions of another person or entity.

Thus far in her career, her most meaningful professional moment came when she was sworn in as an attorney.

“Before going to law school, I worked as a bailiff/judicial specialist for Judge Maria Elena Cruz when she was on the Yuma County Superior Court bench. I spent every day working in her courtroom, observing proceedings from the sidelines. I was honored when Judge Cruz, now a judge at the Arizona Court of Appeals, came to Yuma to swear me in as an attorney in the very courtroom we worked in together for so long. Not to mention, it has been a very surreal experience getting to work alongside so many attorneys who I watched in court for years,” Holzer said.

In the future, Holzer hopes to work her way to the Yuma County Superior Court bench as a judge or commissioner someday.

“In the meantime, I’ll keep working hard to establish myself as a respected attorney in the community and the state,” she noted.