Q: What is the single greatest advantage to being in metropolitan Phoenix, and how are you using it to benefit your business?
LaDonna Corn
SVP – Project Manager and Tempe Strategic Initiative Manager
Northern Trust
Sector: Financial Services
The greatest advantage to being in the Phoenix metro area is access to a diverse and highly skilled talent pool that drives innovation and business growth. At Northern Trust, we leverage this advantage through our Tempe Global Capability Center, which expanded from 75 employees in 2015 to more than 700 today.
With more than 75 different business functions represented, our Tempe office strengthens the resiliency of our business and supports our strategic initiatives. The region’s dynamic workforce enables us to maintain high levels of quality, expertise and innovation, ensuring we deliver exceptional value to our clients. Beyond business success, our Tempe team is deeply committed to the local community, having volunteered more than 2,400 hours in 2024 alone.
This combination of access to talent, a thriving business environment and community involvement plays a crucial role in our continued success and growth in the Phoenix metro area.
LaDonna Corn, SVP, project manager and Tempe strategic initiative manager, has been with Northern Trust for 29 years. She has spent the last 16 years in the Asset Management division of the bank. Corn moved into her present role in 2023 and has made extensive contributions to Northern Trust in Tempe. She is heavily involved in the community and leads 11 employee-led business resource councils at Northern Trust.
Richard Gray, M.D.
CEO
Mayo Clinic in Arizona
Sector: Healthcare
One of the greatest advantages of being in Phoenix is its rapidly growing, diverse economy. The region’s consistent population growth, business-friendly environment and proximity to key markets make it a strategic location for innovation and expansion. With major investments in sectors like healthcare, technology and biosciences, Phoenix has become a hub of economic opportunity.
Earlier this year, we announced a historic $1.9-billion investment in the transformation and expansion of Mayo Clinic in Arizona: Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Arizona. This initiative will revolutionize the healthcare experience for patients and staff by reimagining the physical and digital infrastructure of the Phoenix campus while expanding clinical space by nearly 60%.
This expansion project, combined with the continued growth in Phoenix, will allow us to care for more patients than ever before, setting new standards for patient care and medical innovation.
By increasing opportunity and prioritizing progress, we aim to contribute to and draw from the momentum driving Phoenix forward — advancing new cures and working collaboratively to address some of the most challenging and unmet needs of patients.
Richard Gray, M.D., is CEO of Mayo Clinic in Arizona, recognized as the No. 1 hospital in the state for 12 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report. In 2023, he was appointed to provide executive oversight of the Mayo Clinic Center for Digital Health. Before becoming CEO in 2019, Dr. Gray was a surgical oncologist. He’s also a professor of surgery and has been a part of Mayo Clinic for nearly 30 years.
Craig Jackman
President & Co-Founder
Paragon IT Professionals
Sector: Technology
From my perspective, the greatest advantage of being in the Phoenix marketplace is having a very large metropolitan area that feels more manageable than other major cities — there is less congestion because the city is spread out, with great infrastructure. And it is more affordable than other major cities.
The benefit to our business is having access to a great pool of senior leaders from a large and growing roster of employers. I have felt welcomed by several interconnected leaders over the past several years and hope to continue to build our presence in Arizona.
Craig Jackman is president and co-founder of Paragon IT Professionals and a board member of the Arizona Technology Council. Paragon is headquartered in Iowa and is an IT staffing, project and leadership solutions firm with nearly three decades of experience.
Heather Marcom
SVP of Human Resources
Achieve
Sector: Financial Services
The greatest advantage of our presence in Greater Phoenix is, without a doubt, the people. The region’s diverse population, including a strong base of bilingual talent, gives us access to an incredible pool of qualified, educated and experienced individuals — many of whom are already well-versed in financial services operations, thanks to the region’s reputation as a national hub for this industry.
This talent-rich environment has allowed us to grow our team with professionals who are not only capable but also deeply connected to the community. That connection matters to us. We encourage our teammates to actively engage with local nonprofits and organizations, and we’re proud to contribute to the region’s success and well-being. Having a Phoenix presence means we’re surrounded by opportunity — both in terms of talent and community impact — and we’re committed to making the most of it.
Heather Marcom is senior vice president of human resources at Achieve, the digital personal finance company helping everyday people get on, and stay on, the path to a better financial future. During her time at Achieve, Marcom has led high-impact recruiting, HR technology and career development strategies that helped scale the company’s workforce and fuel its continued growth.
