By Mary Alice Murphy

The first featured speaker at the Gila Economic Development Alliance Roundtable momentarily confused his friends and fans. When the audience members and EDA members introduced themselves, the speaker said he was Ronald Quintana of Qs Bistro and the Fry House.

But he clarified his name when he began speaking. "My legal name is Ronald, but I use my middle name, Anthony," Anthony Quintana said. "I have had a lot of experience in food. I went to the California Culinary Academy, because food service has been one of my passionate goals. My objective is to throw great parties on a daily basis. I want to create an atmosphere where everyone can get along."

He said he worked with a production group in Las Cruces overseeing six bars. "I managed all the entertainment, and I was the executive chef at the Ramada Palms. It built me up to do what I'm doing in Silver. My first catering job in Las Cruces was for the Mayor's Ball."

"You just gotta try," Quintana said. "The only way you're going to learn is to try. I failed more times than I succeeded. Six years ago I opened Q's Southern Bistro. I was in Santa Fe, serving as the executive chef at the Marriott. I got the word that the building where Q's is was available. I let go of the executive chef job to take on this job. I wanted to take the risk. Why not try to give back to the community. I moved here. It's a lot harder doing this job than it was working for the hotel, which has an almost unlimited budget.

"What this has taught me is how to hit budgets, how to staff and how to market," Quintana said. "I was born and raised n Las Cruces, but my whole family lives here, so I used to come all the time on weekends and during school breaks."

He said he opened a Q's in Las Cruces, but closed it six months ago. "With all the construction and with the franchise competition in Las Cruces, it was my best learning lesson ... and most expensive, but I gained more knowledge. Before I even opened in Las Cruces, I wanted to open a wing house. Now the Fry House, with wings and fries, is open here. Q's and wings are going well and growing."

Quintana said he has directed his promotions toward the college. "I got involved with athletics, with the student council, because I wanted to create a place for gathering for students. Next came the professors and now business people are coming. A diversity of people is coming. The Fry House has taken off. We also have the Branding Iron Brewery. We do our own beer and sell that of others. We plan on expanding into the back half of the building at Qs, which is not being used. We also want to expand the Fry House."

"Not many franchises are here," Quintana said. "If they moved in, it would hurt all of us. A small town gives people, who want to create opportunities, the possibility of success. Silver has divisions between ages, between the art and music scene. If we can bring all of them together, this town will hum."

He said he believes the reason why businesses are closing is because more focus needs to be put on downtown. "We could bring a lot more tourists, if it were developed right. The more restaurants, the better. I'm glad Shevek is opening the new burger place and that Millie's is moving into Shevek's old place. I'm sorry Rob is going to sell the Curious Kumquat, but hopefully someone will move in and take it over. We need to create more things to keep people here, so they don't leave."

"I always try to push the envelope," Quintana said. "It's the way to move forward. We should try to bring stuff that's not been done before. We try to do stuff for the community to bring it together. We try to throw events for everyone. We now have enchiladas and tacos on the menu.

"I'm up all day, and up all night, crunching numbers," he continued. "I'll scrub floors. I'll do anything in the business. It creates a successful business if the owner is working as part of the team."

Gila EDA President Jeremiah Garcia asked if Quintana retains employees.

"I have had the two same cooks the whole time, all the employees have been with me for at least the last three years," Quintana replied. "I have had turnover, but now they are staying."

To a follow up question, Quintana said college students are hard to work with because of their schedules. "I do work with a lot of high school students, with not too high a turnover. It's very hard to find good employees, not just in Silver, but everywhere."

Earl Montoya, Silver City resident, asked what the biggest difference was between Las Cruces and Silver City.

"Number 1 is that locals support small businesses here," Quintana said. "Because there are no franchises and, if you have a good product, local business supports what we do." He said No. 2 would be the need to bring more entertainment to Silver City, and No. 3 would be the need for a better transportation system in Silver.

Paul Leetmae of Lawley Toyota and Ford, as well as a Gila EDA member, asked how many people in the audience had eaten at Qs or the Fry House. Everyone's hand went up. "I’m not a big fan of coleslaw, but his is something else. What are your busiest nights?"

Quintana said Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. "On Taco Tuesday, we sell about 1,500 tacos a day for $1 each. We have steaks, ribs, pastas, tacos, it's like an Applebee's. Except ours is all made from scratch. We have good quality food at a reasonable price. And I have the luck to have and I appreciate the community support."

