Who We Are
The mission of Premier Alliances, Inc. is Improving the Lives of People with Disabilities.
We have been working toward that goal continuously since our inception in 1962, when local families came together to provide educational opportunities for children in Bisbee, Arizona who had developmental disabilities. Since then, Premier Alliances has evolved into the most significant employer of individuals with additional needs in Cochise County, providing well-paying jobs with benefits, allowing our clients to become more independent and achieve personal goals. In total, more than 75% of direct labor hours throughout the organization are performed by individuals with diagnosed disabilities. In-house educational programs are tailored to the needs and goals of individual employees.
Premier Alliances is a member of SourceAmerica, a nonprofit advocacy group which supports smaller nonprofit agencies in their efforts to secure and maintain federal contracts. Through SourceAmerica, Premier Alliances employees have access to numerous training and professional development opportunities, including certifications to handle new equipment and tools, management skills, disability awareness and more. Administrative level training includes courses like contract negotiation. Premier Alliances also encourages the continuing education of its employees through tuition support.
What We Do
Premier Alliances, Inc. is one of the primary employers of individuals with additional needs in Southeast Arizona.
Through our membership in the SourceAmerica network, Premier Alliances secures and maintains contracts through the federal AbilityOne Program, which sets aside certain federal jobs for individuals with disabilities. It is through these contracts that Premier Alliances is able to provide rewarding jobs with benefits in an accommodating environment that gives our employees the opportunity to learn new skills while support themselves and their families.
In addition to providing jobs, Premier Alliances engages in a number of efforts to Improve the Lives of People with Disabilities. These include integrating a number of community resources into our Bisbee Campus, including our fully accessible Founders Garden therapeutic space, an accessible walking and exercise loop, and providing space for professional development in our Education Conference Center.
Premier Alliances also supports the educational goals of individuals with additional needs in our community with our Founders Scholarship, open to Cochise County residents with disabilities, or their caretakers, each winter.
Our organization also engages in strategic partnerships with local nonprofits, government organizations, and other entities that share our vision of an inclusive community.
By providing rewarding jobs with benefits, advocating for inclusion in our communities, and supporting like-minded partners and institutions, we are working to create a future full of opportunities for people with additional needs.
History
Founded in Bisbee, Arizona in 1962 by families dissatisfied with educational opportunities for their children with disabilities, Premier Alliances, Inc. served both adults and children through educational and vocational programs, creating what was known as the Little Red School House and becoming the Cochise County Association for the Handicapped in 1975, and later renamed to Premier Alliances.
Today, we continue to provide employment opportunities for individuals with additional needs at The Fort Huachuca Army Installation and the historic Old Post Cemetery in Sierra Vista, and at the Brian A. Terry Border Patrol Station in Bisbee.
Executive Staff
John Charley, CEO
Hilary Gardner, Chief Operations Officer
Troy Bellinger, Project Manager
Derek Jordan, Outreach Coordinator
Our Contracts
Grounds Maintenance
For more than 20 years our crews have expertly maintained thousands of acres on the Fort Huachuca Army Installation in Sierra Vista, Arizona. This includes the historic Old Post Cemetery. This contract is part of the federal AbilityOne Program, which sets aside certain job opportunities for individuals with additional needs. Our partners at SourceAmerica help us secure and maintain these federal contracts.
Custodial
Our dedicated and professional custodial crews keep the Brian A. Terry Border Patrol Station in Bisbee, Arizona looking spotless. This contract is part of the federal AbilityOne Program, which sets aside certain job opportunities for individuals with additional needs. Our partners at SourceAmerica help us secure and maintain these federal contracts.
