Dennis Wills is originally from Vancouver, Washington. He graduated from Fort Vancouver High School and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Washington. Traveling to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl game between Washington and University of Illinois in 1964, Dennis decided he liked the sunshine and did not return to his home state. During the 25 years that Dennis spent in southern California, he earned his MBA from the University of Southern California, and earned his CPA certificate. Living in the San Gabriel and San Marino area, east of Los Angeles, Dennis was active as President of the MBA Alumni Assocation and an active member of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. Dennis has experience as a Loan Officer for United California Bank (Wells Fargo), an auditor and computer audit specialist with Ernst & Young, CPA's, and Chairman of the Board for Intermation Corporation, a computer software company with a joint venture with a major DEC OEM in Belgium. He was also a lecturer at Pasadena City College in tax issues.
Darlene Wills is originally from Cedar City, Utah. She graduated from Cedar City High School, attended the College of Southern Utah for two years, and then moved on to the University of Utah. She graduated Cum Laude with a degree in teaching Accounting, Office Administration, and Economics. She moved to southern California, met and married Dennis, and landed a teaching position in the adult program for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Stopping in 1967 to have their first child, a son Douglas (USC and Berkeley graduate, an Arizona and Colorado attorney, previously a Coldwell Banker Realtor® in northern California), Darlene returned to teaching at Belmont High School in downtown Los Angeles. The year 1967 was also a milestone in that Darlene received her MS degree in Business Education from the University of Southern California.
After their second child, Denise (born in 1973, ASU graduate and currently working in Denver with a restaurant management firm as an accountant), Darlene continued teaching by moving on to Pasadena City College. While there she earned the designation Enrolled Agent, licensed to practice before the IRS, then her CPA certificate, and in 1978 enrolled in law school.
The same year that Darlene graduated from law school, Darlene was hired as marketing manager for a small computer software company. That small beginning turned into a 10-year activity in which Darlene, as CEO and President, and Dennis founded Compu-Tome, Inc. and then Intermation, a office automation software company that created the first word processing available on the DEC VAX. Intermation was a joint venture between Compu-Tome and Intersys, a large DEC OEM headquartered in Brussells, Belgium. In Pasadena, Darlene was active in the Pasadena Chamber and in the Pasadena Rotary Club. Dennis and Darlene also earned certificates as Micro-Computer Consultants from the California Society of CPA's.
After moving to Sedona in 1988, Dennis and Darlene, as CFO and COO respectively, became involved in the resort industry. As active members of the American Resort Development Association, Dennis and Darlene earned designations as Registered Resort Professionals and Darlene earned her Hospitality Management Diploma. She was honored as the Outstanding Distance Learner by the American Hotel and Motel Association at a ceremony in Washington, DC.
While living in the Sedona area, Dennis and Darlene have been very active in the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. Darlene has been the President and Treasurer of the Sedona Chamber Ambassadors, board member and assistant treasurer for the Sedona Arts Center, and board member and President of the Sedona Historical Society. On a part-time basis, Darlene continued to share her computer expertise in Microsoft Office programs with students in the Verde Valley through the Yavapai Community College Weekend program.
The natural transition to real estate happened in 2000 and was an outgrowth of their interest in the resort industry. They are both Realtors®, licensed in real estate in the state of Arizona, both have the E-PRO certifications (Realtors® with high-level computer information and marketing skills), and are members of the Sedona-Verde Valley MLS. In addition to her Masters and law degree, Darlene Wills has a Real Estate Broker's license in Arizona, Colorado, and California and has maintained her CPA license in California. |