MBC sponsor Eric Herman collecting data on the Desert Tortoise in the Sonoran Desert near Lake Pleasant, AZ.

Eric Herman formally launched his biology career in 2004 when he became an environmental planner/biologist for an engineering and environmental company in Phoenix, AZ. But his passion for biology and nature began at a very early age when his family, who lived in a suburb of Chicago, would take backpacking trips out West.

Even in the big city, Eric had an affinity towards nature. He says, “I was always drawn to nature. Outside of Chicago there were ravines running into Lake Michigan. They were like big canyons. I was attracted to the mystery of nature. I would run around and explore rocks, water, birds, trees and plants. I’d see man-made and nature-made objects. In a word, I saw adventure! This set my pattern in life.”

Eric lives between Sonoita and Patagonia, Arizona. He gives to several local nonprofits, donating both his time and financial resources, because he believes that helping, giving and sharing is what keeps the system growing.

It was partly Mat Bevel Company’s (MBC) work with children that prompted Eric to recently become a sponsor. “Children are our future,” he says. “Any changes we need to make as a community come through educating our children. Mat Bevel Company does this in a super creative way that’s different. These kids may not even realize what creative problem-solving skills they’re learning until they’re older, but those skills will be vital to their success and ours as a society.”

Eric received his Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Ripon College in a small Wisconsin town. He received his Master’s degree in Environmental Planning from Arizona State University and became a resident of the state he fell in love with as a child during visits with his family to the Sonoran Desert.

“I love the Sonoran Desert. She’s a fierce but gentle lover if you pay her your proper respects,” he says. “With the desert, resources are scarce, but she’ll provide enough water, food and shelter if you take the time to learn from her.”

Eric launched his environmental business AtoZec in 2014 first and foremost to share his passion for wildlife. If you ask him what his company’s mission is, he’d say: “Passion. Period.”

He says, “I saw in niche in the market for passion-oriented accurate science. Often decisions are driven from the business end, but I lead my business with passion. I start with no assumptions. This helps me find and implement solutions without biases.”

In his line of work, Eric understands that solutions are always a compromise between the environmental and development. This can only be achieved through communication. He says, “I find ways to communicate so that we can work together. That’s how we solve our problems. You will never solve the worlds’ problems without reaching out and communicating.”

As a scientist, Eric’s sponsorship supports further development and implementation of The Universe Within world-building course. Eric sees the curriculum as the intersection of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with super creative art which is really important to him. He says, “There is a massive artistic side of my brain that’s always trying to speak to me. I feel like an artist when I’m on the land.”

Eric’s Nature Board for the Greater Roadrunner using found-object art from Cochise Stronghold, AZ.

And like MBC founder Ned Schaper, Eric is also a found-object artist: “I enjoy crafting with repurposed wood. I love finding treasures in nature, sometimes in bizarre places. These relics have a story. I may not know the story, but my art provides a window to the past. I call these nature crafts, random projects that become functional walking sticks or decorative items.”

In retirement, Eric has a strong desire to create a wildlife rescue facility. He’s done a lot of raptor rescue volunteer work for Wild At Heart in Phoenix, rescuing and building habitat for raptors that were rescued with the goal of releasing them back into the wild.

Eric also enjoys a simple wonderful lifestyle. He says, “I like to kick back and enjoy the quiet. I like feeding the birds. I try to make sure that I’m living that simple life, keeping the noise low so that I can hear the quiet.”

As far as what advice he’d give young people, he says, “I would say, love your self, love your life and enjoy it. Kids are driven into career and the system too much and too early. If you find what you love, then your career will follow.”

MBC sponsor Jack Zittere with his beloved dog Javier in beautiful nature.

Biologist Jack Zittere has supported Mat Bevel Company (MBC) for many years and in many ways. His love for the organization’s mission fuels his support. He says, “I love the idea that the nonprofit employs Founder Ned Schaper’s creative practices, Available Resource Technology, or A.R.T., which I would describe as a resourceful response to an extremely wasteful culture.

