Contributed article
THATCHER — Torey Cranford, a business analyst with the Eastern Arizona College Small Business Development Center for the past 3.5 years, has been selected to participate in Project CENTRL’s Class 35.
Torey brings more than 20 years of small business ownership experience to her role. Before joining the SBDC, she successfully owned and operated Cakes with TLC for 15 years, giving her firsthand insight into the challenges and opportunities entrepreneurs face while building and growing a business.
For the past three years, Torey has served as the facilitator of the DreamBuilder program, guiding aspiring and existing business owners as they build confidence, strengthen their skills, and develop sustainable businesses. Her passion lies in helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into action and providing the tools, knowledge, and support needed for long-term success.
Beyond her professional work, Torey is deeply committed to serving her community. She is the past President of the Graham County Chamber of Commerce and is a Board Member of Nathaniel’s Childhood Cancer Foundation. On July 1, she will begin her term as president of Safford Rotary, continuing her dedication to community service, leadership development, and economic growth throughout Eastern Arizona.
Torey’s combination of real-world business ownership, entrepreneurial education, and community leadership makes her a trusted resource and champion for the small business community throughout Eastern Arizona.
She has been married to her husband, Randy, for 27 years and is the proud mother of two children, Nick and Emaleah Davis (Ethan), and grandmother to two grandsons, Maverick and Colter.
Arizona Center for Rural Leadership, equips and empowers leaders to meet the needs of rural Arizona. The flagship program, Project CENTRL has trained more than 750 Arizona leaders since 1983. Project CENTRL’s impact on rural Arizona is significant and substantial as participants hold many leadership positions around the State.
Sixteen participants were competitively selected forClass 35, which held its first seminar June 4-6 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Flagstaff. Project CENTRL Class 35 will be traveling the state over the next 12 months, participating in nine seminars including Effective Communication, Natural Resources and the Rural Economy, State Budget Basics: Healthcare, Education & Corrections, Agriculture in an International Border Community, and Public Policy in Arizona.
They will also travel to Sonora, Mexico; Gettysburg, Penn.; and Washington, D.C. to explore leadership lessons from all perspectives. The program culminates with a team “Make A Difference” projects where class graduates address how they would help address and solve some of rural Arizona’s crucial issues and challenges.
