S2RC Featured on KJZZ’s The Show for Building Arizona’s Engineering Talent Pipeline Through ElevateEdAZ

Stone Solutions + Research Collective, LLC (S2RC), a Phoenix-based Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, was featured on The Show, KJZZ 91.5 FM’s locally produced news magazine, on September 28, 2026. Founder and CEO Rick Stone joined host Mark Brodie in studio to discuss how S2RC uses the ElevateEdAZ program to bring Arizona high school students into applied engineering work.

ElevateEdAZ, an initiative of the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation, connects students with employers in high-demand industries including advanced manufacturing, construction, financial services, health sciences, and IT. The program currently works with more than 20 Arizona schools and roughly 100 businesses across the Valley.

S2RC began hosting ElevateEdAZ interns in fall 2025 and has grown the cohort each cycle. Students are placed on live human systems engineering and software testing work rather than administrative tasks. Interns conduct user interviews, elicit requirements from operators, and produce interface designs against real program needs. The current cohort is three high school seniors.

That work has produced measurable return. At the close of the spring 2026 cohort, interns presented their design concepts to S2RC staff and their families. Several components the students proposed had not been on the company’s roadmap and were carried into the core software. As Stone told The Show, the students are not afraid to ask those questions that experienced engineers have already stopped asking.

“High school students ask the questions adults have already talked themselves out of asking,” said Rick Stone, Founder and CEO of S2RC. “That is not a courtesy placement. Design work our interns presented ended up in production software. If Arizona wants a workforce capable of this kind of engineering in ten years, the exposure has to start now.”

The segment also addressed workforce readiness beyond technical skill. Stone noted that students who complete an employer internship arrive at their first post-college role with professional communication habits and workplace fluency that are not taught in engineering curricula, closing a gap many employers otherwise absorb during a new hire’s first year.

S2RC’s participation in ElevateEdAZ reflects a broader commitment to Arizona talent development. The company has previously been recognized as an ElevateEdAZ employer partner in the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation’s Community in Focus newsletter, was named the 2026 Small Business of the Year by the Greater Phoenix Chamber, and participates in the DoD SkillBridge program for transitioning service members.

ABOUT ELEVATEEDAZ

ElevateEdAZ is an education initiative of the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation that connects students, educators, and employers to support career exploration, workforce readiness, and stronger alignment between education and industry.

ABOUT KJZZ

KJZZ 91.5 FM is Phoenix’s NPR member station and a service of Rio Salado College and the Maricopa Community Colleges. The Show is the station’s locally produced daily news magazine.

INTERVIEW LINK


https://www.kjzz.org/the-show/2026-09-28/elevateedaz-helps-companies-find-new-pipeline-of-workers-by-connecting-them-with-az-high-schoolers

About S2RC

At Stone Solutions + Research Collective (S2RC), our essence lies in pioneering innovation within emerging and disruptive technologies. As a certified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business and 8(a) firm, we are dedicated to delivering bespoke, cutting-edge solutions that give our clients a competitive edge. Our elite team of Subject Matter Experts spearheads this mission, merging in-depth research, advanced engineering, and comprehensive training into a unified strategy. This approach equips our clients with the foresight and skills necessary to lead and thrive in an ever-evolving technological landscape. At S2RC, we don’t just adapt to the future; we shape it.

Anthony Lavazza

VP, Operations

Anthony Lavazza serves as Vice President of Operations at S2RC, bringing over 20 years of expertise in military safety, federal regulatory compliance, and industrial training. He leads S2RC’s operational strategy for its growing Industrial Solutions division, overseeing the delivery of risk-mitigating safety programs, deployment of digital training platforms, and implementation of compliance systems across critical infrastructure and manufacturing environments.

Before joining S2RC, Anthony founded National Safety Group, where he directed high-impact safety engagements for semiconductor and infrastructure clients. His public sector experience includes serving as a Compliance Officer at the U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA), where he was responsible for the enforcement of federal safety regulations across construction, energy, and logistics sectors.

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Anthony served more than a decade as a Ground Safety Manager and Bulk Fuel Specialist. He is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and OSHA Outreach Instructor. His academic background includes a Master of Science in Occupational Safety and Health from Eastern Kentucky University and a Bachelor of Science in Health Science from Arizona State University.

Anthony’s appointment reinforces S2RC’s commitment to modernizing workplace safety systems through AI-enabled training platforms and ergonomic human-machine interface development. His leadership supports safer, smarter, and more efficient industrial operations across the logistics, manufacturing, and infrastructure domains

Rick Stone

CEO & Founder, S2RC

Rick Stone leads S2RC with over 22 years of experience across government, military, and aerospace sectors. A proven executive and human systems engineer, Rick shapes S2RC’s strategic vision, fosters leadership and team building, and drives innovation and growth.

In addition to his role at S2RC, Rick continues to serve as an Air Force Special Warfare Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC). He has also held leadership roles as Vice President of Strategic Planning at Black Diamond Advanced Technology and Director of Business Development at Pison Technologies. Beyond these responsibilities, Rick sits on the boards of several startups, providing strategic guidance and leveraging his extensive operational experience.

Rick holds a Master of Science in Human Systems Engineering from Arizona State University, a BA in Psychology from American Military University, and an associate degree in information technology from the Community College of the Air Force. He maintains a TS/SCI Clearance, FAA Part 107 License, SAFe Agilist Certification, and is a native Spanish speaker. Reflecting his passion for service and community impact, Rick supports veterans’ and children’s charities.