
Tom Hatten looks to widen distinguished tenure of his philanthropic pursuit
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
Mountainside Fitness Founder Tom Hatten has been faithfully serving some of Arizona’s most beloved charities since 2003.
Some of those posts, representatives of his fitness brand Mountainside Fitness report, include serving as the chairman of Arizona’s Make-A-Wish Foundation, 15 years on the Diamondbacks Foundation Board of Directors, and as a past board member of Arizona Child Crisis Center and Arizona Special Olympics.
Mr. Hatten is set to begin a term at the Goldwater Institute Board of Directors, according to a press release.
“The Goldwater Institute fills another much-needed service area for me,” Mr. Hatten said in a prepared statement. “As some of us most recently experienced with the mandatory shut downs of certain businesses that occurred during the pandemic, we learned that civil liberties matter. For me personally, I’m passionate about everything the Goldwater institute stands for, and I love that they are the checks and balances for government overreach.”
Victor Riches, CEO of the Goldwater Institute, says Mr. Hatten’s business acumen combined with his commitment to serving in leadership positions in the community makes him a huge asset.
“The issues we focus on revolve around making sure that people live free from government interference. I can’t think of a better addition to our board than Tom Hatten. He’s been the biggest champion of Arizona businesses and understands the importance of protecting our civil liberties,” Mr. Riches said.” Among the objectives for this new term, Mr. Hatten and other board members will be choosing the issues and priorities the nonprofit will focus on in the coming years.
With more than 600 attorneys working around the country on a pro bono basis, Mr. Hatten says he has admired for some time what Mr. Riches and the institute have been able to accomplish since it added a litigation center in 2007.
“Three years ago, when the pandemic hit, I reached out to the Goldwater Institute for exactly what they do. I needed help and they were unbelievable at helping me navigate through those turbulent times,” Mr. Hatten pointed out.
Mr. Hatten has also known fellow board member, Insight Founder Eric Crown for 20 years.
“Tom is a true American success story, and he practices what he preaches. He had an idea on how you could revolutionize the fitness industry and he did it by himself. We would be hard pressed to find a better advocate for small business than Tom Hatten,” said Mr. Riches.
Mr. Hatten hopes, in turn, he can to bring more attention to the Goldwater Institute.
“I want to bring awareness to the business community and let people know about this incredible resource and how valuable the Goldwater Institute is in protecting your civil liberties and keeping us free from government interference,” Mr. Hatten said.