As CEO and Executive Director of the Ahwatukee Chamber of Commerce, Andy Hayes is passionate about advocating for local businesses and helping them to succeed.
Hayes’ interest in business was sparked when he was a student at Arizona State University.
“I had a marketing and sales class that was taught by a young doctorate student named Jeff Conant,” Hayes recalls.
“After one of my in-class presentations he said, ‘Andy, you should go into sales; you have a great mindset for it!’”
Hayes took this advice to heart, and shortly thereafter landed a job with Carnation in Phoenix.
“That summer, after graduation, I was selling ice cream to Smitty’s, Bayless and Fry’s.”
After working with Carnation for many years, Hayes branched out into international sales, working with Walgreens, Target, Kroger and Costco to bring products from Asia to the United States.
When his oldest son Andrew asked him to do some non-profit work for the Ahwatukee Chamber, Hayes says it didn’t take long for him to fall in love with the organization and the local business community.
“That led to the start of my Chamber experience.”
In addition to his passion for business, Hayes, who was born and raised in Tempe, is equally as devoted to Ahwatukee.
“When I got married, South Ahwatukee was still growing and had that great Tempe kind of vibe with community, families and education at the foundation,” Hayes says, adding that at the time, The Foothills and Mountain Park Ranch were new and burgeoning communities filled with young adults and growing families.
“I knew that I wanted a large family with four or more kids. Each of my parents had four kids in their families and we had great holidays together, and family was a very important part of my upbringing.”
Hayes and his wife decided to make their home in Ahwatukee, and moved to Mountain Park Ranch in the 1990s.
“My four kids grew up in the heart of Ahwatukee and the schools, culture and community were everything we expected.”
As a busy father of four, Hayes says Ahwatukee has always offered plenty of wonderful community events for families, including his own.
From the Children’s Bicycle Parade on the Fourth of July and Concerts in the Park to First Friday, the Ahwatukee Easter Parade, Light Up Ahwatukee, PONY baseball, Little League baseball and more, Hayes says Ahwatukee truly embodies a welcoming small town.
Hayes’ children followed in their dad’s academic footsteps and are all proud graduates of ASU.
“My oldest son Andrew now owns a Farmers Insurance business in Ahwatukee and has given back to the community by serving on the YMCA Board, acting as an Ambassador for the Ahwatukee Chamber, umpiring for baseball leagues and much more,” he says.
Hayes’ daughters Courtney and Madeline both work for American Airlines as flight attendants, and are based in Washington D.C. and Miami, Florida, respectively.
“My youngest son, Michael, who also graduated from ASU, works as an Operations Manager for Walmart in Phoenix.”
When he is not busy at work, Hayes spends as much time as he can pursuing his love of baseball.
“I volunteer in Ahwatukee teaching two umpire clinics a year for young men and women. I educate them on the rules of the game and how to umpire for every situation,” he says. “I spend my evenings and weekends umpiring and coaching young umpires in PONY baseball, Little League and club and high school games.”
As an avid Sun Devil, Hayes is also a huge fan of ASU Baseball, attending about 50 games a year.
Looking back, Hayes is definitely pleased with his decision to move to Ahwatukee.
“There is no greater sense of community in any other part of the Valley that outdoes Ahwatukee. Ahwatukee is the Valley’s best in terms of community and family living.”
"My four kids grew up in the heart of Ahwatukee and the schools, culture and community were everything we expected."