SAHUARITA SUN: WEDNESDAY JULY 11, 2007
Being involved in his community is a way of life for Sahuarita resident Alex Jacome
By Karen Walenga
Whether it's for his job as government liaison with the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association or as part of the town of Sahuarita's Economic Development Commission or the county's new Joint Technical Educational District board, Jacome focuses on what he believes is best for the area.
“I've always been involved in civic matters,” says this Tucson native whose ancestors were 19th century Southern Arizona pioneers.
He proudly points out that his grandfather founded Jacome's department store in downtown Tucson in 1896 and, during its 84 years of operation, became known as the Nieman Marcus of Arizona.
Jacome and his wife, Ruthann, have four children, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, and the couple has lived in Sahuarita's Rancho Buena Vista neighborhood for the past 12 years.
Jacome has worked for SAHBA for four years as an advocate for home builders in Sahuarita and Oro Valley, dealing with technical, environmental, educational, water and wastewater issues as they relate to homebuilders and local governments.
“We're also involved in green building,” he says, pointing out that SAHBA is concerned with the well-being of local flora and fauna.
He joined the town's EDC more than half a dozen years ago, is the group's chairman at present and strongly believes in sustainable growth that provides local employment, a tax base and a good quality of life. The commission's role, he says, is to find new commercial sources—both services and manufacturing—to bring to town.
Bioagriculture is one example Jacome cites, noting the proximity of the University of Arizona's Santa Rita Experimental Range to Sahuarita and efforts under way to partner with area universities on bioag development. He also sees educational opportunities for Sahuarita Unified School District students to nurture an interest in math and science by working at the range.
As a member of the new JTED board, Jacome believes in allowing students who aren't headed to college to look at different careers as their goal, “whether it's astrophysics or as a nail technician. It allows a student to go as far as that student wants to go in his education and be a productive member of society without the stigma of being a dummy,” Jacome says, noting that vocational education, while strong at SUSD, has been looked down upon at times.
Jacome also is active with the Home Builders Institute, the educational arm of the National Association of Home Builders. One of its projects is helping fund construction of Habitat for Humanity homes by area high school students.
In addition, he is part of the town's Capital Improvement Plan Technical Advisory Committee, the Wildlife Rescue Society, the Empire Ranch Foundation, the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance and a past board member of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.