As an analog to this type of resourcefulness, Jack reflects back on high school kids from a poor part of west Phoenix that beat out students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in a robotics competition because they were resourceful. (Reference:

https://www.wired.com/2014/12/4-mexican-immigrant-kids-cheap-robot-beat-mit/)

And it’s especially relevant to our current situation, as we read how our planet and oceans are filling up with waste. Jack thinks that to turn a problem into revolutionary art form is brilliant! He believes this is just the type of system that’s needed to solve some of our pressing social and environmental problems.

Jack also enjoys spicing up everyday life with the excitement of watching MBC”s progress and being part of the visions of an art pioneer who’s growing an art lab. “I see the seeds in the field sprouting and flowering. It’s visionary and inspiring.”

MBC President Ned Schaper showing Jack Zittere and Braxton Hamer (Kid Bevel) prototypes from a new Museum Of Kinetic Art virtual tour and Bevel Café: A Junk Reality Show.

During a recent tour of Launchpad Artspace, Jack watched a prototype of Ned’s video for “Bevel Café: A Junk Reality Show” with the Coffee Guru character. He says, “I saw a very beautiful prototype of things to come, which I would describe as a moving stained glass surreal landscape. It’s very beautiful and very unique.”

Jack remembers live performances of Ned’s Surrealistic Pop Science Theater that bend space and time. The work reminds him of Dali’s beautiful surreal landscapes but infused into theater.  After his recent visit, he has a much better vision of how scale and form can be used to introduce characters in video landscapes of the moving sculptures with greenscreen technology.

“Ned’s making short time capsule movie vignettes from our culture and the medium is very beautiful,” says Jack. “I think this short format is a direction we’re already moving towards with decreasing attention spans. I envision people receiving short inspirations from the Surrealistic Pop Science Theater via “The Bevel Café.” The soundtrack will be so important, too Ned’s done a good job with his own sound tracks, and teaming up with launchpad musical artist Thom Jordan will add new dimension to the theater.”

Ned Schaper showing Jack Zittere the new camera rig at Launchpad Artspace.

Most of all Jack is excited about the emerging video content coming out in 2021. I see some very exciting prototypes with all the programs, especially with The Universe Within STEM world-building curriculum, Bevel Café and Kid Bevel.

“It’s inspiring to me that someone would dedicate their life to inspiring others and making visionary art. And now, with these new programs extending Ned’s work into tangible benefits for society, I’m extremely excited about opportunities as MBC scales its work. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for as someone who has contributed over the years. Imagineering at its finest!”

MBC sponsor Bill Taft has dedicated his life to researching and preserving wildlife. He lives near Lansing, Michigan with his wife Barbara (Gussie) Kennedy and their British Lab, Luna.

William (Bill) H. Taft Jr. is a sponsor of the Mat Bevel Company (MBC). He is a retired senior aquatic biologist for the State of Michigan where he worked for 25 years. He still pursues, collects and shares one of his greatest passions, moths of the family Sesiidae (clearwing moths), through his research and published findings.

Bill has supported MBC for many years, because he believes Ned Schaper’s unique body of work has multiple real-world applications. He likes how the nonprofit is infusing Ned’s work into STEM education in a very personal and engaging way. He says, “That’s real hands-on education! And it’s not just rote memorization for students or boring in any way.”

Bill working on a biological stream survey for the State of Michigan near Mount Pleasant, MI in 2012. 

A scientist himself, Bill recognizes the tremendous amount of physical science incorporated into  Ned’s work. “The framework for Beveldom is perfect for STEM,” he says. “Ned could have taught physics, engineering or been an astronomer, if he had wanted. He’s got that mindset and knows a tremendous amount about mechanics, motion and force, as you can see in his kinetic sculptures. Now, these cool mechanisms are being used to educate and inspire students into making something of their own that’s sculptural and mechanical. That’s a much better way to learn as opposed to watching someone else’s creation.”

Bill admires the nonprofit’s unique ability to extend one person’s intellectual property, in this case Ned’s unique body of work, into an additional tangible benefit for society. “Students can look at the museum, but when they understand ‘the why and the how,’ that’s where the learning starts,” says Bill. “The sculptures open the door to the imagination, and the curriculum makes the science real.”

He supports MBC because the nonprofit is utilizing Ned’s unique art to benefit the next generation. He sees it as a perfect arrangement, but he understands that it takes a great deal of commitment. He says, “There’s more to it than just money. MBC is using new creative teaching techniques because they see a need in the world of education. They want to provide programs that are different, yet meet requirements while also making life more interesting.”

