Nov. 14, 2013

Changing the Details

When Susan Doria assumed

responsibility for the 2013 Heart Ball,

she knew what she wanted to do, and

she knew whom she wanted to convince

to partner with her and her 115 or so-person

committee: restaurateur Sam Fox.

“When you think about preventing heart

disease, it’s about changing the details

of your life,” Doria says. “It’s about eating

correctly, exercising, eliminating stress.

Sam is a detail guy. He’s out in the

community and is someone who can

speak about heart disease in a less

intimidating way.”

Fox, who is the founder of the successful restaurant empire Fox Restaurant Concepts, is a person others relate to easily. He’s had personal experience with heart disease and others in his family have as well. Interestingly, the 2013 Heart Ball will be his first, and he’s looking forward to it.

“When Susan asked me to be this year’s honorary chair, she made a great presentation,” says Fox. “She gave me a compelling story, and I felt her passion for everything she was doing. It felt right, and we accepted.

"We felt we had a lot to offer the Heart Ball in terms of exposure, especially to the next generation.”

The Doria-Fox collaboration has been an effective one. They’ve stepped out with new fundraising events throughout the year. Each month, a different Fox restaurant has built a heart-healthy menu and donated proceeds from that menu to the Heart Ball. Since this year’s committee included many new members, it became a great way for them to get to know one another, while raising money at the same time. Non-committee members who ordered from the menu were also contributing to the cause.

In May, more than 300 guests in urban chic attire turned out for the inaugural Heart Rock party, which also benefited Heart Ball 2013. The lively occasion on the pool deck of the Palomar Hotel in downtown Phoenix was hosted by Fox. Guests enjoyed cuisine presented by the Arrogant Butcher, a Fox Concepts restaurant, as they listened to the music of national recording artist Kelley James. The party, co-chaired by Carrie Hall and Kathy Munson, netted $29,000.

The theme of this year’s Heart Ball is Serendipity. “That has given me a freedom to explore,” Doria says. “We’re doing a couple of things in the ballroom that will be a big surprise. The deep, saturated shades we use are important this year. Those colors represent vibrancy and a growth concept. They also represent diversity. We want to connect new people with our longtime donors.”

Sam Fox, right, takes to the microphone with national

recording artist Kelley James at Heart Beat.

Fox has been busy with the details as well. “I’ve been to

food tastings and participated in the menu selections. And I’ve set a goal to get 100 new people who, like me, have never been to the Heart Ball to attend on Nov. 23. I’m close!” Fox says.

Another distinction of this year’s ball is that Dr. Ted Diethrich will be recognized with the Lifetime Achievement in Cardiovascular Science & Medicine Award. Diethrich founded the Arizona Heart Institute in 1971 and is regarded as a pioneer in the treatment of heart disease. This is the first time the award has been given in Phoenix.

Doria and her team have worked this year toward changing the details of daily living to improve heart health. They have also tweaked the details of one of the Valley’s longest running and most successful fundraising balls, hoping to show that small changes can make a big difference.