Rene Knechtle: I was born and raised in Zurich, Switzerland. After working for 25 years in the banking industry, it was time for a change in my life. I quit my job as the head of corporate banking of one of the major regions in Zurich. My family and I moved to Tucson in 2004. After a sabbatical, I decided to go back to school. I signed up at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute to become a chef. In 2008 I graduated with honors and started working at one of the best restaurants in town. During my journey, I met Chris and Jose who are now my partners. In November 2009 we bought the restaurant Enoteca Pizzeria Wine Bar at Church and Congress in the heart of downtown. We serve rustic Italian cuisine and brick oven pizzas. We also have a nice wine bar. Please come and see us at the restaurant.

Brian McLaughlin loves to make films, as a producer (five features and many shorts) and actor (over 50 of them). He is the founder of Emerald Elephant Entertainment (www.emeraldelephant.net ) and acts under the stage name Brian Mulligan (www.brianmulligan.com and www.imdb.com/name/nm1701744/ ). Plus, he occasionally performs stand-up comedy. For a day job, he teaches at The Art Institute of Tucson. He enjoyed 20 years in the Army and Army Reserve in the Infantry and Special Operations, including call-ups for Bosnia and after 9/11. He somehow managed to get a business degree from the University of Notre Dame, who recognized him as an Exemplary Asian Pacific Alumnus, and received an MBA from Boston University. He loves dogs, especially bulldogs, which his wonderful girlfriend, Stephanie, has also come to appreciate, or at least accept. He has a great son, Collin, who also loves bulldogs.

Colette Barajas: After closing a business of eight years, I searched for a career that would enable me to remain extremely active in the community and to truly help people in their life choices. Real estate allows me to achieve both of these goals. I thrive on challenges: the search for the perfect property, the negotiation phase, and the journey to a smooth closing. As broker and owner of Century 21 Centra Realty  I have found my niche.  You can contact me at Colette.barajas@Centruy21.com.

Manish Shah was born in India, and spent much of his childhood in New York. At a young age, a business opportunity brought his family to Tucson, Arizona, where as an adult he would make his home. In the early 1990’s, Manish began to notice a rise in the popularity of chai tea, a drink traditionally served in India. This prompted the young entrepreneur to develop his own formulation of chai, which he began to sell at a small booth at a local farmers’ market in late 1996. Maya Tea Company was born. As the years progressed, the tea company blossomed and soon Manish was asked to take over the management of the Tucson Farmers' Market. Today, Manish manages two local farmers’ markets and is opening a third, and the tea company has grown to provide over 200 varieties of tea, liquid chai and iced tea to accounts in 40 states. He also is the Director of Marketing and Branding at a rapidly growing niche software company. Eternally entrepreneurial, his eyes never close to opportunity, and those close to him are always on the lookout for what is next to come.

Deborah Knox is a career and lifework planning coach and has her own business, Life Transitions. She is also co-author of a book, Life Work Transitions.com, a comprehensive career planning book for the 21st Century. She's passionate about the world of work, self-employment, and serving others, and offers coaching services and speaking engagements. She is also part of a team presenting a series of workshops Planning for Today and Tomorrow,through the Tucson Pima Library Fit for Life 50+ Series. For more information, www.lifeworktransitions.com ; www.deborahknox.com ; and www.reframingyourfuture.com .