Tammy McLeod, Ph.D., Flinn Foundation

The continuing strength of our economy and growth of business goes hand in hand with agile and innovative leadership in Arizona’s business community. Increasingly, in fact, business sectors overlap and intertwine, requiring an ever-broader perspective from those at the helm of their company.

Since arriving at the Flinn Foundation two years ago, I have confirmed what two decades in the public-utility sector taught me: Individual institutions cannot reach their potential without an authentic commitment to the good of the greater community.

For business leaders, the mandate is creativity, persuasion, and hustle. We have to bring our organizations’ unique assets to the table and work to define community needs. We have to cultivate partners beyond those we’ve always turned to. We have to inspire our teams and our boards to try more rigorous and audacious approaches. And we must work harder every day to strengthen our communities throughout Arizona.

In this issue’s cover story, In Business Magazine shines a spotlight on the heads of some of the more prominent businesses in various sectors. Their candor about the challenges they identified in their industry and the calculations behind their decisions — which offers valuable insights to benefit other business decision-makers — underscores a strong shared interest in supporting our community.

Leadership is not without its own challenges. Glenn Llopis discusses many leaders’ inability to empower their employees to contribute at their fullest capacity despite a professed interest in doing so, in Roundtable feature “A Corporation’s Biggest Threat Is Its Leaders.” And Andy Maurer continues his “Mind Matters” series on the repercussions of trauma, an often unrecognized companion of C-suite perks.

With its signature broad focus on business topics, In Business Magazine in this issue offers articles on marketing (“Is Brand Obsolete in the Amazon Age?”), technology and security (“Paranoia and the Big Attention Gap”), commercial real estate (“Opportunity Zones: Maximizing Potential While Protecting Against Risk”) and legal matters (“Tax Issues for Arizona Retailers and Taxpayers”), among other regular departments, including even introducing a new restaurant in Power Lunch (“Agave del Scottsdale Celebrates Southern Mexican”).

I’m pleased to help bring you this December issue of In Business Magazine, and look forward to sharing it with you. Enjoy the read..

Sincerely,

Tammy McLeod
President and CEO
Flinn Foundation

Tammy McLeod, Ph.D., is the president and CEO of the Flinn Foundation, with a mission to improve the quality of life in Arizona to benefit future generations. Previously, she held executive roles for Arizona Public Service, including responsibilities for customers, marketing and economic development.

Dr. McLeod’s community board service includes the Arizona Community Foundation, Desert Botanical Garden and Expect More Arizona. She holds a doctorate in sustainability from Prescott College and an MBA from the Wharton School.