And he knows science and education of students doesn’t happen by osmosis or magic! MBC has been working diligently over the last 6 years to convert the live theater and museum tours into 21st century programming using tools and technology that kids grew up with. Before COVID-19, MBC was already on the path to integrating digital media into collaborative and hands-on activities. COVID-19 moved the timeline forward for this type of programming as the demand for remote learning has been accelerated.

Thanks Bill, for your continued support of Mat Bevel Company!

Mat Bevel Company sponsor and Sonora Investment Management Partner Doug Rogers with his family at Rocky Point, Mexico.

Sonora Investment Management assists people in making better use of their financial assets. To develop customized portfolios to suit each client’s needs, the team conducts quite a bit of research, utilizing calls with management, and reviewing SEC filings, earnings call transcripts, bond indentures and other forms of public information. Sonora Investment takes a bottoms up approach to valuation by assessing each company’s ability to generate free cash flow, balance sheet strength, competitive position and potential for growth. All investment research is done in-house.

Sonora Investment Partner Doug Rogers says, “The black swans and unanticipated events like COVID-19 we can’t know. But we can see that the rate of technological change is accelerating. We are seeing tremendous innovations in humanity’s ability to treat disorders and diseases which have never been treatable before, and vast advances in our ability to improve technologies for already treatable conditions. There’s so much going on, it’s mind blowing. This faster pace of innovation opens up investment opportunities.”

Sonora Investment has a unique specialty in convertible bonds—bonds issued by a corporation that, unlike a regular bond, give the bondholder the option to exchange the bond for common equity shares in the company that issued it. From an investor perspective, a convertible bond has a value-added component built into it because has a stock option hidden inside. Convertible bonds are most often issued by companies with a high growth potential, which often means it’s a great investment.

Doug Rogers with his family in Ireland.

Rogers says, “Our entire team is watching the rapid change in the market for high growth potential. There are some elements of investment that are numerically driven. We look at numbers derived from financial statements. But that doesn’t tell you where things are going. A big part of what we do at Sonora Investment is identify businesses that are likely to thrive and grow. This involves intuitive judgement, based on real world experience.” 

Rogers says that Sonora Investment supported Mat Bevel Company this year because of educational programs like The Universe Within that teach people, especially youth, how to proactively cultivate creative thinking skills, which is where so much of the real stuff happens. He says, “We support MBC’s work because it’s important to teach young people how to be more conceptual and how to generate the big ideas. If you don’t use certain parts of your brain, they will atrophy.” He’s also excited about Mat Bevel Company launching Available Resource Technology (A.R.T.) TV to inspire people to think more creatively through quality online programming.

Doug Rogers in Venice, Italy.

The work of Sonora Investment and Mat Bevel Company requires both organizations to see where the market will be in 2 to 5 years. This requires working with multiple year time horizons and imagining what could happen next.

As far as what Sonora Investment would like to pass on to future generations, Rogers says, “I would tell young people to be self-aware and make every day count. Be mindful of every moment.” He adds, “My optimistic view is that overall things are evolving in a positive way that’s far beyond us individually. Having a sense that you’re part of something bigger, is a beneficial way to view the world. I have personal conviction about this. And, yet, individually, each of us can make a difference.”

Thanks for your support, Doug Rogers and Sonora Investment Management!

Mat Bevel Company sponsor Jack Zittere, field ecologist in the Rocky Mountains.

Jack Zittere has been closely connected to nature since he was a small child. He says, “I’ve always liked being outdoors and exploring the natural world. I like understanding nature, and relaxing in it.”

The son of an engineer and an art historian, he’s always looked at nature with a scientific and artistic eye. He studies how science, art and nature come together. Collecting data on spotted owls and yellow billed cuckoos takes him into the pristine mountain ranges of Southeastern, Arizona. He says, “I feel at peace when I’m in nature. I feel fulfilled.”

Jack cites Ned Schaper’s Surrealistic Pop Science Theater as one of the best examples of how art, science and nature come together. The sculptures, which serve as the set for the theater, hold particular interest for Jack, who always wanted to be a sculptor. He explains, “I would find great junk elements and give them to Ned, then he would turn the parts into a clever and brilliant combination of mechanics and art for the theater. His work deeply inspires me.”