Lucy Whitmarsh, MainStreet manager, thanked Quintana for the 25th birthday party for MainStreet. For the Lighted Christmas Parade, Q's hosts the awards ceremony. "We appreciate Q's. Part of the MainStreet mission is to match up businesses with available properties. We work with potential business owners in downtown."

Kim Clark of the Silver City Regional Association of Realtors® complimented Quintana on his fabulous job on social media. "I'm also excited about the music you're providing."

Brent Steinberg of the Holiday Inn Express asked about the hours.

Quitana said: "We get a lot of business because we stay open later, until 10 p.m. on weeknights and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m. If it's really dead, we'll shut down."

He said he uses social media for free marketing. Quintana said he tries to get entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings. "Shevek and I are getting together on entertainment. I try to work with all the restaurants. I am a chef at heart, but I look at the needs of the community."

Montoya said one of the realities of the area is that there are a lot of elderly and retired, of which he counted himself. "Have you thought of catering to that group with an A & A Hour (abuelitos and abuelitas)?"

Quintana said he has done that with lunch specials to bring in the "mature audience" earlier.

Lee Gruber, co-owner with her husband David DelJunco of Syzygy Tile, said she met Quintana, when they were both petitioning the Town Council to shut down streets on the same night. "He was unaware of the Clay Festival, and I was unaware of the music festival he was promoting. We both got permission. He to shut down a portion of College, and we shut down a portion of Bullard near Diane's. That night was magical. There were hundreds of people in town, walking back and forth between the two events. We will work together next year to blow it off the charts. I like working with Anthony, because he's always positive."

Pat Hunt of the Copper Cowbelles said the only venue where they can have a meeting is the Red Barn, but they would rather rotate into other venues. "Do you have a room for meetings?"

"The middle room at Q's is what we use now," Quintana replied. "But that's one of the things I want to do with the expansion is to have a back room of Q's for special events.

"I do try to stay positive," Quintana continued. "I stay positive; I keep working; and I keep trying. It rubs off on the employees and on the community. I was lucky to be raised that way. I'm lucky to have family and people who are working with us all this time. Please continue to support us and let us know when something can be changed or when we've messed up."

"What impressed me about Anthony," Leetmae said, "was his youth, his work ethic, and his upbeat personality. He is very inspiring. You're the example your peers need to pay attention to."

Quitana said he also allows local businesses to hang signs in his restaurants, because "the more you help the community, the better it is."

The next speaker was Emily Schilling, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments economic development planner. She spoke briefly on the role of the COG and gave updates. "We cover the four counties, but I'm giving you an update on Grant County." Schilling said Santa Clara received the Frontier Communities designation. "We are working with Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. in a workforce initiative for the summer of 2016. 'Soft skills' are not being taught in the schools any more. We are partnering with the schools and the chambers on this initiative. We're excited about it. If you're seeing issues in the young workforce, call me. We will call on community businesses for job shadowing. We are targeting 13-to-15- year-olds to get them trained."

She said the "big news" was the receipt of $250,000 from the Economic Development Administration for green jobs and renewable energy. "We will help local governments, small businesses and residents to become more energy efficient. The town of Silver City's Office of Sustainability goes into homes and businesses to do energy audits. We hope we can help with retrofits."

To a question about what soft skills are, Schilling explained they are customer-service related, such as how to write a letter, put addresses on an envelope. "We are looking at basic skills."

Steinberg said although the hotel doesn't have a ton of turnover, "we would rather hire an 18-year-old and train them. Some of them have had a class on how to interview, but some can't answer basic questions."

Alan Townsend of Allstate Insurance said he had a young person come in for an interview in a tank top, shorts and flipflops.

Clark announced a Capital Outlay Workshop at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the COG office.

Garcia said the Freeport Community Investment Fund was already accepting applications for funding by the deadline of Dec. 1.

Sean Ormand of 1st New Mexico Bank and a Gila EDA member said he appreciated Quintana. "He has done a lot for the community."

As a member of the New Mexico Partnership, Ormand said the group continues to put out potential recruitment opportunities. "We have challenges."

Leetmae encouraged everyone to vote every day through Oct. 31 for the Continental Divide Trail to receive funding by going to superiortrails.michelobultra.com.

Sandy Feutz of the Grant County Art Guild and the Silver City Art Association, as well as co-owner with her husband Tom Vaughan of FeVa Fotos, said 75 percent of people seen in galleries in Silver City are tourists.

