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S2. Ep.32-Copper Mine to College Finance: Journey Through Risk, Numbers, & Community | Troy Ainsworth
Description
On this episode of the Who Is This Podcast, brought to you by Double R Communications and Southwest Mortgage Partners of Union Home Mortgage, We sit down with Troy Ainsworth, Controller and Finance Director at Eastern Arizona College.
Troy shares his incredible journey — from aspiring major league pitcher to public accounting, then navigating the high-stakes world of mining finance across Arizona, Colorado, and beyond. Along the way, he’s faced multi-million-dollar challenges, fraud exposure, bankruptcies, and the lessons that only experience can teach.
We talk about:
✅ His path from ASU accounting graduate to mining companies across the U.S.
✅ Underground audits, slope mines, quarries, and the realities of mining finance
✅ Managing risk, spotting fraud, and surviving industry downturns
✅ How the 2008 crash shaped his approach to money and leadership
✅ Transitioning from mining to public finance at Eastern Arizona College
✅ Property taxes, state funding, and financial transparency in higher education
✅ Balancing emotion vs. math in tough financial decisions
Troy explains why “math will tell you what to do — but emotion often gets in the way.” From firing a mining blast to managing millions in public funds, this episode is packed with practical career lessons, financial wisdom, and personal stories about finding home and purpose in the Gila Valley.
If you’ve ever wondered:
• How junior mining companies really operate
• Why businesses go bankrupt
• How public colleges handle finances
• Or why numbers don’t lie
This episode is for you.
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