SANDWEG WILL FIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND STUDENTS
Why I'm Running
I'm dedicated to ensuring that every student and community has the opportunity to thrive. My mission is to foster an environment where educational and community resources are abundantly accessible, empowering individuals to reach their fullest potential. By prioritizing collaboration and open communication, I aim to create positive changes that uplift our communities, ensuring that no one is left behind. Join me in making a difference—together, we can build a bright future for all.
My Priorities
01
Tuition Freeze
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02
Educator Raises
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03
Facilities Upgrades
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Experience
I am a long-time Phoenix small business owner and community advocate who co-founded Copper Star Coffee in the Melrose District in 2006. I’m a strong supporter of local businesses and economic development, and I have served on multiple city commissions focused on strengthening community engagement and supporting small businesses. I have also taken creative writing courses at Phoenix College and have seen firsthand the impact of Maricopa Community Colleges through my daughter’s participation in the dual enrollment program. I am deeply committed to expanding educational pathways for students and families and bring energy, optimism, and a strong belief in the Maricopa Community Colleges.
Meet Bill
My name is Bill Sandweg. I was born and raised here in the Valley of the Sun. I grew up in Tempe with my brother and two sisters. My family has been in Central Arizona for almost 100 years. We’ve spent summers and winters all over the Great State of Arizona. Camping, fishing, skiing, hiking, and just driving down the winding roads of our State.
My dad would take us fishing, and the Boy Scouts took us into the Backcountry wilderness. We learned the stars and constellations under dark, crystal clear skies, and swam in cool creeks, rivers, and lakes in the summer.
Just before I started at Brophy for High School, my family moved to 32nd Street and Shea. It was wonderful to hike and climb the mountains right behind our house.
Ive been in the restaurant industry for 38 years, now. I started at Taco Bell when I was 16 years old, and rapidly realized how much I loved cooking, and cooking for other people. I learned there how easy it was to prep and prepare meals. I learned how to be a part of a team, and how everyone has something to contribute. Nobody’s position is above anybody else, and we rely on each other’s work to do our own job. I learned that hard work equals money, and that learning new skills gets you more responsibilities and a bigger paycheck.
I went off to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles to get a taste of the Big City. I got a Psychology degree. Not quite what you’d expect from someone who loves food and restaurants, but I use that degree every day. While I finished my degree, I started managing for TGI Friday’s and Starbucks. Manager training at Friday’s was the best in the industry. I learned most of my technical skills from them, why we do things the way we do them, and why it matters to the company and to the customer. I learned how to do cost analysis, budgeting and restaurant accounting all on an adding machine, before computers were fast enough to do these tasks for us. Skills I would use again and again to this day.
I had thoughts on how a restaurant should operate, but this began building my leadership skills. I learned how to operate a restaurant, and how to run a coffeehouse. I also began to realize that Arizona was home, and I should be making my way there.
By the end of the 1990’s, I had moved back to Phoenix, and managed for Sushi on Mill, Pizzeria Uno, and then for Oregano’s Pizza Bistro. Oregano’s was like graduate school for customer service. I learned how to take care of people. I learned how important customer relationships are to the vitality of the business. I learned how people matter, and how you treat people matters.
Life has been a series of learning moments for me. I’m fascinated by new things. My experiences with the Community College District started in high school when we were offered course credit for a class we took. A friend of mine graduated with an AA degree when she graduated from High School. During my college time, I needed a CPR class to become a Resident Advisor, and I took it at the Rio Salado location above the Food Court at PV Mall. After I returned to Phoenix, I took Creative Writing classes at Phoenix College. As a Restaurant Manager, you need to take the National SERVSAFE class every 3-5 years. I’m proud to say that I’ve taken it at Phoenix College at least twice!
The Maricopa County Community College District is the finest Community College System in the Nation. So many of my employees have attended, or are currently attending the schools. So many people I know have gotten jobs because of the Schoold. My Dental Hygienist was trained at Phoenix College. Two of the Bakers I’ve hired at my business got training at Phoenix College or Scottsdale Community College. These Colleges are the backbone of the Valley’s economy, and I have watched them change the lives of families and students.
Our daughter received an Associate Degree from Rio Salado. It shaved a year off her college requirements, and a year off her tuition. These schools are making a higher education affordable in the best way possible. I believe in the Maricopa Community College District, and I believe that it is going to continue building the future of the Valley.