"The Arts are an economic driver," Feutz said. "Tourists are non-polluting. They spend money and go home."

She also announced the annual Purchase Prize reception to take place at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 22, at the Pinos Altos Gallery. Red Dot weekends will take place Oct. 10-11 and Oct. 17-18. Dias de los Muertos would take place Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 and 2.

The Pinos Altos Gallery and the Silver City Gallery Association would be participating in the Red Dot weekends, with Oct. 17 as Locals Appreciation Day, the last day the Pinos Altos Gallery would be open for the season.

Vaughan noted that he had attended the presentation by the New Mexico Secretary of Cultural Affairs on the creative economy. "Maybe a forum by this group on the creative economy might help. A lot is home industry. We're fragmented without the marketing force we need."

Guadalupe Cano, Silver City town councilor, said the Town Council, after nine months of the plastic bag ordinance in effect, would, on Oct. 13, at the council's regular meeting revisit the issue with a hearing.

"As president of the WNMU Alumni Board, and as part of Homecoming, on Thursday, Oct. 8, we will host the premiere of a show by Border Town at 7 p.m. at the Global Resource Center. On Friday, for $25 each, we will host a banquet and dance; Saturday will feature a parade and the football game; and Sunday a Mariachi Mass and fiesta at Old James Stadium, including a Huacha Tournament with prizes. And the golf tournament is also on Friday."

Townsend said one of his largest sources of business is that Allstate offers benefit packages to companies for their employees.

Trent Bohl of Lawley Toyota and Smokey Joe's said Lawley Toyota has new master technicians and will be offering specials. "Smokey Joe's is doing well."

Jeremy Lewis of Furniture Gallery and America's Mattress said he has seen recent upticks in business. "Our mattress store is gaining traction. Right now, I have the biggest, strongest delivery team in town (he has three of Western's football players working for him). One of my former employees, who worked his way through Western at Furniture Gallery, just graduated this year and is now a teacher in Arizona. Another former employee went into a doctorate program and is being paid to teach, while studying."

Debra Frasca of LifeQuest said the agency has received several grants, including one from the Community Investment Fund to re-energize its yards maintenance program. "We will be creating an accessible parklet on the south side of the building with a PNM Power Up grant. We will also go back to selling fresh-cut Christmas trees to benefit our services. Also, Evangeline (Zamora) gave me permission to tell you that she will be retiring, and I will be taking her place as executive director."

Jack Herndon of First Savings Bank said the Roundtable is a "great forum, and Anthony is a great example."

Steinberg said the Holiday Inn Express finished its renovation and has had a great year. "With the mine slow down, it will affect us, but not too badly."

Marti Trammell of the Bridge Community to create a continuum of care facility from assisted living through hospice said the group would begin its Early Sunday Suppers again on Sept. 20. "Where else can you give a $10 donation, get great food and this time hear music from Bayou Seco. We appreciate tips, too."

Clark reported that real estate is "dead even with the last two years. New closing regulations that go into effect Oct. 3 will also slow down closings. September is Realtors Safety Month. The Home and Garden Show will take place in April at the Graham Gym on the Western campus. With my Prospectors hat, we are gearing up for next month's applications to be heard before the area legislators at the forum to take place late November or early December. The Grant County Fair starts Wednesday through Saturday, next week, with Thursday the pig show, Friday the sheep show, Saturday the steer show, awards at 1:30 and the sale at 3 p.m. A dance will be held Friday and Saturday nights. Go to grantcountyfairnm.com for the schedule."

Gruber said Syzygy has had its best three months since 2008. "We brought back all the employees to 40 hours. They stayed with us when we lowered them to 30 hours. I'm back from a six-week sales tour, and I saw positive feelings everywhere."

She also spoke about the Arts and Cultural District. "I was named interim director. Applications are coming in. I hope we have a new director by the end of September. We are doing a yearlong digital-advertising promotion on Silver City and Grant County in El Paso, Tucson and Albuquerque, including a huge Cliff Dwellings ad on the side of a Tucson streetcar. We are partnering with the Forest Service and the Park Service to work collaboratively to advertise. The Visitor Center is a trailhead for the Continental Divide Trail, and we will be getting a Vista volunteer for three years."

Arlene Schadel said Theatre Group New Mexico is starting out its season with a Broadway dinner and show on Oct. 24, and a spring production of West Side Story is in the works. "We are working with athletes choreographing the fight scene for West Side Story for them to perform in the musical." She encouraged attendance at the shows and support of the productions.