Jack Zittere with Mat Bevel Company President Ned Schaper’s grandson, a burgeoning artist in his own right!

He continues, “Ned’s theater environments are incredible. His theater is a fantastic confluence of music, poetry, sculpture, performance and lighting. It’s a totally new amalgam, a new direction in theater that has to get out to the world. People need to see it to understand it. That’s where the magic is.”

Jack sees  the imagination as the spark of creativity. He became a Mat Bevel Company sponsor during the “Escape Velocity” campaign because he believes, through Bevelvision, Ned is producing a whole new way for people to experience cinematic theater in the future.

He thinks Ned’s involvement with The Universe Within world-building curriculum will help him re-imagine how Bevelvision will unfold. “Having kids involved is great. Students at Patagonia Elementary School are participating in the filming of The Universe Within and Ned and his grandson are working on a kid’s TV show. I’m excited to see what will emerge over the next year or two with Ned and kids exploring art, science and nature in a surreal landscape.”

Jack loves to find treasures among the stuff others throw away. Lucky day—He found some great books in the dumpster!

Jack’s personal mission is to leave the world a better place than he found it. His vocation is a vehicle for him to do that. When he finds a rare plant or animal in an area slated for development, his discoveries have sometimes saved critical habitat. His ecological research has led to a greater understanding of endangered species’ population dynamics and behaviors.

Supporting Mat Bevel Company is another way Jack feels he’s making the world a better place.

He says, “Mat Bevel Company takes on really big and innovative challenges. They are not doing the ordinary. By supporting Mat Bevel Company, I feel I’m helping other people use the imagination to further the appreciation of art, science and nature.”

South32’s Communities Manager Melanie Lawson handing out school supplies for the “Jump Back to School” event in Nogales, Arizona.

South32 is a mining and metals company whose purpose is to make a difference by developing natural resources, improving people’s lives now and for generations to come. The company is trusted by its owners and partners to realize the potential of their resources.

Melanie Lawson is the Communities Manager for South32, responsible for developing relationships with the local community and developing community investment as well as other programs. Outside of her work with South32, Melanie enjoys spending time with her family outdoors. Her family loves swimming and golfing together as well as exploring new places all around Arizona.

Melanie says, “South32 supported Mat Bevel Company this year as a sponsor because it’s a unique organization that provides an educational benefit as well as an arts and culture benefit to local students. The Universe Within program is unlike any other and pushes students to explore science, engineering, and art all at once.”

South32’s Garner Lea – Senior Project Engineer, Angela Watt – Manager Underground Engineering and Pat Risner – Hermosa Mine President.

Similar to Mat Bevel Company, South32 is committed to cultivating ingenuity and inspiring people to tackle challenges with greater imagination. The Hermosa project in Patagonia, Arizona, is bringing together big imaginations, deep thinkers, problem solvers, and visionaries from across the industry, because the project has so much potential. The Hermosa project is providing South32 with the rare opportunity to consider using technology and other innovations in a way that typically isn’t done in the mining industry. Melanie says, “We’re exploring new technology and innovation as they relate to mining. It’s an open-minded approach to modernizing the way we bring metals to market.”

Melanie believes that responsible environmental management is an obvious way to make the world a better place. She says, “I know that many people don’t think responsible management of environmental impacts and mining can coexist, but I’ve experienced with South32 and other mining companies that it can.”

South32’s Melanie Lawson with her daughter at the Patagonia Volunteer Fire & Rescue Annual Steak Fry & Raffle in Patagonia.

Two of the key things that Melanie would like to pass on to future generations are access to education and economic opportunity. She says, “I want not only my own children but also the children in the communities where we work to have access to quality education, which can then open the door to economic and other opportunities.”

South32’s aim is to build a trusting and long-lasting relationship with the community and to leave a positive legacy. Partnering with Mat Bevel Company is one way that South32 supports local education and art in the local schools, which in turn makes a positive impact in the community.

South32 Hermosa Community Fund Grant Supports Production of The Universe Within Multimedia Digital Curriculum.